The Ability Toolbox: Mental Health, Disability & Chronic Illness Life Hacks

Get the tools you need to build a great life with your disability

Get practical advice and life hacks

Connect with others like you

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The Ability Toolbox is a community created by and for people with disabilities, chronic illnesses, and mental health conditions. Here, our voices are centered and our collective wisdom is valued.

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Let's build a more inclusive world, together

Living with a Disability or Mental Illness Is Complicated

Getting Help Is Hard
Navigating health care and support programs is a nightmare
The World Isn't Accessible or Sensory-Friendly
You have to find creative ways to do everyday tasks
People Don't Understand
You're sick of being told “You don't look sick” or “just get over it”
Your Path to Success Is Winding
Housing, employment, and relationships can be challenging
You Feel Alone
It's hard to find people like you to talk to

What You'll Find in The Ability Toolbox

Free Support and Resources
Living while disabled is expensive, so our content is free.
Practical Solutions
Find solutions to everyday problems and share your knowledge to help others.
Diverse Disabled Voices
Our community is intersectional and inclusive of BIPOC and LGBTQ+ voices.
Activism and Advocacy
We amplify the power of disabled voices to drive change in healthcare, government policy, the media, and beyond.
Disabled-Owned Community
We are a small social enterprise, not a corporation run by able-bodied people.

Featured Stories

Surviving the depths of depression. Drawing of woman crying.

Exploring the Depths of Depression: Unraveling Causes, Seeking Treatment, and Extending Support

Tips for moving out-of-state with a disability.

6 Things to Consider Before Moving Out-of-State with a Disability

Woman receiving online therapy for anxiety.

Does Online Therapy Work for Anxiety?

Outraged and frustrated woman looking at computer screen.

Please Be Disability-Inclusive. No, Not Like That!

How to support a traumatic brain injury survivor. Drawing of a head with brain and lights behind it.

How to Support a Loved One with a Traumatic Brain Injury

Coping with dyspraxia and sensory processing issues. Woman walking through a field of tulips.

How to Understand and Cope With Your Sensory Processing Issues

Latest Stories

Working with a disability. Man buried in paperwork.

Why Working with a Disability Is So Much Harder Than It Should Be

The Deaf and hearing cast of the musical "Stepchild" perform at IRT Theater. The musical combines singing, music and American Sign Language.

Deaf and Hearing Theatre Professionals Collaborate in ‘Stepchild' the Musical

Ali Stroker winning the Tony Award in 2019.

Ali Stroker's Tony Award Is a Victory for People with Disabilities

Coping with disability burnout. Woman with fire radiating from her hair.

This Is What Disability Burnout Looks Like

Surviving a home invasion robbery as a person with a disability. Crime scene tape outside a building.

Learning to Thrive as a Home Invasion Survivor with a Disability

Disabled cyborgs -- woman with bionic eye.

Will We Be Cyborgs? Robots and the Future of Disability

Featured Shopping Guides

Kitchen with green cabinets and mixer on table counter for person with chronic illness and limited hand strength.

7 Useful Kitchen Appliances for People With Limited Hand Use

Stocking stuffers for a family member or friend with a chronic illness or disability. Collage of stickers, body pillow, lotion set.

33 Stocking Stuffers for Adults with a Chronic Illness or Disability

Fidget jewelry for neurodiverse adults with autism, ADHD, anxiety, and sensory needs.

Beautiful Stim & Fidget Jewelry for Adults with Anxiety, Autism, & ADHD

Weighted blankets for autism. Collage of kids and adults using a weighted blanket.

Weighted Blankets for Autism Reviewed by Autistic Adults

Positive affirmation pins -- collage

Positive Affirmation Pins & Buttons to Wear Because You're Worthy

Tips to fall asleep with chronic illness. Image of a fatigued woman struggling with insomnia.

5 Things to Help You Sleep When You Have a Chronic Illness

Get the support & tools you need to thrive

Popular Articles

Woman on the autism spectrum wearing noise-canceling headphones in a coffee shop.

Autism Noise Canceling Headphones & Earplugs Reviewed by Autistic People

Toxic disability influencer Alex Dacy AKA Wheelchair Rapunzel -- collage of images of her and boyfriend Noah being problematic.

Wheelchair Rapunzel: A Toxic Influencer Who Exploits Her Caregivers and Child

Sensory chairs guide for adults and children with autism and ADHD

Sensory Chairs for Active Seating with Autism and ADHD: A Guide

Sensory toys for adults with autism, ADHD, and anxiety. Cat playing with a fidget spinner.

15 Sensory Toys for Adults With Autism, ADHD, and Anxiety

Sensory swings for adults, teens, and children with autism or ADHD.

Sensory Swings for Kids and Adults with Autism or ADHD: A Guide

Get Support & Help Others