15 Memes That Perfectly Describe Your Social Life With Chronic Illness

Trying to maintain a social life when you live with chronic illness is no easy task. Dealing with flare-ups and the need to conserve energy for work or day-to-day responsibilities may often override your ability to simply go out and have fun with your friends. Other times, you may be able to make it out, only to experience painful or uncomfortable symptoms that cause the outing to turn out less enjoyable than it should have been.

The struggle is real, and it can undoubtedly be difficult to have to constantly say no or cancel plans, come home early or not feel so great during an activity that should be fun and relaxing. But even though many of those with chronic illness may not be able to go out to socialize super often, there is still an entire community of people online who totally understand what it’s like, and can empathize with you about the tough aspects, and even laugh with you about some of the more ridiculous ones.

If laughing and virtually connecting with other spoonies through humor helps you navigate the challenges of attempting to make plans, go out and spend time with people IRL, these memes are for you.

1.

me .01 seconds after emphatically saying yes to plans... I am unsure — via @just_spoonie_things Instagram

2.

when I just want to hang out but my friends want to actually do stuff — via disabilityhealth Tumblr

3.

when you decide to go out — via @chronicallyillfighters Instagram

4.

when you're hit with a massive pain attack while out with your mates: But I have to go home now — via @chronic_khaleesi Instagram

5.

when your friends drag you out of the house and tell you it's going to be fun — via @little.bit.lupie Instagram

6.

when my friends keep me at the party too long — via disabilityhealth Tumblr

7.

when you make plans to be social earlier in the week but when the day comes you're like *hamster lying in bed* — via @badgalchronic Instagram

8.

when someone forces me to go out and meet new people: hi, I'm miserable — via @supportforspoonies Instagram

9.

social events for spoonies: images of draining battery — via @wellacopia Instagram

10.

decision making dice for my social life: dice that say no on all sides — via @beautifully_broken_sara Instagram

11.

when you wanna go out and have fun but you're out of spoons: internally screaming — via chronicchillpill Tumblr

12.

what i look like meeting with friends for half an hour vs. the next few days — via @paleoterrific Instagram

13.

and here is the social life of someone with chronic pain (blank image). just fascinating isn't it? — via @chronic.hippie Instagram

14.

"you should go out more" — via eds-stripes Tumblr

15.

me after too much peopling: woman lying on ground — via @rebecca_soap Instagram