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14 Memes That Nail What It's Like to Have an Autoimmune Disease

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Living with an autoimmune disease (like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, Sjogren’s syndrome, multiple sclerosis, and others) can be extremely challenging and bring about a number of undesirable symptoms, and the fact that it’s all caused by your own immune system attacking healthy cells can be especially exasperating. After dealing with autoimmune issues my whole life, it’s so frustrating that my body just won’t cooperate and listen to me when I kindly ask it to please stop that right now.

But sometimes, the thought of your body attacking itself is just so ridiculous it almost verges on comical. I mean, of all the things in the world that could have gotten me sick, of course it had to be my own immune system… that traitorYou had one job, dammit!

If you’re like me and can’t help but laugh at how sadly confused and misguided your body seems to be, then you may enjoy the following memes:

1. When getting out of bed is an accomplishment:

actual footage of me waking up and trying to function
via @myillnessmythoughts Instagram

2. When your immune system declares war on your body for no good reason:

my immune system to my body: "This is Sparta!"
via Autoimmune Disease Memes Facebook page

3. When your immune system is always angry:

a drawing of my immune system, with a drawing of a ghost
via @chronicillnessmemes Instagram

4. When people don’t understand what “invisible illness” means:

but you look so healthy! no.
via LupusChick.com – Autoimmune Health and Support Community Facebook page

5. When being on immunosuppressants means your immune system is basically nonexistent:

when you have a chronic illness/autoimmune disease and someone coughs or sneeze within a mile radius of you
via @titaniumtriathlete Instagram

6. When you’re trying to regulate your body temperature:

I'm hot because I have heat intolerance, but I'm cold because I have a low body temperature
via Autoimmune Memes Facebook page

7. When you accidentally overdo it:

get sudden burst of energy. accomplish entire to do list. spend next week in bed, trying to recover from doing too much.
via Tina Sroka Facebook page

8. When your illness forces you to follow a really specific diet:

my reaction when people ask me what I can actually eat
via @tales_of_the_inflamed Instagram

9. When the brain fog hits:

not only is my short-term memory horrible, but so is my short-term memory
via A Little Bit of Everything – Autoimmune Arthritis and Much More Facebook page

10. When people think you’re “lucky” for getting to stay home from work or school:

oh, you think I'm lucky I get to take naps? tell me more about how fortunate I am that my body is attacking itself
via Autoimmune Memes Facebook page

11. When your body is your best friend and your worst enemy:

T cell: I shouldn't attack my own cells. T cell to T cell: attack it
via @MadiSarlo Twitter

12. When your body refuses to listen to reason:

body: something is wrong. me: oh no, not again. I swear everything is fine. body: something is seriously wrong and I'm going to kill it. with fire. me: please don't. body, as it attacks itself: I'm killing it! aren't you proud of me?
via @kristivarg Instagram

13. When you’re disappointed to get negative test results:

when tests come back okay when clearly you aren't okay
via @chronicillnessmemes Instagram

14. When battling an autoimmune disease means you’re a badass warrior:

autoimmune disease, because the only thing tough enough to kick my ass is me
via @savvy_coop Twitter
Originally published: February 1, 2018
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