This is a feeling that will take a little while to go away, but I promise it will eventually. Think of this the same way as any other change to your appearance- like dying your hair or getting a tattoo. Some (rude) people might look or make comments, but your happiness is what matters- not theirs. Just keep reminding yourself that the mobility aid will help your quality of life, and that's the most important thing. The only way that your disability wins, is when you give up. Using a cane is the opposite of giving up. Using a cane is saying "im willing to do whatever it takes to thrive".

i started using a cane when i was 19, i also have fibro, autism/anxiety, and my mom was incredibly resistant to me using a cane. Because of all that, it took me much longer to start using it regularly than it should have. But using a cane improved my life SO much! Unfortunately, I do find that some people in public give me strange looks, but so far, no one has said anything nasty to me, and I've been using a cane for almost 10 years! I also find that people giving me strange looks or staring doesn't matter to me as much as I thought it would because the cane brought such an improvement to my mobility and pain issues. I also want to take a moment to suggest compression wear and braces, because those have also helped me SO much. Good luck with your journey! Do not let other people downplay your need for aids of any kind. You know when you need them, no one else gets to decide that!

I am 24 and I've been using a cane for about a year, I have pretty much the same issues as you and I definitely get it. There have been times I have left it at home because I was too anxious and I always regret it! I do get looks sometimes unfortunately but it's worth it to feel more safe and comfortable when I'm out in public. 💗

I was 19 when I started using a cane because I went from bedridden, to wheelchair bound, to attempting to walk with a cane (but then back to the wheelchair again permanently) and that's ok. These things are tools. Whatever you need to get by and have a better quality of life. I was afraid of these things at first too. But don't be afraid to use the resources that are available to help you function better. ❤️❤️