By Veronica Vivona in The Mighty. Living with constant pain can be extremely frustrating. When you don’t feel comfortable, you might develop some habits designed to make things more manageable. You might have back pain that makes it hard to sit in certain chairs. You could potentially have widespread pain that makes it difficult to […]
The Mighty
To The People Who Assume I’ve ‘Stolen’ My Disability Parking Permit
It’s OK You Admit Your Chronic Illness Sucks
To Those Who Find My Illness ‘Hard To Understand’ When They See Me Smiling
By Tiffany Early in The Mighty. My husband and I had a conversation about how others perceive my illness the other day. It wasn’t a confrontational conversation — it was more the random musings that happen when you’re waiting for dinner to come out of the oven. Joe mentioned that a mutual friend had once […]
When The Triggers For Your Illness Are Constantly Changing
By Lisa Alioto in The Mighty. For the past six years I have lived with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). It’s a multi-system disease that affects the neurological, endocrine, immune and energy metabolism systems. Its hallmark symptom is post-exertional malaise (PEM). PEM is a reduction in functioning and a severe worsening of symptoms after even minimal exertion. […]
I Shouldn’t Have To Legitimize My Pain For Others To Believe Me
Why We Shouldn’t Test Our Physical Limits To Make Others Feel More Comfortable
By Heidi in The Mighty. Whenever I am scrolling through chronic illness forums online, I usually come across posts about mobility aids. Having postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, or POTS, I understand what it feels like to use mobility aids in public without an obvious physical disability. “But you don’t look sick.” “Are you […]
4 Downsides (And Bright Sides) Of My Illness
Struggling to Accept the Days When Illness Keeps Me From Doing Anything
The Unique Type Of Loneliness That Comes With Chronic Illness
By Britt Renee in The Mighty. It seems like getting familiar with loneliness is inherent in living the chronic illness life. This loneliness doesn’t come from being literally and physically alone, though I’m learning there is a decent amount of “alone time” one has to learn to appreciate when being chronically ill. […]
Are Chronic Illness And Trauma Related ? Here’s What You Need To Know
By Renee Fabian in The Mighty. If you’ve been diagnosed with a chronic illness and experienced trauma, you may have some uneasy feelings about the connection between the two. After all, some doctors who don’t really understand tricky conditions like fibromyalgia or myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS), for example, might be quick to tell you your symptoms are […]
A Love Letter To Anyone Who Struggled To Shower Today
By Sarah Mariann Martland in The Mighty. This is a love letter to all those for whom showering is repeatedly a laborious exercise, physically, emotionally or both. To those who spend days putting it off because you know just how exhausting or painful it feels, right down to your bones, just to stand under the […]
No One Prepares You For The Grief Of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Because Of ME, I Can Only Imagine Being The Mum That Others Get To Be
By Sophie Cooklynne in The Mighty. Downstairs, my two-year-old son, Lucas, is playing. He’s a beautiful, clever and sweet little boy who lights up my entire world. Upstairs, I lie in a single bed, trapped in the shell of a body; bedridden permanently and suffering dozens of symptoms that mean that […]
When I Can’t Control How Chronic Illness Is Affecting My Body
It’s OK To Feel Angry Or Resentful Sometimes When You Have A Chronic Illness
By Juliana Philippa Kerrest in The Mighty. Something I greatly struggle with are the emotional ups and downs that come with dealing with a chronic illness. I have three chronic conditions that have affected me to varying degrees throughout my life: psychological, neurological, and autoimmune. Most of the time, I handle it relatively well; I […]
Confessions Of A Chronic Fatigue Skeptic
By Shell Pettifer in The Mighty. “Chronic fatigue, my arse!” I have a confession to make. I have oftentimes throughout my life internally judged people for being overly dramatic. There, I’ve said it. I am a closet censure. I am guilty of internal eye rolls, doubtful compassion and quite frankly some completely uneducated […]
Please Stop Trying To ‘Fix’ My ME/CFS
By Simone DM in The Mighty. When you become ill, all you want is for others to be compassionate and understanding. Yet when you come down with something like ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis), that not even your doctor comprehends, it’s a different story. Others are quick to pass judgement, believing you are somehow causing your […]
The Challenge Of Explaining How I Feel As Someone With CFS/ME
By Emma England in The Mighty. One of the most frustrating things about living with CFS/ME (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis) is that most of the time, I don’t “look” ill, and so people may not understand the fact that there’s anything wrong with me. CFS/ME falls into the category described as […]
20 ‘Comebacks’ To Use When A Doctor Isn’t Taking You Seriously
By Erin Migdol in The Mighty. When you have an illness that is invisible, complex and/or difficult to treat, that sometimes translates into challenging experiences with doctors. While there are many kind, compassionate doctors out there who are willing to put in the time to figure out your health issues, unfortunately many in […]