Take, for instance, someone with narcolepsy. One of the symptoms of narcolepsy is an uncontrollable desire to sleep. Someone suffering from this disorder may be talking to you, or typing a letter, or even performing a more hazardous task, like using a restaurant grill, and he or she will suddenly fall asleep.
Many people with narcolepsy also suffer from cataplexy. Cataplexy is an attack of muscle weakness or partial paralysis that comes on suddenly, usually in response to some strong emotion. Maybe the person is arguing with a customer or another staff member. He or she becomes upset and the next minute drops to the floor, unable to move for anywhere from a few seconds to two or three minutes. Laughter as well as anxiety can bring on a bout of cataplexy. Perhaps the boss comes in and tells a joke. Again the muscle weakness sets in and the employee suffers a seizure. How long do you suppose a person with this disability will be able to hold a job?
If a person suffers from delayed sleep phase syndrome, then the circadian rhythm becomes completely reversed. He or she can't sleep before three or four in the morning, nor stay awake during the day. This disorder is often called the Night Owl syndrome. People who suffer from delayed sleep phase syndrome would love to be self-sufficient and find suitable employment, but it has to be at night. Daytime work is very difficult because the day is their natural time for sleep.
Other sleep disorders make ordinary working conditions difficult -sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, severe insomnia. All these disorders cause sleep deprivation, and lack of sleep slows down mental and physical processes. And yes, these are real disorders. Nothing angers people with sleep disorders more than being told they'll feel better if they get a good night's sleep, or even worse, that they are "just faking" the disorder to avoid working for a living.
Only in recent years have many of these disorders been recognized as real illnesses. Finally medical and research facilities are starting to look for causes and possible treatment or even cures.
Many insurance companies, however, are a bit slower to recognize these syndromes. Even getting the medical help needed can be a battle. Why? Because these disabilities are virtually invisible. People suffering from many of these disorders and syndromes look healthy and perfectly capable of holding down a job. It's only on closer examination that the problems become apparent, and many times an insurance company doesn't bother with that closer examination.
A few strides in the right direction have appeared in the last year or so. Employers are beginning to make allowances for all disabilities. Wheelchair ramps, workplace modifications, and day and night shifts allow more people to work and live their lives in a normal fashion. Special lighting has been installed for those with circadian rhythm disorders such as delayed sleep phase syndrome. All of these things lead to more employment and better working conditions for those with invisible disabilities.
But still more needs to be done. It's time for everyone to open his or her eyes and recognize that not all disabilities are visible on the surface. Sometimes you have to dig deeper.
