'Chronic Confessions' Blog Holds the Secrets of Those Living With a Chronic Illness

Would you share your deepest, darkest secret about life with a chronic illness online?

Over 1,000 people have on a Tumblr blog, “Chronic Confessions.” The blog – which was founded in July, 2015 – anonymously shares user-submitted posts about the ups and downs of living with a chronic condition.

Confession #222
I’m in so much pain and I’m terrified of going back to the doctor just to have him write it off as another symptom of my chronic illness…

In less than a year, the blog has received 1,300 “confessions,” and posts new confessions five times a day.

According to the blog’s frequently asked questions, the blog welcomes posts from anyone who identifies as being chronically ill, including those living with a mental illness.

Confession #1,256
The first thing I do every day is give up

“Chronic Confessions” is run by an anonymous chronically ill 19-year-old who goes by the Tumblr username “tintinnabulary.” The blog is meant to be a safe space for people to “rant and reveal” their emotions. Confessions cover a wide variety of conditions including endometriosis, interstitial cystitis, rheumatoid arthritis, bipolar disorder and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS).

Confession #731
My biggest fear is not heights, spiders or small spaces. It is fainting and peeing myself in front of other people. I have POTS and IC, and sooner or later it will happen, and I just wouldn’t be able to handle the embarrassment and the looks on peoples faces. I know everybody says that illnesses are not out fault and we shouldn’t be embarrassed, but I can’t help feeling otherwise.

Contributors range in age with posts featuring a wide variety of life experiences from high school to parenting, and even managing a condition for decades.

You can read more confessions below and on the “Chronic Confessions” blog.

Confession #1,143
I feel like I cannot discuss my BPD along with my chronic physical illness after a person with bpd in the spoonie community admitted to be faking chronic illness stuff. I’m not faking but I feel like talking about my bpd would make everyone think I am after what this individual did and that it just added to the stigma. bpd is hard enough but being chronically ill too makes it so much worse.

Confession #507
Sometimes I feel like I have no right to complain. I have RA and have since I was 8, but it’s not as bad as it could be. I have no joint damage, not physical deformities, I can do so many things that others with RA can’t. But I’m so tired of my pain being invalidated on the basis that it could be worse. I’m not able bodied, but I lack the exhaustion to be a spoonie. Chronic pain and a limp that keep me from ‘normal’ but I still don’t belong because my pain is relatively well managed.

Confession #213
On good days I feel unstoppable. On bad days (like today), the whole bed ridden-missing class/tests-persistent/non-stop pain thing, I feel like a complete failure. Chronic illness and debilitating pain really wears away at your soul after a while of prolonged bad “days.” Independence is everything to me, when I don’t have it I feel completely useless.

Confession #1,299
I’ve told my husband I’m not ready for a second child because I am enjoying the first one too much. The real reason is I’m worried my Multiple Sclerosis will catch up with me sooner rather than later and I will ruin two children’s childhoods instead of just one.