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Oh, You Cured Your Chronic/Autoimmune Disease? No, You Didn’t.
One of my pet peeves online
When you have a chronic disease and/or an auto immune illness, lots of people say incredibly stupid things. Sometimes the remarks are ignorant yet well meaning. Other times, they're just unhelpful. Some comments can be judgemental and impatient, insinuating we’re simply not trying to get better.
While this behaviour is annoying, I want to talk today about something more harmful and insidious online. Although I have psoriatic arthritis, it's a problem for people suffering many types of conditions.
If you've ever had a chronic disease, autoimmune disease, cancer, or even are just going through menopause, there's a high chance you've experienced this. I'm talking about content created online claiming someone made one health change and cured their issues entirely.
Two years ago, I began seeking a diagnosis for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. I went to my doctor, got a referral to a rheumatologist and waited for the appointment. In the meantime, I did research online to educate myself. I was 99% sure I had this disease. My aim was to learn what was ahead of me, about medical treatments and ways I should manage the disease in my day-to-day life. I wanted to learn how I could help myself feel more comfortable as I waited…
