The emotional impact of disability a overview. Part one

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This is something that we need to talk about and I am not talking about what the professionals call a Psychosocial disability,[i] which is created by a mental health condition or a disorder like Adhd or Autism spectrum disorder.

I have used Shadowhunters as I see more and more parallels to disability in this world, especially among the down-worlders.

But I am talking more generally about disability, so the things that people say really minimize the impact of the disability on your life and even demonize you in the process.

I see this in Magnus from shadow hunters mental health, that he is thought to be a demon and that all worlders ( for those who don’t follow the blog are a creature that is half human and half mundane, an offensive  term for humans that can see the shadow world depending on the context it is used)  

I see that  Mangus has a lot in common with the “disability community,” in that he is demonized or looked down on for what he is but in a pinch he can use his magic to help the shadow hunters to maintain order. ( the shadow world is what the Shadowhunters live in away from the Mundanes and the Shadow hunters have a sacred mission to protect the world from demons they are based around the biblical idea of Nephilim, and they were a half human half angel, and were able to breed with humans on earth, [ii] and historically where fallen angels.

However, for the show, they are the lowest-ranking angels and have access to angelic power through the powers of runes, marks that give the person special powers.

We do see that people need to be aware of what they are doing as well, as we see that Magnus masks his true feelings with drinking as he has all the time in the world and all the time to make money as well.

But in bringing it back to disability we see that Mangus is looked down upon for several behaviors that people with disabilities are demonized for, this being, having a bad day and acting out that bad day. 

That not being able to do something and getting frustrated about it and needing help.  So this is very common in disability and not being able to help yourself despite wanting to do it for yourself, it also can manifest in not asking for help and this becomes an issue as well, as you learn to mask feeling well and being well and this then can become an issue as your not honest with yourself and the people around you and this can be a massive issue, as well. 

We see that Magnus was doing this until he realized that he had really lost his magic and going through an identity crisis due to losing the one thing that makes him feel powerful, and this is his magic.

He takes up drinking and it could be work or another substance that replaces talking to people but we see him realize that he doesn't have all the time in the world anymore and that he is getting old I see that this is a massive issue as well, that addiction causing disability because often people with a disability face massive fiscal disadvantage as well. 

In the next couple of episodes, we do see him gradually lose his home as well and this is common in disability as you often need to move or sell if you are in the USA to pay the medical debt.  

So by losing his magic we see that he doesn’t know what to do as he gradually lost his position as the high warlock of Brooklyn and then his magic to save Alec’s [iii]Parabatai from Lillith’s possession.

We see that the magic transfer that Lorenzo gave him made him sick and Alec forced him to give up his magic.

I see this akin to a person having to give up say working or a hobby they love because it makes them sick, but it should be their decision if they want to keep going with the job or hobby as it might give them some sense of identity.

I recently said to someone that I have never really felt like an adult and I don’t really know why and I was working, I was living in the family home but was working and with a little bit of help from mum was managing my money well.

I was also contributing to the cleaning of the house as well, but I still feel like a child, so it seems that I am not the only one that feels like being an adult is hard and it is hard but we have lost the hallmarks of what makes an adult in society as well.

In the Shadowhunter’s world, we see that the youth come of age when they receive their first rune and then they start training. The rune ceremony is much like a confirmation that you are now still a child but on the path to becoming a full member of that community and we see that this is a massive issue that we don’t have the hallmarks of what marks the transition of child to adult as well and in disability, they can also take longer as well, or never be reached and this is an issue that we need to talk about in another blog post.

We see that Alec does try to soften the blow but we see that he does what a lot of people do try and pretend its a phrase or that it's something that will go away by saying give it time and we see that giving it time is not always practical as well. always

What do others see in Magnus as a disability parallel? comment below  

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[i] Mental health and the NDIS | NDIS

[ii] Nephilim - Wikipedia

[iii] Parabatai | The Shadowhunters' Wiki | Fandom