Invisible or invincible
Do you know someone with an invisible illness? Chances are that you do even if they haven’t told you.
What were your first thoughts if they informed you that they live with an invisible illness?
What is an invisible illness?
It should be self-explanatory, but here are a few you…
- Migraines
- Fibromyalgia
- Depression
- Anxiety
- ADHD
- Arthritis
- Chronic pain
- Brain injuries
- Diabetes
- Epilepsy
To name a few.
The car park debate
Have you ever seen someone in an accessible parking spot and thought, they don’t look disabled?
Parking space vigilantes have unfairly targeted many people with invisible illnesses.
However, if someone has MS, a brain injury, congestive heart failure, Lupus or arthritis — don’t you think they deserve a space so long as they have a permit? Just because they are not in a wheelchair, they still may need close access to shops.
Celebrities with invisible illnesses
Selena Gomez has Lupus
Jack Osbourne has MS
Demi Lovato has Bipolar disorder
Morgan Freeman has Fibromyalgia
Halle Berry has diabetes
Speaking openly about their invisible illnesses has created awareness and helps continue to combat stigma.
No, it is not fake
Just because you can’t see it or people don’t look sick doesn’t mean they are not fighting a daily battle.
The stigma that people face that perhaps they are lazy or hypochondriac stops people from speaking up about their invisible illnesses. This is why you will know someone with an invisible illness that they haven’t shared with you.
This scepticism perpetuates the invisibility and stigma further.
Accessible toilets
Have you ever seen someone walk out of an accessible toilet and think they don’t need that toilet?
Maybe this person has a colostomy bag where their waste is collected in a bag as had to be disposed of with the need for extra space and water nearby. Perhaps they need handrails to keep their balance when sitting.
Next time mind your business and remember you don’t know their whole story.
Migraines
Migraines are my invisible illness.
There are many different types of migraines; some are easier to treat than others, and none are just headaches.
A migraine is a common neurological disease that causes various symptoms, most notably a throbbing, pulsing headache on one side of your head. A migraine will likely worsen with physical activity, lights, sounds or smells, and it may last at least four hours or even days.
Here is an article I wrote about being self-employed with an invisible illness.
Do you have an invisible illness? How do you manage it?
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Thank you in advance for the claps and comments; I appreciate every one of them.
Kelly
