The Invisible Handicap

Why is brain injury called the invisible handicap

An invisible disability is an informal term for any illness, impairment, or health problem that impacts the individual’s daily life but cannot be immediately seen by other people. Brain injury is often called the invisible disability because there are often no visible physical signs of injury. The injury can’t be seen, this means that people who have a brain injury can be misunderstood and treated differently.

Every brain injury is unique and brings with it different effects, from physical to cognitive to behavioral. Some brain injury-related outcomes are readily seen by the outside world, such as mobility impairments. But in most cases, however, the symptoms are only felt by the survivors themselves. In these cases, the individual is said to have an invisible disability or an invisible handicap.

“most people in your life will not notice how your brain injury has turned your life upside down”