This week is Invisible Illness Awareness Week. As a long-term sufferer of several invisible illnesses, this is a topic very near and dear to my heart. Invisible illnesses now affects around half of the American population, touching the lives of every individual in some way or another.

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What is an Invisible Illness? Most Invisible Illnesses are chronic and include, but are not limited to:

• Sever Allergies and Food In-tolerances
• Diabetes and other Blood Sugar Issues
• Cancer
• Depression, Anxiety and Mental Illnesses
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Fibromyalgia and Chronic Myofascial Pain
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• Digestive Disorders (such as; IBS, Celiac, Colitis, Crohn’s, etc.)
• Chronic and severe Headaches and Migraines
• Heart Conditions
• Infertility
• Lupus
• Lyme Disease
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Neurological Diseases
• Sjogren’s Syndrome
• PTSD
• Cystic Fibrosis
• PCOS: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
• Dyslexia
• ADHD & ADD
• Autism
• Skeeter Syndrome
• Alopecia

A few items on this list might be familiar to you, while others maybe not so much. Some might seem more important than others, but they are not. Each and every illness listed above comes with massive struggles and daily challenges to the individual with the condition.

Making things even harder is the fact these illnesses tend to come in groups like a ripple effect, when you have one—start looking—you typically have more. This creates a constant juggle of your health and daily life, causing a never ending, often fragile balancing act. Issues often overlooked, without even a passing thought by many people, can create serious disruption on a daily basis for an individual with an invisible illness.

Hidden Daily Struggles Sometimes Suffered in the Life of an Invisible Illness Warrior

Hidden triggers such as smells, sounds, and lights can completely change your day in a matter of minutes. The air-freshener in a public bathroom, the scent of the laundry detergent a co-worker uses, the perfume that the customer behind you in the checkout is wearing, or a smell associated with a past trauma can literally incapacitate you. Loud sounds, constant noise, sounds connected with a traumatic experience, or even the music played in stores can produce throbbing pain for sensitive individuals. The glare of florescent lights, electronic screens and strobe lights all take their toll as well.

Consider how often these brave individuals face unneeded and undeserved judgment on a daily basis. Just because you have used some of your precious energy resources to actually look halfway put-together and “healthy and normal,” but in the minds of the unaware public, you are ‘not sick enough looking’ to deserve kindness, courteous understanding or consideration! You are expected to act normal, happy and full of energy no matter how bad you feel. Facing the stigma from frequently missing work or the inability to work standard hours because of your condition, takes a toll on your financial and emotional health. Tired of having your illness tied to your social identity and the struggle and effort necessary to have you basic health needs understood, robs you of events and prevents your participation in many otherwise enjoyable activities. The social stress of not being able to plan in advance, because you never know how you will feel on the appointed day, or making plans and having to cancel repeatedly leaves you open to loss of relationships and unfair accusations of not caring about others’ needs.

From the presumptuous people who assume your lifestyle habits are ‘just a choice’ and not a crucial health requirement needed for your daily survival, to those going to the other extreme and thickly coating and drowning you with often socially awkward and fake pity, instead of the balanced empathy and consideration needed to cope. The lack of awareness creates a difficult and lonely place for sufferers. Now consider the poor misguided individuals who jump to the conclusion that those suffering from invisible illnesses are only seeking attention—because after all they themselves are over 18 and therefore an expert on all matter in life! Leaving you little choice but to dig out from all the criticism and misinformation!

If a food or activity is safe and fits the medically required lifestyle, then society assumes you must love that thing and be eternally grateful for it. Far be it, that Invisible Illness sufferers, like everyone else, be allowed to dislike a food or activity or have a personal preference not dictated by their health needs. I mean come on! Many people act as if you should be practically worshiping them with gratitude for offering you even one option no matter how repulsive or degrading it is!

Here are 5 Reasons Why You Should Create Awareness:

1. Creating awareness helps others feel less like an “outer space alien” or “freak” by reducing the loneliness and stigma. Helping to create an environment where individuals are more likely to speak out and get the help and services they need, making the world a safer place and savings lives.

2. Creating awareness helps rid the cultural stigma of having to apologize seemingly nonstop for who you are and the health situations beyond your control, just to function through a day or single social event.

3. Creating awareness forces us to self-exam, and realize we are not alone in our struggle. It helps individuals better understand themselves, their condition and what matters most to them in life. It helps us be more informed, in turn helping us to make better life decisions and preventing isolation.

4. Creating awareness stops individuals from having to waste energy and thus life expectancy on uncaring and unnecessary drama. Instead of draining them and preventing them from using their limited energy resources to reach their dreams and full potential, awareness offers them the chance to leave their mark on the world and change the world for the better. After all, who could exhibit more passion and persistence when it comes to curing things such as cancer or heart disease than someone who understands it first-hand?

5. Creating awareness produces an environment with more research, discussions, products and resources, making a huge difference in the lives of countless people.

When you DON’T create awareness:

1. People are afraid to speak out and get help.

2. Misunderstandings happen, people get hurt, families are torn apart, sometimes even taking lives.

3. Resources and care are not readily available.

4. Conditions are not researched leading to less understanding and potential discoveries.

Remember, if your not wearing their shoes and dealing with their life and their illness, DON’T JUDGE! You don’t know what their daily life’s struggles are. So if you see a person at the grocery store parked in the handicapped space or using the accessible restroom, who looks “fine and healthy” don’t get in their face and be nasty. Be kind and considerate, have patience, and care enough to look deeper. Be understanding. If you have a family member with an invisible illness have enough love to learn more about their condition and how you can help. They are already struggling.  Don’t be that selfish jerk who couldn’t care less and is so full of themselves that they don’t care to take the time to understand another person’s struggle. Last, but not least, often doing a small thing can mean a HUGE difference in their health and well-being, whether you understand or not–just do as they ask. They know their health and condition. They live with it—you don’t. Show love NOT immaturity, selfishness or hate. If unsure, don’t be afraid to ask questions- most people with an invisible illness are more than willing to explain things and give reasons to help you better understand. Ask nicely and for the right reasons, not just for the sake of nosiness. Be sensitive to timing, try not to ask during a flare up or when they are feeling like crud and are at their very worst. Keep in mind, every illness manifest itself slightly different in every
individual, so just because your Aunt so-and-so had x-issue doesn’t mean everyone with that illness has it too.

Feeling supported is often the number one thing you can do to make a difference in the life of someone struggling with an invisible illness. Want to show your support publicly? Encourage someone, or simply need a conversation starter to get your message across? Check out our selection of Invisible Illness Awareness T-shirts located throughout this post!

Creating awareness for a Healthier World, The Homesteading Hen

Do you suffer from an invisible illness? Leave us a comment below. Why do you think it’s important to create awareness?

 

 

 

Disclaimer:
The Amazon shirts listed throughout the post are original designs by Heritage River. We make a small design royalty on each shirt at NO extra cost to you.