Substantially Limits

"Substantially limits" is the standard used to determine whether an impairment qualifies as a disability under the ADA. It means an impairment makes a major life activity significantly more difficult compared to most people in the general population.

Key points: - It does NOT mean "prevents" or "severely restricts" - It does NOT require complete inability to perform an activity - The comparison is to most people, not to an idealized standard - The limitation must be meaningful, but doesn't need to be extreme - It does NOT require a formal diagnosis

**A note on diagnosis:** Your impairment exists whether or not you have a diagnosis. A diagnosis doesn't create the limitation; it names something that was already there. If your condition substantially limits a major life activity, you have a disability under the ADA, regardless of whether a doctor has given it a name. The law protects the reality of how your body or mind functions, not a piece of paper.

The ADA Amendments Act of 2008 made clear that this term should be interpreted broadly. Courts should not demand extensive analysis. If an impairment meaningfully limits how someone performs an activity compared to most people, that's generally sufficient.

Important considerations: - The condition is evaluated without mitigating measures (medication, assistive devices, etc.) - Episodic conditions are evaluated when active, not during remission - Conditions in remission still qualify if they would substantially limit when active

The question is whether your condition makes things meaningfully harder for you than for most people, not whether you can still technically do the activity with extra effort.