Family and support during flare ups
How does everyone deal with family and support or lack thereof during Flare ups? My family makes me feel like I'm exaggerating or makes me feel guilty for slowing down or even taking time for myself during a flare up. To the point where my body just shuts down and I sleep for days trying to heal and stop the pain.
I think one of the hardest parts of chronic illness is realizing that not everyone around you is capable of understanding invisible pain. And with that, some people don’t realize that resting for days isn’t a choice, it's necessary. So please don’t feel bad about taking care of yourself during a flare-up. Resting and slowing down are part of taking care of your body, not something you should feel guilty for. People who haven’t lived with chronic illness usually don’t realize how exhausting it is just trying to get through the day sometimes. -Latoya (Team Member) You are not alone. It's hard to understand AS when you aren't living with it. However, everyone should be able to count on support from loved ones. One of our health leaders wrote this article "Why Advocating for Yourself Feels Difficult, Especially With Family" that contains some tips for advocating and educating family members. All the best, Kathy (Team member)
