Things People With Chronic Pain Wish Others Would Stop Saying

People with chronic pain shared the things people shouldn’t say to them, and what they should say instead.

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Things People With Chronic Pain Wish Others Would Stop Saying

“People say, ‘Wait until you’re my age.’ They should be saying, ‘I’m sorry you already feel like you’re my age.’”

“When they say, ‘You must not be in that much pain if you’re going out today!’ they should say, ‘I’m glad to see you were feeling well enough to be able to go out today.’”

“‘Get well soon.’ They don’t understand we don’t get well.”

“‘Just power through it!’ The intention is always good, but it’s never helpful.

“Please don’t say, ‘Oh my god! You look so skinny, that’s fantastic!’ Just don’t say anything about weight.”

“‘You are always smiling so you can’t be in that much pain!’ Yes I smile. Do you really want to hear how badly I hurt?”

“‘It could always be worse.’ Telling me it could be, doesn’t make it better.”

“I wish people would keep their home remedies to themselves unless asked. I know what’s best for me.”

“‘You need to get off those meds, they are bad for you!’ I would much rather them say, ‘I hope those meds offer you some relief.’”

“I hate hearing, ‘I couldn’t live like you.’ Try empathy when I’m down and out and remember I’m more than an illness.”