Skip to content

‘You are not alone,’ says radio host with invisible disability

International Day of Persons breakfast celebrated in Sudbury

The importance of recognizing the abilities and skills of people with disabilities was celebrated with a breakfast event in Sudbury on Thursday.

It was the annual observance of the United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities, hosted by Independent Living of Sudbury Manitoulin (ILSM).

Independent Living executive director Richy Dubé told the audience that he was pleased to see support from the business and corporate community in Sudbury. He said it goes toward supporting the important sense of inclusivity which is so vital to recognizing people with disabilities.

"Inclusive is a big word,” Dubé said. “We like to throw it around, but really, it's near and dear to my heart.” 

He said inclusivity recognizes the complete person for who they are far beyond any seen or unseen disability. 

"I see the skill sets these people have; what they can offer, all the great things they do, even at the (ILSM) centre and throughout the community," he added.

City of Greater Sudbury Mayor Paul Lefebvre presented a proclamation at the event to recognize the importance of understanding and awareness toward those with disabilities, along with the importance of the work at Independent Living of Sudbury Manitoulin.

"Millions of our fellow Canadians have a disability,” Lefebvre said. “And in Greater Sudbury alone, more than 30,000 of our friends, family members, colleagues and neighbors are living with a disability that affects their daily lives.”

The keynote speaker at Thursday's event was a Sudbury resident with an unseen disability. Radio announcer Bryan Cooper revealed that he lives with a Depersonalization-Derealization Disorder.

Cooper told the audience that it was almost 10 years ago, when he was in a job transition, that his mental health struggle began. 

He said the clinical definition of his situation "occurs when you persistently or repeatedly have this feeling that you're observing yourself from outside your body or you have a sense that things around you are not real, or both."

Cooper said he would experience the bizarre sensation of not being fully mentally present, regardless of where he was. He said he also began having panic attacks.

"There were multiple times that I actually thought I was dying. It was a really scary moment. Once I actually called my wife during a panic attack, and I thought that was it. I thought that was it and I actually had her on the phone and I said I don't know what's going on right now," He recalled.

Cooper said one of the worst parts of his experience is that no one else could relate to it. The condition is rare. Few people could understand his struggle, he said.

“I kind of felt trapped inside my own head,” he said. “I often describe it as being cloudy, brain fog, and spacing. And what I've learned through research, through help is that a common cause of this can be high stress, severe anxiety, and just plain mental exhaustion as well."

Cooper said that over time he has seen doctors and psychiatrists for help, and even one-on-one conversations with some close friends have helped. 

Cooper had a special mention for his wife Sarah, who he described as "the calm in my storm.” He said she seems to have a special understanding of his situation. He added that his four children also give him a sense of stability. 

And although Cooper said he lives with his disorder every day, he is glad to be able to communicate about it, and that too is therapeutic. His advice to others with disabilities is to seek positivity and share with others, despite how cliche it might sound.

"If you are going through something, you are not alone," said Cooper. 

Len Gillis covers mining and health care for Sudbury.com.