#chronic pain

[nondivisable]

me carrying a stuffed animal around while being disabled is not "infantilizing disability"

I am an actually disabled person who carries a stuffed animal as comfort bc disability is hard

what's "infantilizing disability" is assuming that just bc I carry a stuffed animal I'm not capable of making decisions for myself. or that having a stuffed animal makes me a less serious, adult person than you are.

[fibromyalgicaf]

The section that stands out the most for me is:

"...once I was not spending every second forcing myself to do things I couldn't, I found I had enough energy to actually start to work on myself. To look for patterns in my good and bad days. To research healthcare providers and new studies..."

because I have experienced exactly this in the last two months. Now that I've been told I can't work, I'm actually processing past trauma more, doing more of the little self care tasks, and dealing with some issues that I've been putting off for far too long.

I've seen this before, but it's been years and it just came across my Twitter in its dying days. The words are from a favorite author of mine, Maggie Stiefvater, and they are the words I most need to hear when it comes to dealing with chronic pain and illness. I didn't need this the first time I saw it, six years ago. I need it now. Maybe you do, too.

[fibro-memes]

[cowsabungus]

Chronic pain

ID in Alt

[arandomao3user]

As an Ao3 author, I love giving headcanons that'd probably anger a certain side of the Batman fandom, but I personally don't care because it makes great angst and, again, I'm an Ao3 author and chronically ill!

First up! Dick Grayson, I like the idea of him having ADHD, of course, BUT... joint hypermobility syndrome.

(Joint Hypermobility Syndrome: Joint hypermobility syndrome is a connective tissue disorder. Thick bands of tissue (ligaments) hold your joints together and keep them from moving too much or too far out of range. In people with joint hypermobility syndrome, those ligaments are loose or weak. If you have joints that are more flexible than normal and it causes you pain, you may have joint hypermobility syndrome.)

Chronic pain fits him, don't ask, because as the eldest child with chronic pain and hypermobiltiy syndrome, trust, he has that look in his eye that he's been walking on swollen knees for the past twelve hours, had three mental breakdowns, and is still pushing through because SOMEBODY has to deal with this bull.

That's also the reason he wears freakin' spandex-- only, it's for compression! He wears compression items to help with swelling and pain TRUST, and let me have this because the math maths (it probably doesn't, but let me have this.)

He's got chronic fatigue, he's gotten used to popping dislocated joints back into place, Bruce was so confused how he dislocated and sprained so many bones so quickly when out as Robin. It's genetic, of course, Bruce finds. But he has money, and Dick powers through it all! Till he develops arthritis in his early thirties/ late twenties and actually hates everything because WHAT AND WHY--

---

Next up! JASON TODD! I have no proof, evidence, and it doesn't have to make sense but I like giving him asthma sometimes for the angst potential of if he didn't have it, he wouldn't have died in the explosion.

He didn't die from said explosion, nor JUST the smoke inhalation, but because he had an asthma attack, on the ground, bones broken, unable to breath because his inhaler did NOT survive the blast, if he even had it on him.

And that's why he wears helmet with so, so many filters in it now...

Also, being a street kid who struggles to even get his medication that keeps him alive? Peak angst, being to poor to afford your medication because the American healthcare system is actually trashy garbage.

R.I.P. Jason Todd, you would've loved clean air--

---

ANEMIC TIM DRAKE! But I up you, Tim Drake with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)

(POTS: Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a condition that causes your heart to beat faster than normal when you transition from sitting or lying down to standing up. It’s a type of orthostatic intolerance.)

Read ONE SINGLE FIC/ SERIES with this and I've loved it since because what do you mean he randomly falls asleep anywhere? No, forget your canon, he passed out and people think he just fell asleep... NOpe, he passed out, sorry random lady he was on a date with!

(The majority of people are AFAM but we aren't ready for my trans Tim headcanons yet either.)

(You’re at a higher risk of developing POTS after experiencing the following stressors:

Significant illnesses, such as viral illnesses like mononucleosis or serious infections.

Physical trauma, such as a head injury.)

Ngl, my dude gets a LOT of physical trauma (and mental--) also, losing a spleen? Surgery and at risk of viral illnesses? I'm sorry, but I need him to suffer more because I like when Tim Drake suffers horribly.

