I don’t have chronic pain but this artwork is so nice to look at *^*

Just because we’re not writhing on the floor doesn’t mean we’re not hurting. We’ve just gotten really good at hiding it and functioning with it, otherwise we’d literally starve in our beds.

This also works pretty well for numerous mental disabilities, or just generally for any “invisible” disabilities.

I have chronic pain, I don't always look like I'm in pain, because I've had to learn to hide it and function. If you look like you're in pain, you're exaggerating, if you don't you're lying. Our good days aren't painless and the bad ones aren't us whining.

I also have PTSD that I struggle with on a daily basis. Sometimes its pretty noticeable, sometimes friends can see that I'm struggling.3qx Other days, I look totally normal. Despite these things, I've held down jobs, had friends and done a lot of normal things.

Being able to seem fine doesn't mean we are.

Dear everyone that gives abled people shit for complaining when they get sick:

STOP. Just because we spoonies deal with different things doesn't mean that isn't a bad situation and feeling for them. As you have probably learned throughout your journey, pain is relative. Not everyone has to deal with the same things. Someone else's "worst" may not be the same as yours, but that gives you absolutely no right to disregard their feelings.

I don't like it when they do it to me, so I don't do it to them.

Has anyone had any experience with gabapentin for chronic pain?

My rheumatologist added it to my hydroxychloroquine and I'd like to hear firsthand about what people think about it.

I didn't personally have a good experience with Gabapentin or Pregabalin, please, if you go on either, watch for side effects, especially worsening depression or memory issues. I know of people who swear by these meds, so this isn't a guarantee. However, these are warnings I wish I was given when I stared these meds.

I’ve been thinking about how much trauma comes with chronic illness

Typically, medical trauma is associated with things such as accidents and serious complications that aren’t chronic. But I think being chronically ill traumatizes us so much more than we think it does. It doesn’t typically feel like trauma, as we most of us have forgotten what it’s like not to suffer. 

We often struggle with 

That isn’t everything, and you are free to add to the list. 

Don’t be so hard on yourself. Even if you aren’t trying your best right now, I’m proud of you. Don’t minimize the trauma that you deal with on a daily basis. You’re doing great. 

I've been disabled from birth and have some other chronic issues that came along the way. I'm so thankful for this post. There's a lot of truth and pain here and I hope some abled people share this too.

Stressed and Scared

I am 20, genderfluid/Nonbinary, Bisexual and disabled. I have Fibromyalgia, Charcot Marie Tooth disease and Bipolar disorder type 1 with psychosis. I have been denied social security. I don’t have a job. I’m thinking of making a paypal or venmo and asking for help. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.

Hi, I'm also disabled and in a couple of those categories. I'm really sorry I can't give anything right now, but I we'll put this up on my blog and encourage any active followers I have to reblog this.

Has anyone else noticed how, when you have a chronic condition of some kind, that there’s always the basic assumption from people around you that you’re not already doing everything you can?

It’s all about the illusion of control. People who are healthy like to believe they can always keep being healthy if they do the right things. They don’t want to think about how good people get struck with terrible circumstances for no reason. So they keep assuming that if they got sick, they could do something to make it better. And if you’re still sick, that must mean you’ve done something wrong or not done enough.

Nail. Head. The same attitude can be seen in how a lot of people talk about poverty.

And sexual assault. All they have to do is not go there not drink that not wear that not date them and they’ll be fine, right?

The Just World theory - that as long as I do everything right, I’m safe, and everybody who isn’t safe is at fault for not doing everything right - is perhaps the most harmful and widespread mindset today

if you ever see a conservative and wonder just how in the world they have so little compassion?  they are genuinely convinced that most - not all, but most - bad things that happen are the fault of the person affected, because then they don’t have to feel bad

somebody explaining this to me as a young adult was, quite literally, the start of me seeing the world in a new way and moving considerably to the left politically. by letting go of the just world mindset my conception of reality shifted considerably

I can’t believe this needs to be said, but…

- Withholding medication from a disabled person is not a joke, it’s not a punishment, it’s abuse.

- Withholding mobility equipment from a disabled person is not a joke, it’s not a punishment, it’s abuse.

- Withholding stim toys, comfort items or similar from a disabled person is not a joke, it’s not a punishment, it’s abuse.

- Stopping a disabled person from using harmless routines or coping mechanism is not a joke, it’s not a punishment, it’s abuse.

Stop.

@typical-atheist-scumbag

*Gasp* how dare you suggest that disabled people need things that help them?

Also, can you see this post, oh people I will keep anonymous out of respect. ( one or two of you will know who I'm talking about and I know that there are occasional snoopers that like to document everything they don't like that I do, so I'm sure you know who you are too.) My inhaler is a need. It's NOT a cry for attention, it's not something I use for fun, and it's not something that you can just opt not to get because you don't feel like dealing with it, and "I don't understand why you're having this problem." (Which you SHOULD if you know everything about my conditions, as you claim to.) My wheelchair is not something that you have the right to just take and play with when you want it and claim I'm being an asshole when I tell you that I don't want you touching it. I'm so sick of you thinking that you're entitled to the ability to play with my wheelchair! It's not a fucking toy! It's a mobility device, it's my legs! You know it pisses me off, and you know why it does, so stop! I have to respect everyone else's pet peeves, why can't you show even the slightest respect for mine, huh?

I could go on for days and days bringing up times where I was denied a mobility device, (my wheelchair) despite begging for it because l was "doing it for attention" and forced to use a walker, when it hurt my entire body and I'd basically collapse after a few steps, then I'd be made to keep having to do it and then I'd end up crying from the overwhelming pain and it's happened occasionally. It's humiliating.

Same with medicine, I could give you so many examples of times I've been accused of being "addicted to my NON NARC pain medicine and not really being in that much pain." Which has made me paranoid to the point where I do not want to take any of my medicines if I know they are looking at me.

Some of you able bodies really need to chill.

God loves everybody! Unless of course your a woman, crippled, had a pre-existing condition, don’t worship him, are gay…

God really doesn’t like me then…

Is there a source to this quote? I’m not a religious sort but I’ve read a version of the bible and I can’t say I recall this quote. It might’ve just not have been in the version I read though, I don’t know.

Hey, @unpopularly-opinionated, here it is from the NIV.

Leviticus 21 Leviticus 21:18-22New International Version (NIV) 18 No man who has any defect may come near: no man who is blind or lame, disfigured or deformed; 19 no man with a crippled foot or hand, 20 or who is a hunchback or a dwarf, or who has any eye defect, or who has festering or running sores or damaged testicles. 21 No descendant of Aaron the priest who has any defect is to come near to present the food offerings to the Lord. He has a defect; he must not come near to offer the food of his God. 22 He may eat the most holy food of his God, as well as the holy food; :18-22 New International Version (NIV)

Biblegateway.com is a helpful source.

Hey, Christians: I have physical and visual disabilities, how should I take this?

What did you say that was supposedly ableist? I’m disabled and I don’t have a problem with you.

I bitched out a “disabled” person who was scamming people for money on tumblr with one of those “donate to me” posts. I said she should get a job.

I don't see what you did wrong there, I have a problem with those people too! Especially people that pretend to be disabled and scam people out of money that could have been donated to actual disabled people that need help. I don't know about other disabled people on here, but I try to avoid needing ( especially Financial) assistance from other people. I don't even want to depend on disability benefits, even though both of my conditions (even separately) should put me on disability full-time. This type of shit blows my mind.

don’t have to worry about the treatment not working if insurance won’t cover it in the first place

The logic behind Obamacare.