Dating With a Disability? 💕 (Do I Tell Them First? Safety? Weird Encounters?) [CC]

I could be wrong, but I have a feeling your upfront, honest attitude served as a filter to keep away some of the dirt bags out there. I hope dating continues to be a mostly pleasurable experience for you.

As a 15 year old amputee, I was actually wondering how this goes I keep telling myself "im gonna die alone aren't I?" And I say this because since my leg is gone the kids in my school were disgusted by my leg being gone and i never made any friends The only place I have friends on is a game called "Roblox". Thank you for warning/explaining this.

I actually had several people look up the long term prognosis for my disease (beyond what I say or they could see - which was very little) and one who we really got along well told me he thought I was awesome BUT he could not deal with my illness & his PTSD. It hurt but I understood. The next one weighed in the pros & cons of it. He had his own issues so I had done the same about his & some I knew because I'd lost 2 siblings from them having what he does. We went on 3 dates & 13 years later, we're still on that date. Both of us have gotten much worse but we take care of each other just fine & love our daily home life as well as each other. Can't ask for better than that!

Anyone I dated in the past never had problems when I gave them the bullet points of my disability. The hardest part is trying to put it into dumb terms instead of medical terms, I keep forgetting that not everyone knows what I am talking about. It’s scary to get all the gruesome details out sometimes. The other problem I have is when I get serious with someone their families can be one of 2 sides. One accepting me as who I am as a person or just seeing the disability as a way to hold my significant other back in life

My wife of 6 years has had invisible disabilities since childhood. What I fell in love with about her had nothing to do with her illnesses, and we just learned to adapt our lives around when she needs rest. There are times it can cause problems but if you communicate and support each other you can work through it. In your case Jo, your bada$$ personality that shines through on your videos, and your sense of humour are beautiful personality traits. Someone will see that in you, and see your disability as something that exists, but does not define you. Just let things happen naturally and if it feels right, you'll know. You deserve happiness and both myself and my wife wish you the best of luck.

Dating with a mainly invisible illness has been awful for me, so I am glad to hear some good things about dating! It does give me some hope that I'll find someone who will love me for who I am and not who I was/could be. I use crutches because of a tumor in my thigh and a neuropathy of the sciatic, but if my crutches are on the ground and I'm standing up, you cannot tell that something is actually wrong with me (aside from my weight). I was diagnosed at 15, 10 years ago, and it's taken a toll on my mental health - which is why I am now on a break from dating. Today's co-hosts were lovely!!

I was super worried about dating after recently starting to use mobility aids so I'm thankful for this video

My hubby has decided that being married to me now is not acceptable due to me having to now use a wheelchair, and I suffer with chronic pain. He’s told me that why should two people be miserable, when it could just be me. I’m fifty years old, and been with my hubby for 34 years. I’ve no idea how to date, or who on earth would want to date me. I’ve lost my confidence and I just don’t know how to start. Whose going to want to go out with me? I’m absolutely terrified.

Listen to your gut - I didn't. I kept thinking "Oh, you're just being paranoid" NOPE! There was a reason I was feeling uncomfortable.

I’m a life long asthmatic, colon cancer survivor with an ostomy and arthritis as a parting gift. In my younger dating days I had more women reject me over being Jewish than for my health issues. I have always found this fascinating. Health challenges can be taxing on your partner, far more than I ever understood until later in my life. At 57 I am acutely aware of how my health effects others and those effects have influenced my choices in care, both long and short. Been married 18 years now, our daughter is 17 and it’s a difficult balancing act. Your story drew me in and I’ve learned quite a lot about myself in the process.

Excellent! I had my right leg amputated in 1983 and it has never stopped me. Personally I am always up front and tell girls. It has always been a talking point! I remember going to meet a new girl who lived about 50 miles away and I went down on one of my classic bikes and when I got I there Suzanne said to me "Nick you told me that you have only one leg! Bollocks I don't believe you!" I then showed it to her! The look of disbelief on her face was priceless! I have a very good lady friend Michelle who lives in South East London and she is incredible You would never realise that she hasn't got a left leg! When you see her in her miniskirt fishnets and 6" heels thigh boots! My present lady is truly 💕

I was disabled with an unusual and extremely painful respiratory condition. Though it’s far from silent it’s definitely an invisible disability. When I first became disabled I volunteered at a disabled peoples organisation, where I later worked and now a trustee/director. There was a stunning young lady there who was hemiparuplegic following a stroke when when she was 28. I never asked her to go on a date not because she was disabled but because I was 15 years older than her. I really valued our friendship and didn’t want to do anything to spoil it…fortunately after 2 years I discovered her one fault, she has lousy taste in men and asked me out. We've been together 10 years and married for 8 and our relationship just gets stronger and stronger. It’s ok dating disabled people, especially if you appreciate strong ladies.

Honestly, while my disabilities are invisible, I definitely feel some of the ableism because my limited mobility means I'm always swiping left on people looking for someone who can keep up with them on the hiking trails or whatever. I don't even like spending time outdoors in the sunlight because I burn so easily and thoroughly.

People place so much weight on relationships, they often forget that you can be happy by yourself, This is probably the hardest experience I had ever to learn, but the most important I have ever learned for the sake of my love live.

As someone who is still not dating 6 years after a 17 year (really bad) relationship ended, I truly applaud you for getting out there! I am still too scared as I have never dated as an adult, let alone as a disabled/out person and the dating landscape has changed profoundly since my high school days 20 years ago. The apps are honestly petrifying! I literally wouldn't even know where to start 😂

Good advice for your dating app profile is to lead with anything that might be a deal breaker. Political leanings, country music fan, fav sports team etc. That way, anyone who gets to the stage of chatting/texting/dating is already cool with, or indifferent to, what others may call “the worst parts” of getting to know a new person, and all that’s left to discover is how wonderful you are.

My last relationship, three and a half years ended when she left for another school and I couldn’t manage long distance and my illnesses at the same time. I’ve gone on a few dates since, I’m not really looking to date but people will ask me out. I find the hardest part is when someone asks me out and I think they’re cool, but I have to tell them how sick I am and I don’t always have the time to prioritise someone else. I will go on a date, I’ll chat, but I don’t think I can give you what you deserve in a relationship and that’s kind of heart breaking.

I've been a cane/chair user for 5-6 years and have never had a bad reaction. I only date women, and I have a feeling that's why I haven't encountered anybody with a disability fetish (although I think it's also more common with amputees, which I am not), thank goodness. I've always been open on my dating profile that I use a cane and have chronic health issues, and that they're welcome to ask me more detail.

The cute cuddly pups are adorable ❤

Just beginning to watch the video and I immediately got an ad that you were in! That Levitate ad showed up on your own video! That's so cool!