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When dating, how long do you wait to tell someone you have a disability?

Not all disabilities are noticeable.

Gohan 7 Mar 25
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23 comments

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8

My friends all forget I'm disabled. (It's not visible).

But I can't imagine not letting someone know - and fairly soon. Certainly not a first date topic however.

So if you have a disability, but it's not visible, could we say you have divisibility?

Also they are beginning to remember because I pull out that blue and white placard and we can park in a magic way.

@DZhukovin Perhaps Invisibility?

6

I don't have undeclared disabilties, I have undocumented features. At my age we all have problems.

6

My disability developed after my dating days, and it's not an obvious one, other than some days I move more slowly than others. I think I'd probably wait until I know that it's more than just dating. If it's just a "get to know you" date, I don't see that it's anyone's business. In the case of this website though, I haven't hidden the fact that I have a chronic health issue.

6

Not noticeable, you may pass on the first date. After that, play it by feel. If you think you it may develop into a serious relationship, you really need to tell.

5

I'm up front about it, as it effects (affects? Whatever) social interaction. I want to make sure she doesn't think I'm bored or a flake.

4

If it doesn't interfere with getting to know them, I wouldn't say anything about it until we were seriously involved — about the same time we start disclosing our dirty family laundry to one another.

@DaneScott To me, because it's not readily apparent, it seems sort of like irritable bowel syndrome or something like that. Eventually it will have to be discussed, when the relationship has progressed sufficiently, but the first date isn't the time for it. Too early seems to me to be an overshare.

3

That is a good question. I have a chronic, moderately invisible disability. I've gotten good at covering it in public. On one hand, I think at times it can create preconceived prejudices and I think some people might just write me off where if they got to know me, I don't think they would. On the other hand, being completely upfront sometimes weeds out the people and potential heartache. It's a tough call. I have decided that my disease is not who I am, it doesn't define me, it's just a part of me...I disclose things as I'm comfortable or as it comes up. It's part of getting to know me. The more you know me, the more intimate details you will know about me...

I think my approach to dating helps as well. I am not a big fan of dating. I like being secure in a relationship, but dating is the worst...just so awkward and you can invest so much time only to discover they aren't the right fit for you. Also, it can be stressful and I can (And do) over think things sometimes. I'm much more comfortable if things form organically. We start out as friends with the knowledge that at some point, if there become feeling and it makes sense, perhaps there can be more. There isn't that pressure there...and if nothing else, I have made a friend. It's usually sometimes during the friendship that I feel comfortable talking about my disability. Friends rarely have any issue with your disability...and it gives them time to process, decide if that is something they are willing to deal with should we decide to progress to something more than friends.

Wow, my sentiments exactly about my disability.

3

Early on. I’m not ashamed of having disabilities. I’ve had three back surgeries, and it took me awhile to come to terms with my disability. I stay fit, so people don’t know unless I tell them. Either way, everyone has problems.

Marz Level 7 Mar 26, 2018
3

About 10 minutes, I would think it would be the right thing to do. I know I would want to know right away.

3

I would be right up front about it, it could save the possibility of pain later. Honesty builds trust.

2

I tell everyone I am a cancer survivor. Chemo, radiation and bone marrow transplant all have side effects which affect the body. I always post a current picture on this site. You are correct some people have disabilities that are not apparent. My ex boyfriend had muscular dystrophy but if he hadn't told me I never would have known. I think if you are past a few dates and getting intimate its a good time to tell your partner. I tend to put it out there right away so there are no surprises.

2

Every situation is by nature different as are humans and because of humans so the answer is" when or if it feels right" as a date might be just that. the same could be said about when you first have sex.

1

Get it out on the first date. It is important to be honest.

1

I look at a first date a bit like a job interview. If your disability is obvious you don't need to disclose. If it isn't obvious, however, when you bring it up tells the other person how much it impacts your life. If you've just sat down to dinner and ordered drinks and you lead with "I should tell you, I suffer from...". It's a bit like saying "My disability defines who I am and controls me." Obviously, this is not your intent but to the listener it can come off that way. Yes, it's totally unfair.

On the otherhand, as you start talking about activities, especially activities you might share in the future you can lead with "I used to love to do that" or "I'd really love to try that but I need to be careful..." and that creates the opening to discuss it. It says "This is something I have to manage in my life, it may limit be but it doesn't control me."

I really don't think you need to worry about it unless/until there is a second date.

1

I tell them before we even get that far . If that changes their mind about dating me ,then it probably wouldn't be a dream date anyway .

1

30 minutes, and then they don't want to date me.

Their loss, your gain.

@buzz13 It's because I live in a place for people with disabilities. Men want women with their own apartment or house, and someone to finance them. I'm too old to play mommy.

@buzz13 I don't date anymore. Men only want my body.

@Sarahroo29 That's too bad, from your posts I can sense you are a highly intelligent person

@buzz13 Thanks. None of the guys I dated could carry on an intelligent conversation either.

@buzz13 Only a few males and females that I know have a nice body and brains. They are atheists too.

@amnotgod sorry.

I'd date you and all I've seen is your beautiful face on your avatar. The real problem is distance. Colorado is rather far from Florida.

@Gohan I only post facial pictures now. My full body pics had every man on here bugging me.

@Sarahroo29 Most men are animals. There are a few good ones out there.

1

Does rebuilding the exploded fragments of my life count as a disability?

1

I tell them from the start so they know what they're getting into. How would it look if we were dating for a while and then out of nowhere I'm like 'Oh by the way. I'm a schizophrenic.' I have just as much a right to date someone as does someone who isn't mentally ill. I just wouldn't keep the person I'm dating out of the loop on it.

0

The time will vary, because I usually tell dates this as a practical joke.

So when that moment of "I want to know information that actually doesn't pertain to anything" comes around, that's when I tell them in my own subjectivity.

0

IMO if it not noticeable there is no reason to mention it.

0

I have a one sided hearing loss so I often ask to be on the right (left) side of a person.
Overall earlier is better.

0

If there was any,then I used to tell her immidiately right that period.

FAIZ Level 5 Mar 26, 2018
0

We all have some form of “disability”
We move forward by realising our abilities and working with that ...
I don’t think that’s something that should be an issue at start of communication...

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