8 Extraordinary Things About People With Chronic Illness

8 Extraordinary Things About People With Chronic Illness

Share your own extraordinary things about #ChronicIllness with others like you: mgty.co/chronicillness

1. They have a profound strength to manage life while in pain.

People with chronic illness have a relentless will to live, and it takes strength every day they are faced with the challenges of their pain.

They don’t give up, despite the debilitating symptoms they experience.

They push through and grab hold of what they can to find fulfillment in every day.

2. They tend to have an astute awareness of other people’s pain.

Because of what they have endured on their own path, they may be more in tune to the people around them.

They can have extraordinary empathy and compassion for others.

They are often the first to respond because they know the significance of having support.

3. They may have a unique perspective on life.

They are constantly challenged by their own limitations and may celebrate simple things that others take for granted.

They learn to look for the gifts in every day.

4. They live a secret life of struggling.

They may not look sick at all, but underneath their appearance there is a person fighting fiercely to be well.

They may have taken enough medicine just to get them through the day.

They may mask their pain with smiles so others won’t notice their struggling.

5. They often don’t tell people when they are struggling.

Because they are sick so often, they may not want to burden others.

They might struggle alone because they hate to make people feel uncomfortable or obligated in any way.

You might notice they disappear for a time.

This is often when they are trying to manage their symptoms and are too sick to do much else.

6. They need you to check on them.

They often feel uncomfortable reaching out for help or support because they may feel people have more important things to do.

Many are sure people are tired of hearing about their sickness/disease, so they stop telling their family and friends about their struggles.

7. They may not be able to follow through on commitments.

People with chronic illness don’t have the privilege of knowing how they will feel each and every day.

They may wish they could be more predictable, but their illness controls the outcome.

8. They need to know they are loved unconditionally.

They may feel they are of no value some days because they couldn’t do anything productive besides manage their illness.

They can feel useless and insignificant to the world around them.

They must learn to love themselves without expectations, and you must, too.

People who endure long-term illness are in all of our lives.

Let’s make sure we walk alongside them with the love and support they need.