National Invisible Chronic Illness Week

People in chronic pain tend to be invisible -- What does that mean?

• Well, if you have a party and your friend with fibromyalgia and back problems just doesn't feel up to going, chances are you and your guests will enjoy themselves anyway. You and your guests may meet new people and develop relationships without your friend. If this happens a few times in the social life of a chronic pain sufferer, where does that leave them?



• Or, if a person with pain tries to participate in your baseball or basketball game, while you may not know this, they know they will pay for it later, with pain, exhaustion, and frustration, keeping them away for many games to come. Think of how that might feel for you, if you wanted so much to participate in a favorite sport with favorite people, but to do so you would have to pay for it dearly for weeks or even months after.

Most people have a "don't bother me" approach to others. Out of site, out of mind. This attitude amplifies the social and physical challenges of those with chronic pain.

September 11-17 is National Invisible Chronic Illness Week. Teri Roberts, patient advocate and About's Headaches guide has written an article on the subject entitled Our Illnesses May Be Invisible, But They're Very Real.

Related Resources

• More from Teri
• National Invisible Chronic Illness Week, by About's Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Guide, Karen Richards