When Talking About Disability And Chronic Illness, People Don't Understand That Happiness Isn't Optional.

Your friends and family with chronic pain aren't doing well.

Yes, even the ones that say they are.

Yes, especially the ones that are complaining and lashing out already.

Chances are high that however bad they will admit things are it's actually worse. By a lot.

We're conditioned to be "okay". If we're breaking down at non scheduled times we aren't coping well. I promise.

Your sibling/partner/bestie/parent who is breaking down without preamble on a Tuesday is suffering. Be kind. We're sorry.

I was outside today! For the first time in weeks except medical appointments. Went for a very short walk. It was great, but i'll probably have to pay for it and also i'm more sad now than i was before. The distance between where im at and where i would like to be is just too big.

You don't owe anyone an explanation of your condition/disability, how or when it started, what meds you take, what tests you've undergone, or literally anything about your health!

It doesn't matter if it's a stranger, a friend, or a relative.

It's your life and you have a right to privacy.

Don't let them guilt you into answering invasive questions.

We need to recognize the collective trauma disabled people went through and are still going through with covid when everyone around us told us that our lives were less important than their convenience. That "only the sick and elderly will die so why should I do anything differently?"

I lost my faith in humanity at that point and I don't think I'll ever be able to get it back.

weird as fuck living in a culture where it's considered more impolite to speak up and defend yourself against someone treating you unfairly than it is for someone to be rude to you in the first place

How do people keep replying when friends ask how are you? I hate being so negative but often it's my reality like I couldn't do a lot of things today but I'm trying and nothing has changed!! I don't want to push them away by being the one who's always sick

Disabled people are not obligated to do everything that a non-disabled person can do. Stop treating us as though our bodies are the same. What you do normally can be detrimental and dangerous to us.

Please understand that not every marginalized person is going to have a list of peer reviewed sources and accurate statistics proving the bigotry they face in their daily life and you sometimes just have to decide to believe people when they tell you they are suffering

what if ablebodied people believed disabled people when they said stuff exhausts/hurts them, even if said ablebodied people didnt understand or couldnt relate. lol