This 26-Year-Old Blind Woman Led A Lonely Life As Nobody Wanted To Relate With Her

October 8, 2018

Living with blindness can be very challenging for most people, especially if they don't have family or friends to provide around the clock assistance. Simple tasks, like finding objects around the house and preparing meals, can be very cumbersome.

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As if that is not bad enough, transportation and navigation can be even harder. Tripping is a common incident and most people are too busy going about their busy days to even notice a blind person having trouble.

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Life can also get lonesome for blind people. They are unable to share everyday experiences like other people do and have to depend on their other senses or descriptions that people provide.

Blind people get lonely, too

For 26-year-old Meghan, growing up blind was quite a sad experience. She felt left out during her teens when other girls were getting excited about things like make-up and boys. All she had to work with was her imagination and words she heard. She shared her story with BBC Stories on Facebook.

I look back on my time at school as very lonely. I’m blind, and I think my disability – and other’s reactions – set me apart.

Her condition took a toll on her mental health as well, and Meghan was very lonely. At times, she was so desperate for attention, she would hold doors open for people, wishing someone would at least say 'Thank you' or 'Hello'. More often than not, nobody would notice.

I still get times when I feel lonely. I have an assistance dog, and if people start stroking him, I'll try to use that to start a conversation, but quite a lot of people just walk off.

How to interact with blind people

Dealing with blind people can be awkward, especially when these people do not need assistance, but are offered some, anyway. Due to the fear of rejection, some people ignore blind people altogether. Blind author Tommy Edison provides some insight into dealing with blind people.

For starters, he suggests that observing a blind person is important to determine whether or not they need help. Never jump to conclusions as some visually impaired people have no problem at all with navigation or simple tasks.

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When offering assistance, be gentle. Never rush up to a blind person and grab them, as this may be startling. Being cordial is the key. Blindness may be a disability, but the condition does not make anyone less deserving of respect.