Sometimes, we can’t help who we fall for. If we could, life would be a lot less exciting! There are millions of people in this world, and if we’re lucky, we’ll at least get a handful of them to like us for who we really are, and feel the same way in return.
Different races, ethnicities, languages, ages, and geographies are just a few things we have to battle in relationships when it comes to stereotypes and how to move past them. But what about dating someone who has a disability?
A disability can be defined in several ways – there are both mental disabilities and physical ones, and each need to be handled differently. The bottom line, though, is when someone has a disability, they can’t function completely the way ‘normal’ people can. This could be something extremely minor, or something that really affects their everyday life.
Dating someone with a disability doesn’t have to feel like some kind of ‘chore,’ though and some of the brightest, funniest, and most intriguing people in the world can say the struggle with a disability. But, it can take a certain person to be able to deal with those disabilities. So, before you decide whether or not dating someone with a disability would be for you, consider the pros and cons.
# Cons
The cons for dating someone with a disability come with the severity of that disability. For example, if your partner struggles from depression, or bi-polar disorder, these are considered to be disabilities, but they’re also treatable with medication, etc. It might affect your lives at times, but for the most part, you might not even notice the problems on a day to day basis.
Physical disabilities can be more noticeable, and can fluctuate in severity. For example, you could date someone who has a prosthetic leg, and might have trouble doing things like running, hiking, etc. It’s not really a hindrance to having a good time together, it’s just a matter of adjusting what you do and how you do it. If they are completely wheelchair-bound, however, you may have to be the one to help them get from place to place, etc., and your options as far as activities will be more limited, depending on what they can do. Again, this doesn’t have to be a negative thing, just a different way of looking at it.
#Pros
Really, the benefits of dating someone with a disability are no different from dating anyone else. You may have to adjust a few things when it comes to what you do on your dates, but as stated above, people with disabilities can be some of the best people in the world. Most have great senses of humor, and an overall appreciation for life, and the world around them. Judging someone based on a disability alone may have you missing out on your next incredible relationship, so if you don’t think being with someone with a disability would hinder you in any way, you should go for it!
Dating someone with a disability can most certainly change your life, but it’s not fair to always automatically think it would change your life for the worse, or make it harder, etc. You could find that it makes your life that much more fulfilling if you’re willing to give it a try. Weigh out the pros and cons for yourself, and decide if it’s something you would be up to.
