An Easy New Way to Talk About Pain (and Why We Should)

Awareness can’t exist without communication. There are many ways to actively and passively communicate, but for those of us with chronic pain — often an invisible condition — we pretty much need to use our words.

But why bother? Why does awareness even matter? Just a few reasons include:

1. Not being alone and showing others they’re not alone
2. Preventing harmful assumptions about our actions and statements
3. Managing expectations… of others and of ourselves
4. Taking a break from “passing” (passing = overdoing it = making things worse)
5. Gaining credibility for a condition and inciting action, like funding and treatment innovation
6. Ending the stigma and the repressive expectation that we keep our pain to ourselves

So now are you ready to talk about it? Just maybe you’re not up for getting into the details? Well that’s why I invented Splat.

With chronic pain, every day we feel like we’ve been run over by something. It just might be a different *something* on different days. We can spread awareness by introducing others to Splat, and we can communicate how we’re feeling by using the Splat system. Time to throw away your pain scale and start talking Splat.

Splatus: What you currently feel “run over” by

Splattie: Someone who feels run over by something literally every day

Splatvocate: Someone who supports Splatties

What’s your Splatus today?

Moped: The pain is always there, but today it’s pretty chill!

Eurocar: My pain is holding me back a little, but I can do more today than usual.

Sedan: Just a standard day with this condition. I definitely don’t feel well, but I’m functioning.

Pickup truck: I can almost get by like a “normal” person today, but everything is a huge struggle and I want my mommy.

Tractor trailer: I feel absolutely awful. If it’s critically important, I’ll do it. The rest of life will have to wait.

Freight train: I’m totally miserable, and I couldn’t keep my “invisible” condition invisible if I tried. If you need me, I’ll be in my bed, and, well, just don’t need me.

Asteroid: Zombies are more alive than I am.

There’s a lot more you can do with Splat than just spread awareness! Check out this article that can help you create actual routines, improve relationships and more!

Get more Splat at www.TalkingSplat.com.