Lelena Profile picture
Human Being. pain patient, chronic illness, healthcare EDS/Arachnoiditis.

Apr 17, 2021, 8 tweets

Well folks...this is making the rounds thanks to the eagle eyes of @yahoocyd! (Thanks, Cyd!)

You read that right. 12 Steps For The Chronic Pain Patient.

Naturally, I have a few thoughts...

My initial reaction was disbelief, then utter dismay. Really?😔
chronicpainanonymous.org

Firstly...
The whole thing smacks of the pulpit, but let's dig in, shall we?

We are powerless over pain. Uhm...NO. Not at all.
That's what medicine, treatments, & coping mechanisms are for. Helping manage pain to a more tolerable level so one can be more productive & joyful.🤔🤷‍♀️

The second part of Step 2 begs a response as well.
"We admit that illness/pain makes our lives unmanageable."
No, I don't admit this at all. People living with #disabilities are creative & careful in how we manage our lives. This sounds like learned hopelessness AND helplessness.

Declaring total defeat is a world away from acknowledging hardships. I fail to see how this helps at all. 🤷‍♀️
Step 3-If I wish to commune with my Higher Power, I can attend church or pray on my own. This is beginning to resemble a Calvinist Cult. What is the goal? Conversion?😳🙄

Here's where the wheels start to really fly off the train:
Steps 4-7
Identify your sin!
Analyze your sin!
Confess your sin!
Beg for forgiveness!
Wallow in the inherent evil of your sin (b/c you are a despicable creature).😢
I fail to see why any of this is helpful/necessary.

I have no idea what any of this has to even do w/ #ChronicIllness or #pain. I'm not against taking responsibility for yourself & trying to improve as a human being. This is different.
Step 8:
I'm stunned by this one. Why would a sick person need to make amends? What did they do?

Step 9? You guessed it...KEEP making amends.
😳😳😳
Who came up with this horse excrement? Now I see what @billkinkle was saying. I wouldn't want ANYONE subjected to this festival of judgmental introspection.
Be Sorry! Be Ashamed! Beg for Forgiveness! Admit Defeat & Surrender!

Steps 10-11 continue to reek of a pulpit with a preacher telling people with #disabilities they are all Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, so fall in line.

Step 12 is to Spread the Gospel to others with #ChronicIllness & pain.

This is horrifying. No offense to 12-steppers.🥺

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