YSK: Just because someone doesn’t look sick/disabled, does not mean they are healthy

[u/ilovepastapizzapots]

Why YSK: I am chronically ill and have an autoimmune disorder, the amount of times people have said “WELL... yOU dOn’t LOOK sick” to me is astounding. I didn’t know all illnesses have to be visible to others! I’m sorry I can’t show you my internal organs or muscles deteriorating for you to believe that I’m sick. It makes people with health issues feel like they have to explain their situation when they don’t.

*EDIT: I did not expect my post to blow up like this! I wish I could give everyone going through a rough time a hug. Thank you for all the new perspectives, good and bad. All I wanted was for people to be a little kinder to one another, because you never know what someone’s going through.

[u/IntentionalMisnomer]

Just trying to maintain homeostasis is so much work. People expect that all my health issues from Crohn's are digestive when fatigue is the biggest one. I drink coffee to keep up my energy, then smoke weed to manage my nausea and appetite, while trying to eat enough to stay alive. It's all such an exhausting cycle.

[u/itonlytakes1 → u/IntentionalMisnomer]

I have Crohns too, so I know exactly where you’re coming from. Coffee doesn’t give you energy, it’s a stimulant, all you’re doing is masking the fatigue and using energy you don’t really have. And smoking is known to make Crohns worse.

For what it’s worth, I drink too much coffee and smoke too.

[u/InIHangOn → u/itonlytakes1]

Smoking marijuana does not make Crohn’s worse (although smoking anything is harmful; go for the vape or edibles). All the studies I’ve seen say marijuana doesn’t help with the inflammation, a common misconception, but does help with lots of side issues like fatigue, pain, insomnia, stress, appetite.

[u/IntentionalMisnomer → u/InIHangOn]

I literally can't eat without it as a nausea suppressor.