The Instagram Account That Inspires Me on Tough Days of My Illness

I encountered @YooCanDoAnything by chance. It was a bad night but not in the traditional sense. Most people’s bad nights would be due to a bad grade or a breakup, but my bad night was from a flurry of symptoms hitting me right at once. It wasn’t just a bad night, it was a hopeless one.

As I stood up from my bed after finishing homework that night, I fell. I stood up and face first hit the ground as my heart rate jumped, and I lost my vision. As I fell, I heard the familiar “snap,” “crackle,” “pop” as my joints gave out on my way to the ground. I woke up minutes later, still on the ground, with five joints out. I was beginning to put myself back together when the pain finally set it. I lay there on the ground feeling hopeless for minutes until I finally decided it was time to do something. I grabbed my phone that had fallen next to me and began to scroll through Instagram, hoping to distract myself. That was when @YooCanDoAnything popped up on my explore feed.

Their Instagram account is a very unique concept. Users submit their stories and pictures on their website, and every day the Instagram account publishes one story. Where many chronic illness accounts are hopeless and saddening though, this one is surprisingly upbeat. Users share their real, raw truth, but they always make sure to share how they have rewritten their story. Followers speak of their newfound independence, passions, and futures that they never imagined as a result of their illness. This was exactly what I needed to find on that horrible night.

I want to thank @YooCanDoAnything for giving me a light in the darkness. This Instagram account has allowed me to read important stories at bad times and has gotten me back on my feet (literally) more than once. This community has been life changing to follow and has given hope to so many who are struggling.

To anyone who has not checked out this Instagram account yet, I highly recommend it. It isn’t your typical “woe is me” chronic illness account, but it is still real while maintaining a positive vibe. This account has helped myself in addition to over 19,000 more, and I cannot wait to see where it goes from here. Give it a chance, share your story. You definitely won’t regret it.