When 'FOMO' Hits Because of Chronic Illness

Before I became chronically ill, I had the job that I dreamed of, I traveled to the places I wanted to visit, I went out whenever and wherever I wanted, and I made many friends and went out with them. I did all of these things without a second thought, without worries, without fear that one day I can’t do them anymore.

When I became chronically ill, I started to have this understandable fear of missing out (FOMO)… missing out on seeing my friends, on jobs opportunities, on visiting family members, and on traveling to new places. Basically missing out on everything I used to do, missing out on everything a young adult usually can do in their 20s, but I can’t do.

This a real fear to any chronically ill person, and it’s an awful feeling – especially for young people. Your 20s is the time when you have to take care of yourself and build your future, and also to have the time of your life. But, when you’re ill, everyone around you is living their life and working on themselves – and all you can do is stay at home and do nothing and watch life pass you by.

I would like chronically ill people like me to know that even if we’re missing out on many things, we still can live and enjoy other things in life. We can enjoy things we didn’t pay attention to before. Everyone of us is different, so everyone has their own things that they can still enjoy and able to do.

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Thinkstock Image By: Archv