Accept Adaptation

Acceptance: favorable reception or approval
Adapt: to change (something) so that it functions better or is better suited for a purpose

As most of you know, i'm in a mental health counseling program. There are a lot of times where people talk about accepting things and moving on and whatnot when it comes to whatever they happen to be struggling with at the time.

Well, acceptance is a big thing when it comes to disability.
Most of us are told we need to just accept the fact that we have a disability and once we do, that life will then become easier.

That's not always true.

When you accept something, you are approving that it happens.

Well, I don't really approve of having a disability, but there's really nothing that I can do to change that.

So what now? Do I just accept that fact and move on?

No.

Another big thing that is starting to show up in the research is the term adaptation.
Now one guy who has a disability says that we don't need to accept it, we need to adapt to it.

I kind of agree, but see at first glance, he's saying we need to adapt to the disability.

Well, I don't like that idea because it's basically saying that I need to change myself for the disability.

I'm not about to do that, I'm too stubborn to give into something and let it have it's way.

So because I'm a world famous psychologist and I have tons of literature and research studies published, I came up with the idea that we need to accept adaptation.

Now, I'm not saying that we need to approve of us changing.
No.
I'm saying that we need to accept that something (See above underlined and bold word) needs to change so that it functions better.

Accepting adaptation.

I don't like the idea that my disease overrules me sometimes. I'm not going to accept that. I'm not going to adapt to that. I'm going to accept the fact that it needs to change.

The disease and disability needs to adapt to us.

Now, I understand that you're probably thinking "this girl is crazy if she thinks that a disease can adapt to a person".

And yeah, I'm a bit looney (you can thank grad school for that).

No, I'm saying that society needs to change it's ideas of disabilities, fund raising needs to be going to research for disabilities and to better help those who need it, and things need to be happening to raise awareness of those with disabilities.

I'm tired of hearing stories and talking to people who have no one to turn to because nobody understands them.

I'm tired of bullies picking on kids because they look different or walk different.

I'm tired of having to fight this disease when nobody knows about the war.

I'm not going to adapt or accept.
I'm going to accept that the stigma and disability needs to adapt to me.

One of my favorite quotes is, "Acceptance is not giving up, it’s choosing to live beyond the things you cannot change, it’s choosing to recognize the pain and live anyways".

By recognizing that "yeah, this is going on, but I'm gonna push through it and go about my life" is wonderful and amazing because you are being stronger than your disability.

Let's all recognize the pain that happens in the lives of those with chronic illnesses.
But, let's all change the way we think about it.