Disabled person here. Please omit the phrase "differently abled" from your vocabulary.
That phrase is widely condemned in the disabled community because of the way it minimizes our daily struggles and barriers. There are things I literally can't do anymore, which an able-bodied person can easily do. It's not mean or dispiriting to acknowledge my struggles and call me disabled.
There's a lot of stigma around the words disability/disabled. The right way to fix it is to normalize disability, rather than using euphemistic language to obscure the reality faced by people with disabilities and further hide our challenges from view.
Even in the neurodivergent community, "differently abled" is viewed negatively. Sure, there's things an autistic or ADHD brain might do better, like memorizing facts or connecting patterns. But there's also very real struggles that we ND folks deal with; like issues with socializing, attention, sensitivities, and isolation.
Thanks for your understanding. This is especially prescient given that "disability" is on NSF's list of flagged words for grant proposals or active research projects:
Thank you. I’ve been doing everything you suggested, starting right after the election.
I would also add that as a person in recovery it’s more important than ever to guard my sobriety with extra care.
I was 6 years sober and relapsed right after the 2016 election (there’s an obvious “teleconnection” here). It took me 4 years to climb back on the wagon.
I got sober again in October 2020 by attending five 12-step Zoom meetings a day, IOP, and therapy. (By the way, my relapse started with booze. I then discovered Kratom, the worst, most dangerous substance I’ve ever taken, and I did ALL the drugs. Eight days of withdrawal, rocking back and forth in a chair, unable to control my limbs. Took me six months to walk around properly. Total nightmare.)
I’m 4.5 years clean and sober again, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to let this ridiculous administration take me out without a fight.
I’m sending your post to as many people as I can. Thank you.
Erik, thank you for sharing your story. You are so right: sobriety, especially sobriety so hard won, is so precious. It’s critical to your health and longevity. Five 12 step meetings a day is an incredible commitment. Hopefully the next 4.5 years (and the next, and the next and the next) of sobriety come easier and easier.
You made my day! Thank you. I'm attending 4 meetings a week now that I'm out of crisis mode...but I think I'll up my game again. Zoom literally saved my life during the pandemic, though I think 5 a day now would probably be a bit much hahahaha
Congratulations on your had, effort, ingenuity and commitment to self care & sobriety. My hat is off to you. And you have my respect and admiration for sticking to it. The best to you.💜💜💜
Thank you. I shared this with my staff. Also, thank you for speaking up about healthcare workers and therapy. We aren’t super humans. No matter what we like to think.
Thank you. Excellent practical advice. I’m a psychologist and went back into therapy for myself recently because of everything happening in trying to take care of my clients during this unsettling time.
Glad you were able to go back into therapy for yourself! A terrific investment in yourself that will definitely benefit you and your clients. Such limited mental health access all around; your skills are extremely valuable.
Sometimes the fake smile is what gets you through! We are so glad you found this helpful, lots of changes, thank you for your work in Texas, it’s a wild time to be an OB/GYN…
Thank you so very very much! For this reaching out at such a time as this, and yes, for all your services! I depend on my doctors as well as up to date virus info. from Your Local Epidemiologist. Made it til Dec. 24 until Covid finally caught me but by that time was prepared. Thank you!
Therapist here. Loved your article. An affordable resource for therapy is Open Path Collective, with sessions ranging between $30-$70. Also many therapists will offer a free 15 min consultation.
Melissa, what a great suggestion! I've never heard of Open Path Collective but will definitely check it out. Love the idea of a 15 minute consultation to hopefully help people find a good fit.
So helpful! Chiming in with my own little way that I’ve been supporting my mental health and trying to create joy amidst all the horror - watching lots and lots of comedy. Crazy Ex Girlfriend, Taylor Tomlinson, Make Some Noise. Check check check.
This is excellent. However I keep getting this message from those with anti-vaccine sentiments. Can you debunk vaccination as the reason for long Covid?
Disabled person here. Please omit the phrase "differently abled" from your vocabulary.
That phrase is widely condemned in the disabled community because of the way it minimizes our daily struggles and barriers. There are things I literally can't do anymore, which an able-bodied person can easily do. It's not mean or dispiriting to acknowledge my struggles and call me disabled.
There's a lot of stigma around the words disability/disabled. The right way to fix it is to normalize disability, rather than using euphemistic language to obscure the reality faced by people with disabilities and further hide our challenges from view.
Even in the neurodivergent community, "differently abled" is viewed negatively. Sure, there's things an autistic or ADHD brain might do better, like memorizing facts or connecting patterns. But there's also very real struggles that we ND folks deal with; like issues with socializing, attention, sensitivities, and isolation.
Thank you so much! That is very helpful.
Thanks for your understanding. This is especially prescient given that "disability" is on NSF's list of flagged words for grant proposals or active research projects:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025/02/04/national-science-foundation-trump-executive-orders-words/
Much appreciation for the work you do!
Thank you! Very much appreciate your words!💜♥️💜
Thank you. I’ve been doing everything you suggested, starting right after the election.
