We Canât Win
Being chronically ill is having literally every breath you take scrutinized. Youâre smiling, laughing, getting around okay, maybe even jump or dance: âIt canât be that bad, you look fine!â You are stuck in bed from the pain, illness, & fatigue: âJust try harder, make an EFFORTâ
Ya know what, folks? Just let chronically ill people survive their daily lives in the best way they know how. You are not in their body, you will NEVER know how hard they push themselves; how every joy, every physical action was fought for, how LOW every low actually is.
Because of internalized ableism we rarely, if EVER, show people our lowest lows. Thereâs an added pressure to be presentable, to blend in, to do things as independently as possible so we donât feel like âburdensâ or âbuzzkillsâ to those around us!
Trust chronically ill people when they tell you their limits, they donât need to âmake an effortâ they NEED a break, Theyâre putting their best efforts every day of their lives and it goes completely unacknowledged.
Chronic illness is a full-time job on its own: Â
-Researching your illness -Organizing data -Arranging doctorâs appointment -Emotional/physical labor of said doctorâs appointments -Experimenting with treatments -Pushing through symptoms to continue daily life If youâre LUCKY your doctor isnât an obstacle in regards to attaining your diagnosis or treatment, If youâre **lucky** MONEY isnât an obstacle in regards to attaining your diagnosis or treatment.
Chronically ill people are fighting for themselves EVERY DAY; even those with an episodic chronic illness that impacts their lives rarely and on occasion, theyâre metaphorically and constantly walking on a tightrope, avoiding triggers, anxiously waiting for the next episode.
So next time youâre puzzled about how a chronically ill person is doing any particular activity or maybe you think that theyâre only sick because theyâre not trying hard enough⌠worry about yourself instead.
You donât know their body, you are not in their body, you donât know what it feels like, you DO NOT get to make that call.
Original Twitter Thread: https://twitter.com/annieelainey/status/941392361216716800













