WHAT IS CHRONIC/INVISIBLE ILLNESS? MEMBER BLOG CONTRIBUTED BY DEBORAH TUTTLE-NEEF of AN ENDURING NEW COMPASS

An invisible illness is a term for any medical condition that isn’t easily visible to others. Just because you cannot see a person’s illness doesn’t mean they don’t have one; Just because symptoms aren’t physically there when looking at a person struggling, doesn’t mean they are not struggling internally. Chronic/invisible illnesses have no cure and tend to ebb and flow in severity — some days, weeks, and months go really well, and during others it’s difficult to work, socialize, and function, confusing those who can’t “see” why one day is good and another a challenge. This includes chronic physical conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, fibromyalgia, and others (see a short list below). Unlike having a condition that is observable, chronic/invisible illness often leads to judgement and criticism because others believe you look fine on the outside, and therefore must be “making up” your suffering. Although some things can make them more manageable, chronic/invisible conditions are a lifelong challenge for the person struggling with them, for the doctors who treat them, and for their families and friends who walk alongside each person afflicted.

Do you know someone suffering from an Invisible illness? Here are some of the invisible illnesses that could be affecting your friends and colleagues that you wouldn’t know about unless they told you what they struggled with:

• Allergies and Food In-tolerances
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Cancer
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• Crohn’s Disease
• Fibromyalgia and Chronic Myofascial Pain
• Diabetes and other Blood Sugar Issues
• Digestive Disorders (such as; IBS, colitis, Celiac, etc.)
• Headaches, Migraines, etc.
• Heart Conditions
• Infertility
• Lupus
• Lyme Disease
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Neurological Diseases
• Sjogren’s Syndrome
• And more!

About An Enduring New Compass

An Enduring New Compass is a non-profit organization providing life/health coaching and resources, free of charge, to improve the lives of the chronically/invisibly ill and their families. We are dedicated to helping an under-served, forgotten people to again participate positively in their own lives, their family’s lives, and in their communities. For more information Contact Deborah Neef, Founder and Executive Director at deborah@anenduringnewcompass.org or visit our website at anenduringnewcompass.org