Some cultures do indeed see some mental disabilities as something special, such as some cultures in Neighpon and Zebrica. For example: there are areas in both countries that believe that those who have schizophrenia are living spiritual channels because they believe that those with schizophrenia have a deeper connection to their religious figure, and as such are able communicate with them better. In result they are revered in different ways, depending on the culture. In the same breath though, the very same countries may see things like anxiety or depression as a sign of weakness in an individual. This is especially true in Griffonia’s culture; there’s a terrible stigma that, if you have anxiety, depression, or both, you are considered weak and as such not worth anything. This is because the griffons in Griffonia have a very high standard of what they think "mental strength" should be, and as such some of their citizens think any sort of mental disability or illness is a disgrace. There have been cases where families disown a member simply for having a mental illness.

-------------I've been asked a few times in the past as to whether or not the ponies in my headcanon have disabilities/conditions, how they go about them, and whether or not those with disabilities face discrimination in the MLP world. I was asked about it recently too, and that sorta inspired me to draw a sketchdump focusing on medical disabilities/conditions. Most of the ones seen here are ones that are mostly visible, but conditions you can't see and mental conditions are included in this headcanon as well. Anyway, about the headcanon I have going here:As much as I've talked about how ponies and other species react and enact racism (or in this case xenophobia might be a more accurate term), discrimination against those with physical and/or mental disabilities still exists in Equestria and the rest of the world.

In Equestria, the biggest stigma usually falls upon those with a physical disability. This is particularly because the fashion industry is absolutely huge in Equestria, and they have a very idealized image of how a pony should look. If female, the ideal look is to have the build of an alicorn (this is one of the harmful results of the citizens of Equestria putting the Princess Sisters on a pedestal), which is long-legged, thin in the barrel, a long neck, and curved ears (Fluttershy fits this description, hence her near-immediate popularity when she briefly entered the fashion industry). The ideal look for a stallion is also thin, but with lean muscles and an athletic disposition. Preferably, a stallion who looks like they’re built for agility and speedy running.

The majority of the population know they really shouldn’t idealize a way a pony looks, knows that everyone is different and always will be, but some do it anyway. And as such, ponies with missing limbs or in wheelchairs or harboring visible scars or anything they see as "imperfect" may be perceived as ugly to the close-minded or mean-spirited.

There’s of course more but since this is specifically on Equestria I won't get off topic, so here’s a closing thing for this part: each country are taking their own steps of hopefully rectifying the discriminating behavior toward those who have mental or physical disabilities, although how fast their progress is going and how much work the country is putting into actually making a change varies with each separate country. Equestria is becoming more progressive in how they view and treat those with disabilities but there still is, and always will be, problems. The country can only hope to bring it to an all time low sooner than later.



As far as what sort of conditions and disabilities the Equine species experience, the ones I attempted to depict here include:







Goldenhar Syndrome: A medical condition usually characterized by incomplete development of the ear, nose, soft palate, lip, and mandible. Surgery is a method of treatment if it's needed, and some who have the condition may need some aid from glasses and/or hearing aids amongst other things.





Lordosis: An incurable condition that's usually characterized by an unusually large inward arch on the lower back. Treatments include surgery, medical devices (like a back brace), and self-care among other methods if needed.



Scoliosis: An incurable condition similar to Lordosis in that it effects the back (specifically the spine), sometimes in the form of a sideway spinal curvature. This condition is often mild and usually doesn't need treatment, but a brace or surgery are methods of treatment if it's needed.



Paralysis: A condition that often usually means the loss of the ability to move in a part (sometimes most) of the body. May be accompanied by the inability to feel in the paralyzed area. This condition can be gained through injury, poison, or illness, however ponies can be born with it as well. Treatment varies depending on the type of paralysis and the affected area, but largely is currently incurable.



Visual Impairment- A condition that is the decreased ability to see that isn't fixable by the usual means (such as glasses or contacts). Some visual impairments are as extreme as complete or near complete loss of sight (blindness). Treatment depends on the level of visual impairment and what caused the visual impairment, however their are methods to overcome one's blindness without the need for medical treatment (such as seeing-eye dogs or in a pegasus' case, a seeing-eye hawk or flying-buddy when in flight).



Amputation- The removal of a body part due to trauma, medical illness, or surgery. Equestria is well known for their prosthetics and how functional they are, however not all amputees require or need a prosthetic to replace what was lost.



Anxiety Disorder- A group of medical disorders that are often characterized by the feelings of fear and anxiety, including panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Ponies can seek treatment for this disorder via self-care, therapies, medication, specialists, or a combination of the available choices.



These are a short list of the many medical disabilities/conditions/disorders ponies can face, but if there's one thing all of these have in common: those who deal with these conditions are just as adaptable and determined as anyone else, if not moreso.





WHEEW! And thar ya go! Some headcanon and a little info in case anyone was curious about what I tried to depict. c: Hopefully I did well enough in the depictions and that the headcanon is satisfactory. o3o Also, in case you're curious; the two ponies in the bottom right corner there (the amputee pegasus and the colt with the bandages) are my NextGen characters Winter Gale and Spring Blossom respectively. This is a little after the incident that gave SB his scars and Winter the loss of her wing.



I hope you guys like it, and if you have any questions or concerns please let me know. ^.^