Invisible Illness

This month we focused on giving a voice to those with invisible illness. People with diseases that do not alert others that a person is struggling physically to carry out daily living activities, social activities, and professional goals. These issues are typically managed in the privacy of the home, in isolation, but the impact it has on interpersonal relationships is unmeasurable. The level of support a person with an invisible illness requires often falls flat. The isolation is a byproduct of trying to provide self-care which is mostly misunderstood. The cancelled events and the miscommunicated non-verbal and seeming disengagements are often offensive to others. This can be overwhelmingly frustrating to significant others, friends, and family.

Those suffering in silence get it.

Invisible illnesses are not only physical but mental as well. Most of the time the people you interact with throughout your day may be struggling with mental health crises all the time. You don’t know because their medication helps them “appear normal” or they have just learned how to present themselves to seem “fine”. Normal works for society. Normal helps reduce the questions. Normal benefits others, but trying to keep it all steady is a feat for the ailed person. The fear of being labeled, judged, exiled, and watched is unnerving. Taking medication to show up “normal” for others is tiring and can wreak more havoc than the illness itself.

Communication can help heal the misunderstandings. We all have an opportunity to be compassionate, understanding, and forgiving because we haven’t a clue what another person may be experiencing. We do not know what they had to endure to show up for work, to participate in a meeting, to teach a class, to take your order, to fix your cable, or even to leave the house.

Everyone deserves an advocate and today serves as a reminder to those without the trouble of living with an invisible illnesses that the only thing requested is grace. Grace for those that despite what you see, are coming out of a storm or preparing themselves for the next crisis.

Fighting An Invisible Disease

At times life can be difficult, and I mean really difficult. Trials and tribulations of life can make us question our purpose, where our life is going, and cause us to face what is coined “invisible disease.” An invisible disease is a sickness that cannot be seen at first glance by the human eye, but it infects and affects our mental state of mind. In fact, if an invisible disease is not treated, it can lead to very detrimental results. 

Some examples of invisible diseases can include depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, PTSD and more. All of these diseases have different root causes, and have to be handled in a special way. So the question becomes, what do you do about the illness inside of you that no one knows about? What do you do when you feel like you can’t heal or work through your invisible illness? How can you take care of yourself as you are fighting to get better? This is no easy feat, but when you proactively make the choice to fight against an invisible disease, you will win. Your healing towards better health and wellness is important to your livelihood, which is why we recommend doing these things in your daily life. 

1. Journal and reflect on the thoughts that you have towards your invisible disease. Holding everything in is not good for your psyche, because it can cause an eruption, similar to a volcano. Instead, make it a habit to release how you feel by writing it down. This will allow you to organize your thoughts and get clarity on where this disease came from, and how to directly handle the root of the issue. Journaling also gives your brain a break from the built up stress, and studies have shown that expressive writing can lower blood pressure and improve liver functionality. 

2. Speak to yourself in a positive manner. This retrains your brain to think positive thoughts about yourself, and it allows your body to release dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter in the brain that helps you feel good or pleasurable. The more that you practice positive speaking, the more likely your brain is to release positive feelings about yourself. This not only affects your brain, but it trickles down to your self-esteem, your relationship with yourself, and your overall outlook on life. 

3. Eat well and get plenty of sleep. Believe it or not, our mental health is highly affected by the things we put in our bodies, and how we psychically take care of our bodies. This is why it is so important to sleep for at least 7-9 hours, drink water regularly, and avoid drinking and smoking. What we put in our bodies affects our brain and bodily function, so transitioning to a healthier lifestyle can also help with fighting an invisible disease. 

This is only a short list of tips that help to fight the invisible diseases that life may bring us. Just like a medical disease, we don’t know when or how an invisible disease will come, but the key is recognizing that we need to heal, and taking the necessary steps to do so. Healing can come in so many forms, but once you make the commitment to be well, things will fall into place as you do the work.

If you or anyone you know is struggling with an invisible disease, please contact us for additional tips that you can use to heal. Or click here to book a session with one of our licensed professionals, who are ready to see you get well.