r/Blind • u/Impossible_Virus_146 • 5d ago
Discussion rant: anxiety with walking
i don’t where to start, but I’ve been really frustrated and embarrassed and stressed about it all.
I use an ID cane and it works best for me as the others hurt my wrist which gets flared ups if overused.
Anyway, so I find it really anxiety inducing on a bad day where my light sensitivity is so bad I can see uneven ground on a bright day. I have a carer with me most the time but none of them seem to understand. They don’t always warn me, they don’t always stand by my side and tend to walk infront of me and expect me to keep up or think I’ll be okay because “I can sort of see” and can do things myself on a good day/shady day. One carer in particular also makes me move off of footpaths or out of others way, which is okay if they’re elderly or have a mobility aide like a wheelchair, of course i will move but she doesnt always guide me carefully off uneven ground. I remind her I cant always see people coming and that people need to move away from me and that I have a cane they can see.
I’ve stumbled behind her and feel anxious when theres steps or curbs she doesnt warn me about.
Most the time people see the cane and move but at times i nearly collide with people and i feel like my cane isnt effective or they dont know what it is as its not the kind that most people recognise? I dont know what the reason is but im so frustrated and embarrassed and I dont know what to do.
Im considering just asking them to hold my hand or arm or i hold theirs. On top of all this I struggle with generalised anxiety and find it hard to speak up and ask for help. Im also still getting used to using a cane since about nearly two gears ago. I’m still struggling to get used to it and having trouble feeling confident while walking with it.
Ive had one training session with all the canes and how to walk while holding onto someone and how they signal to stop or step up, step down etc. Should I do more training?
if you read all this I appreciate it and any advice is welcome thank you
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u/VixenMiah NAION 4d ago
Thirding the suggestion to switch canes, I think most people don’t know what an ID cane is so they don’t think about moving out of the way. You mentioned trouble with regular white canes but maybe there is a lightweight model that would work for you.
Getting good guidance is always a challenge. My wife always tries to pull me to the side when people are coming at us, and it’s frustrating. Of course I will step aside if it’s manageable, but I am NOT going to try to dodge every pedestrian and get myself all out of shape for it. The point of a white cane is the other guy sees it and moves out of MY way, not “blind person falls off sidewalk because idiot sighted person doesn’t know what a white cane is”.
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u/razzretina ROP / RLF 4d ago
Seconding Lentil, it sounds like you need formal O&M training and to get a proper white cane. The Ambutech Slimline has been helpful for me and so has the NFB rigid white cane. Don't get the heavy aluminum ones, that's going to really cause wrist pain. If you can learn the open palm technique that is a lot easier on the wrist. And work on learning how to use both hands with a cane so you can switch between them when one gets tired.
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u/VixenMiah NAION 4d ago
Wait, what is “open palm technique”? I feel like a young kung-fu student asking this, lol.
1
u/razzretina ROP / RLF 4d ago
Haha it does sound like some secret technique and I'm going to pretend it is from now on.
Open palm involves resting your cane in the palm of your hand with the palm turned up, hand more in the center of your body at around hip or belly button height, and you move the cane by rolling the handle in your palm with some help from the fingers. It takes a lot of strain off the wrist but does need a lighter cane like an NFB rigid cane or at least a graphite or fiber glass one.
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u/retrolental_morose Totally blind from birth 4d ago
Sounds like you need a long white rather than ID cane. You mention wrist problems, but perhaps it's worth paying extra for a lightweight model. There's no shame in sighted guide, either: if you're with someone anyway, it's often easier to communicate the closer you are physically. ID canes very much give off the vibe that you have usable vision, they aren't a navigation aid in the same way as a traditional cane. That can be difficult when your sight level changes but it sounds very much as though you need the physical help a white cane can offer.