3 Simple Things To Do For The Chronically Ill People In Your Life

Over the years I've come to believe that nobody can ever really understand an experience unless they have gone through it. This absolutely holds true when speaking about living with chronic illness/pain.

No amount of explanation, witnessing or understanding of the various symptoms can tell the whole picture. Further complicating matters, no two people with the same ailment will experience it the exact same way. The variables are simply too numerous. 

The best we can hope for from others is that they do these 3 simple things:

1. That they believe us when we tell them what we are going through. We are not exaggerating or making things up. If anything we are minimizing the ugliness.

2. That they are patient and kind to us when we are struggling like when we have to cancel plans, leave early, struggle to find our words, need to avoid big triggers, etc.

3. That they ask questions and say supportive things instead of blaming, shaming or dismissing us.