I would also add that as a person in recovery it’s more important than ever to guard my sobriety with extra care.
I was 6 years sober and relapsed right after the 2016 election (there’s an obvious “teleconnection” here). It took me 4 years to climb back on the wagon.
I got sober again in October 2020 by attending five 12-step Zoom meetings a day, IOP, and therapy. (By the way, my relapse started with booze. I then discovered Kratom, the worst, most dangerous substance I’ve ever taken, and I did ALL the drugs. Eight days of withdrawal, rocking back and forth in a chair, unable to control my limbs. Took me six months to walk around properly. Total nightmare.)
I’m 4.5 years clean and sober again, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to let this ridiculous administration take me out without a fight.
I’m sending your post to as many people as I can. Thank you.
Erik, thank you for sharing your story. You are so right: sobriety, especially sobriety so hard won, is so precious. It’s critical to your health and longevity. Five 12 step meetings a day is an incredible commitment. Hopefully the next 4.5 years (and the next, and the next and the next) of sobriety come easier and easier.
You made my day! Thank you. I'm attending 4 meetings a week now that I'm out of crisis mode...but I think I'll up my game again. Zoom literally saved my life during the pandemic, though I think 5 a day now would probably be a bit much hahahaha
Thanks again for the kind words.
Congratulations on your had, effort, ingenuity and commitment to self care & sobriety. My hat is off to you. And you have my respect and admiration for sticking to it. The best to you.💜💜💜
Thank you. I shared this with my staff. Also, thank you for speaking up about healthcare workers and therapy. We aren’t super humans. No matter what we like to think.
Thank you so much for sharing with your staff! We hope this is useful to them, regular, non-super humans, like all of us.
You two are amazing communicators. Thank you for sharing such insightful information. And thank you also for the work you do as physicians!
Thanks so much Cat! We are glad you are here.
Thank you. Excellent practical advice. I’m a psychologist and went back into therapy for myself recently because of everything happening in trying to take care of my clients during this unsettling time.
Hi SarahJane,
Glad you were able to go back into therapy for yourself! A terrific investment in yourself that will definitely benefit you and your clients. Such limited mental health access all around; your skills are extremely valuable.
Thank you so much for this uplifting post. Fortifying.
I’m an OBGyn in Texas, so I chose a moniker to reflect that I’m trying to stay positive in this fight.
I love your advice to find joy every day, everywhere you can. ♥️🫶🏼❤️🔥🫀
Sometimes the fake smile is what gets you through! We are so glad you found this helpful, lots of changes, thank you for your work in Texas, it’s a wild time to be an OB/GYN…
Thank you for what you do. Hope you stay strong and take care of yourself.
If the government wants to declare menstrual “waste” as medical waste they should do the same for ejaculation “waste” and “bowel movement” waste, etc.
Omg Jenn, can you imagine? Sacred and precious ejaculation "waste"!
Thank you so very very much! For this reaching out at such a time as this, and yes, for all your services! I depend on my doctors as well as up to date virus info. from Your Local Epidemiologist. Made it til Dec. 24 until Covid finally caught me but by that time was prepared. Thank you!
Hi Barbara, Thank you for being here! I am sorry you got Covid but glad you were prepared.
Your Local Epidemiologist is fantastic and Ryan McCormick's Examined is wonderful - he just had a long piece on Covidlandia that I learned a lot from. https://mccormickmd.substack.com/p/covidlandia-begins-again-january.
Thank you for taking the time in your very busy lives to share these insights!
Thank you Mackenzie for reading and finding this helpful!
Calming and helpful!
THANK YOU. 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜
Also, I didn’t know anyone else said “goat rodeo” 😁
Shelly, thank you for reading. "Goat rodeo" and "herding cats" have been staples in my household for ages to describe all manner of chaos.
Therapist here. Loved your article. An affordable resource for therapy is Open Path Collective, with sessions ranging between $30-$70. Also many therapists will offer a free 15 min consultation.
Melissa, what a great suggestion! I've never heard of Open Path Collective but will definitely check it out. Love the idea of a 15 minute consultation to hopefully help people find a good fit.
So helpful! Chiming in with my own little way that I’ve been supporting my mental health and trying to create joy amidst all the horror - watching lots and lots of comedy. Crazy Ex Girlfriend, Taylor Tomlinson, Make Some Noise. Check check check.
Hi Liane, so glad that's working for you!
Really excellent post.
Thanks so much Owen! We appreciate the support.
Great post! Thank you. In solidarity.
Oh, wow. A picture of our healthcare in the present, and then in the next panel, our future.
This is excellent. However I keep getting this message from those with anti-vaccine sentiments. Can you debunk vaccination as the reason for long Covid?
This is also a subject of ongoing research but there are a couple of articles trying to evaluate effects of vaccination on risk of long-COVID including: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9978692/ and https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanres/article/PIIS2213-2600%2824%2900082-1/fulltext but there is so much more work to be done.
Hi Micaela, great idea. Thanks!