Growing up, I always knew I was different from most others. That was fine – I knew I just needed to find people who were more like me – find my place in the world. And I did! I found a place where I belong – where my unique viewpoints were welcomed, where my strengths shined and I could connect with people who were just like me!
Or so I thought. Sometimes in life, you think you have found where you belong.
Then something happens and you realise that there is no space for you. That the people you thought were like you, didn’t like you. That you were no longer welcomed in the community, and the life you built and planned and your whole identity can be ripped away. And that’s when it really hits – “being different” can be an incredibly painful and exclusionary thing. When all you wanted to do was be yourself – but who you are doesn’t belong with others.
Keywords: Identity loss; Disability; Loneliness; Friendship difficulty