lupus

Today, I would like to tell you a bit about the invisible Monsters you can encounter.

They are called Chronic Conditions or Invisible Illnesses.

This monster likes to hide for the outside and tortures it’s victims where no one can see.

There are variable forms of this monster.

A couple of examples:

Crohns
HMS
Lupus
Fibromyalgia
MS
Anxiety
Autism
Bipolar
And lots and lots more!

This monster even comes out as Depression or PTSD I wrote about earlier. (click the words for those articles)

First of all, let’s see what the specialists can tell us about this monster:

Invisible disabilities are disabilities that are not immediately apparent.

Invisible disabilities are chronic illnesses and conditions that significantly impair normal activities of daily living. In the United States, 96% of people with chronic medical conditions show no outward signs of their illness, and 10% experience symptoms that are considered disabling.

Invisible disabilities, also called “hidden disabilities”, can hinder a person’s efforts to go to school, work, socialize, and more.

Although the disability creates a challenge for the person who has it, the reality of the disability can be difficult for others to recognize or acknowledge. Others may not understand the cause of the problem, if they cannot see evidence of it in a visible way.

Like I said, this monster is torturing it’s victims without the rest of the world even knowing!

Picture this for a moment:

Every day you are fighting a battle no one knows about. You are fighting against the pain, the agony, the exhaustion and the daily wish to just be allowed to give up.

On Top Of That:

You have to battle against people in your surroundings who don’t understand anything about the battle you are fighting every day because they can’t SEE what’s wrong with you! You will even have to fight doctors because some invisible conditions don’t show in their regular tests or they give you the wrong diagnose or medicine.

So besides fighting against a monster who’s there to torture you every day of your life, you also have to deal with people who can’t see this invisible monster. You have to explain yourself over and over again.

That’s a hell of a battle!!!

Well, I can tell you out of own experiences: it sucks.

Battling a monster as vicious and evil as this one is hard enough without having to fight for a bit of understanding as well.

How identify this Monster

Yes, well this can be a bit tricky… it’s invisible after all….

The best way to identify this monster is to just LISTEN to what someone says.

Don’t judge on appearances.

An example, you all know how I look like because I model for my own photos.

But what most of you might not know is that I have three invisible chronic conditions to battle: Crohns, PTSD and HMS.

And yea, that sucks.

How to deal with this Monster

Battling this monster yourself:

If you have to face this monster every day, you probably already know how to battle it. But I know that it’s very hard to fight every day against something that’s never going away.

So, I will share a few tips that help me:

Be clear to the people around you. Tell them about the monster that you are battling. Explain it. And don’t get upset when they don’t get it right away. It’s hard for people to understand something they can’t see. Be patient.
Be honest. If you don’t feel well, just say it. You are helping no one by pretending that you are okay.
Be aware of your limits! Listen to your body. Take your rest but don’t stop doing the things you love if that’s a possibility. You have to have fun in life!
Don’t give up! I know it’s hard, but you have to keep fighting. Do not let that monster win!
Find things that make you smile. Enjoy every moment you can enjoy. Make the best out of every situation.
Don’t whine. Yes, that sounds harsh, I know. But talking yourself down isn’t going to help you. Of course life sometimes sucks and you can be upset about that. But after that, you have to get yourself together and stay strong!
Talk with people who know what you are going through. It can be a relieve to know that you are not alone!

When a loved one is battling this Monster:

Some tips to help making this fight a bit easier for someone you love:

Ask how they are doing, even when you already know the answer. Just show that you care! Ask them ‘How are you today’ instead of just asking how they are.
Support them the way you can. If you know someone has a hard time doing certain things, lent them a hand instead of waiting till they ask if you can help. And don’t make a big deal out of it. Just do it.
Do Not Judge!!! I can’t say this enough! You don’t know what they are going through so don’t go guessing about it. Just ask!
Do not patronize your loved one. They know best what they’re feeling.
Don’t say ‘I know what you must feel’ if you don’t have a clue. You can say: ‘I don’t know what it is you are going through, but I am here for you.’
Try to encourage your loved one without pushing their limits. Again, listen to them.
Believe in your loved one!