Finding Love and Friendship Online When You’re a Person With a Disability

As the online social community for people with disabilities, Special Bridge loves connecting you to new friends. Whether you’re looking for a date or just someone to hang out with, you always have a place to go online. Of course, this is true whether you you’re a person with autism, blindness, deafness, or any disability!

And recently, we talked about tips you can use to meet someone offline for the very first time. With these ideas, you’ll be ready to set a meet-up with a friend from Special Bridge, and then do something fun!  But we also wanted to give you a few more helpful tidbits to help connect in the digital space too. So, let’s start the friendships roll in!

More and more people are meeting online

If you’re new to trying out Special Bridge or still aren’t quite so sure about online dating and relationships, rest assured that meeting people online is very common in this day and age. In fact, the majority of Americans actually say online dating is a good way to meet people.  And the Pew Research Center reports that almost 1 in 5 US adults have used online dating sites or mobile dating apps. What does this mean for you as a person with a disability? There are plenty of people out there waiting to connect with you!

Staying safe in the digital world

Safety is often a concern for people when dating online or meeting new people. But there are a few ways you can feel more confident when sharing information about yourself on the internet. When setting up your Special Bridge profile, have a friend or family member help you or ask them to review it afterward. This way, they can be a second pair of eyes and double-check what you’re sharing. Because Special Bridge is a private community, we make sure the site is a safe environment for everyone. However, it’s still advised that you limit any sensitive personal information such as phone numbers and addresses and save those for swapping in-person.

Using hashtags and meet-ups

Consider using additional online tools to grow your friendships and the Special Bridge community. Searching hashtags on other social networking sites, such as Twitter and Instagram, are a great way to join in on a conversation or a topic that you’re interested in. To connect with other people with disabilities, try searching for your specific disability, for example. Meetup.com is also a great way to find local events that benefit people with disabilities. And after you ask them to join Special Bridge, you can connect with them digitally too!

A continuing, online connection

On that note, online communities are prevalent in the digital space too. So, be sure to seek out organizations and networks that are supportive advocates for people with disabilities. You can use these to connect with more people just like you! And beginning a relationship online gives you the potential for creating lasting and life-long connections. Of course, Special Bridge is always the right place for you to find friendship and love in the digital world, for people of all abilities!