10 Ridiculous Things People Have Said to Me About My Invisible Illnesses

I live with several chronic disorders and all of them are “invisible.” I mean, if you looked hard enough, most of them are actually totally visible. So I have compiled a list of the ridiculous things people have said to me about my “invisible” illnesses.

1. “You just need some food and water, then you will be feeling better!”

This was said by a friend of mine after I started crying because I overdid it.

2. “You have memory loss? Well why don’t you just carry around a journal and write everything down? I read that in a sci-fi book where a character had memory loss.”

This was said by a stranger on Facebook in a writing group. I had asked if anyone else has characters with disabilities.

 

3. “Honey, you don’t have a weight problem.”

Said by a family member. I had opened up to her about some of my symptoms. I had gained a lot of weight in about two weeks.

4. “You’re tired?! You have no idea the meaning of tired. I only slept three hours last night.”

Said by a family friend. I have had chronic fatigue and insomnia for the past two years.

5. “Chronic illness is very rare, so is misdiagnosis. I know because I am a physiology major and we deal with statistics.”

Again, said by a random person on Facebook.

6. “Huh? You’re too young to be having joint problems.”

Said by one of my doctors. She then had me tested for one thing and has never done anything to see what is wrong since. I have hypermobility in my joints – my knees pretty much bend backwards.

7. “Didn’t your mother teach you that using the disabled bathroom is rude?”

Said by some lady in a mall.

8. “I don’t want to hear about your condition! Don’t you see my problems are worse!?”

Said by an ex-friend. She was having some boy problems. I had just been diagnosed.

9. “At least you don’t have cancer.”

Said by a girl in my youth group after she asked me why I take medications.

10. “Are you telling me you have some nonexistent, incurable disorder so that I will feel bad for you?”

Again, some random person on Facebook. We were talking about writing and I said I write about chronically ill characters. And that I have a chronic illness.

So that is my list of 10 ridiculous things people have said to me. What is something someone has said to you because of your disability?

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Thinkstock photo via diego_cervo.