Reddit reviews Why I Burned My Book and Other Essays on Disability (American Subjects)

Just wanted to say hang in there-- it'll get better. I'm a wheelie too, and used to have some bad depression from with it. Yeah, it still gets me down, but in more of a frustration kind of way than a "maybe I would be better off dead" way. It's important to recognize that just because you're a crip doesn't mean you can't have clinical depression, a treatable illness, and if you do, it's very important to get treatment for it (preferably with someone who has some experience working with people with disabilities.)

One thing that's helped me enormously is learning about the disability community. It's helped me feel so much more normal, and learn that a lot of what I/we have to deal with isn't from our bodies/disabilities, but instead society's bad reaction to them. That's called the social model of disability. It's obviously somewhat flawed, because it's not like everything is society's fault, but it does apply in a lot of situations. It's a big shift to think of yourself as part of an oppressed minority instead of someone who's inherent self is causing all the problems, but it's a good one to make.

One awesome blog is Feminists with Disabilities, or, if books are more your style, read Why I Burned my Book.

I'll be thinking of you.