Something I Think People Who Don’t Live With Chronic Illness Don’t Understand Is That There Is A

people are like “awww I can’t get pregnant so you shouldn’t get an abortion” and “awww my whole family is dead so you shouldn’t be no contact with your evil toxic family” get a grip. get several grips. pull yourself together.

I hate the sound of babies crying, but I can't hate a baby. They've been here for like five minutes and approach this situation with an unhesitant attitude of "my needs are unmet and I am going to make it everybody's problem", and I respect that.

without girl tummy we would be nothing. without girl tummy we would be sooo fucked.

People tend to think that when you're not able to do work because of chronic illness or disability (taking days off, not doing housework, being unemployed etc.) that you're just able to have fun and chill out like it's a holiday but that's so far from the truth.

The symptoms preventing you from working usually also prevent you from doing things you enjoy, or at least make doing those things significantly harder and less enjoyable.

It may seem like someone not working due to an illness has lots of free time, but that's not correct. The time is not free, the time is being used to rest and recover, which is really a task in its own right.

When I'm in a state where I can't go to school, I usually can't do much else either. I'm too fatigued, or in too much pain to make art or play games, too fatigued to read and actually comprehend what I've read. The only thing I can really do is lie down and scroll social media or watch TV, anything I don't need to actually think about or put physical effort into.

And it's not enjoyable. I'm still suffering from symptoms. I want to do other things, but I can't.

I would much rather feel healthy and work than be ill and stay home

(Disclaimer: this isn't to say that everyone with a chronic illness or disability is always suffering and unable to do anything or that disabled people can't have fun or that anyone who is able to participate in hobbies and fun things must be well enough to work, just that it's frustrating to see people think disabled people are "lucky to not have to work". Wanted to say this in case anyone gets the wrong idea or feels invalidated - you don't need to suffer greatly to be valid in your illness)

me when my disabilities disable me:

"it's all in your head" correct! unfortunately I am also in there

people dont understand the boredom of being disabled.

i see a lot of people suggest to people to embrace boredom and creativity will come from it. that to improve your attention span and get your life back from the trap that is quick form media you need to be bored more.

but i dont think that is the case for many disabled people.

its not the case for me.

i am SO bored. EVERY day. i cannot do all the things i want to engage in. i cannot play games i cannot read i cannot do art i cannot bake. these things arent being stopped by a social media addiction, they are being stopped by my health.

and my attention span isnt struggling for the same reasons as many abled people. mine struggles because of my symptoms. my fatigue, my pain, they are distracting and fog my brain.

so disabled people, when youre looking for tips about how to improve your attention span, and engage in your hobbies more, keep in mind that the reason for your struggles may be completely different to the people who are sharing suggestions and tips on the topic.

In a similar way to how I wish people without chronic pain and fatigue understood that staying in bed all the time isn't fun, I wish they understood that getting takeout all the time isn't fun either. I would LOVE to be eating home cooked meals but I just can't most of the time so fast food it is because I can't afford anything better with disability benefits. The novelty of bed and takeaway wears off Real Fast when it's your only option.