Thread by @autieangel

Telling someone with chronic illness to work on their stress to help them heal gives me anxiety. Yes, less stress can help, but anxiety is not the cause it is the symptom. Those living in chronic illness & pain don't need the added stress of unsolicited advice #spoonie

You know who else told me my anxiety was the cause of my illnesses? My doctors since I was 18, 20 years now, have sent me away claiming my mental health was the cause. Turns out I have a genetic condition, Elhers Danlos Syndrome, and it was never just in my head. #spoonie

I told my Rheumatologist I thought I had EDS and she said, "who told you that?" Pinched the skin on my hand said, "you don't have that", & proceeds to test me for lupus. (FYI, that's not how you test for EDS) #spoonie

At 18 I started having fainting spells my doctor told me I needed to eat more. He did no tests. He just looked at me said I need to eat more and left. I kept being faint. The same year I was told I had manic depression. Who would be depressed when chronically ill and disbelieved.

I went to the ER after a fall and when the doctor came in I was told they can't preserve pain killers. I was not given a physical exam. I left with an Advil prescription, a medicine I can't take because of a history of Ulcerative Colitis.

I went to my PCP the next day & told them what happened. I was sobbing because I was in pain. I am Autistic and was stimming with my hands because I was overwhelmed (a perfectly normal autistic presentation) I was not given a physical exam and Instead behavior health was called

I had to convince them I was indeed mentally stable and capable, all the while I was in great pain and physically injured. I was not given a physical exam. 6 months later I paid out of pocket for a MRI and I had 2 p. shoulder tendon tears, torn hip ball socket cartilage, and more

Another time after lyme treatment I told my doctor I still felt exactly as I did before we started and he told me I needed to see a psychiatrist. All the while 20 years of doctors not believing me and I have EDS, POTS, MCAS, & now medical PTSD. It's disgraceful it took this long

Anxiety is not the cause of my illnesseses, anxiety is a result of them & a lack of compassion & support. Living with daily pain & exhaustion would make anyone anxious. So, please stop giving chronically ill people unsolicited advice especially in relation to our mental health.

*prescribe