Now, despite having this condition, I am no expert, but also his caffiene/ energy drink addiction is from chronic fatigue, he shouldn't drink it, it's not healthy or good for him, but he stopped caring between the spleen loss and whatever the "Drake" run he did was because what even was that name?--

---

Damian is autistic and I will DIE ON THAT HILL--

No, I won't explain and you can't make me.

---

[yrfemmehusband]

Okay, maybe 2025 will be The Year because this sure as hell wasn't!

Wishing all undiagnosed/partially diagnosed people a very doctors listening to you and providing you with more testing than a blood draw and even possibly providing treatment 2024

[spooniestrong]

[absentlyabbie]

everyone put your hands together tonight for some of the great heroes of the chronic pain community:

ibuprofen/acetaminophen/naproxen

heating pad

cbd

pain relief creams

"boil me like one of your french lobsters" hothot showers

ice

[overwatch-headcanoning]

Overwatch 2 Angst Headcanons

Just a few angsty headcanons for my overwatch favs because I'm having a bad day. Enjoy!

Mentions of self harm, chronic pain, SA and other abuse below the cut. Please read with caution and minors DO NOT interact. 18+

☣️ Hazard: He hides it well but his body aches, all the time. Phantom pains, chaffing until the skin is raw, muscular stress from uneven limbs. You name it, he's dealt with it. He metabolizes the pain as just another part of life and has learned to mostly ignore it but some days, especially after a particularly rough mission, it all comes crashing back and he can barley stand. He laughs it off, makes excuses to slink off on his own and as soon as he's alone he collapses. Screwing his eyes shut and just trying to breath through the pain. Feelings of loss and weakness crashing over him like a wave, threatening to drown him. He sits like that, in a heap, for hours, sometimes a full night. Just trying to lessen the pain or ignore it until it fades back into the dull ache he carries every moment of every day. It's still better than the alternative but sometimes it threatens to drive him mad.

🦉 Reaper: Sometimes, alone in the middle of the night, Reaper hauls himself to the bathroom and stands in front of the mirror. Staring with hallow red eyes at his own reflection for hours, trying desperately to spot any remnants of who he used to be. He drags claws fingers over his cheek bones and chin, trying to see something besides a monster. Trying to pretend it's a living face once again. He stares at himself until he's disoriented and angry. Sometimes the mirror takes the brunt of the frustration and pain, other times he turns it on himself. Tearing at his face and body just trying to bleed like he used to, or hurt in a different way. Something, anything to make him feel alive. Nothing ever works and eventually the rage and desperation dies down into exhaustion and surrender and he leaves the room in a cloud of smoke, letting his body come apart in defeat. Knowing he will be called back to work soon and the cycle will start all over again.

🐸 Lucio: Sometimes before a show and often times after one he will make cheerful excuses to head to the bathroom or his dressing room for a few minutes. As soon as the door closes behind him and he's sure he's alone he sinks to the ground, already hyperventilating. He curls into a ball, digs his fingers into his hair and has a panic attack. Sometimes they last 15-20 minutes. Other times he only allows himself 1 or 2 minutes of shaking on the ground, sobbing, struggling to breathe and pulling on his hair. The panic, the pressure, the risk he endures every day would get to anyone but he doesn't allow himself much. Just those few minutes of complete despair and terror. He's had panic attacks since he was a child so he knows how to deal with them but he can't stop them. So he just makes sure he has his time alone to come undone, even just for a minute or two before pulling himself back together, plastering on his happy face and going back out to face it all again. He has a reputation to uphold and people need him. They can't think he's weak or not enjoying himself, so he never lets anyone see it.

🪷 Lifeweaver: Most of the time he is all smiles and confidant quips but some nights, sitting alone in what ever safe house he is hiding away in, alone, the tears come. He sits tall, back straight, staring straight ahead as tears run a river down his cheeks. He doesn't sob, he doesn't shake. He just lets the tears come and burn his eyes as he thinks of his family, his school friends, his exes. All people he couldn't keep in his life. All people he was forced to turn his back on or watch them turn their backs on him. Niran is a people person but the path he has chosen in life forces him to spend most of his resting hours alone. Completely, staggeringly alone. He has learned to cope with it for the most part. Tea, music and novels help. As well as losing himself in his work, but some nights he can't escape it and the tears overwhelm him. Flooding him with memories of people he can't have, people he can't afford to love. People who have betrayed him or given up on him. Or worse yet, people he has betrayed or abandon. He can't tell which is worse but he sheds tears for all of them.

🐰 D.va/Hana Song: Not much gets to this streaming super star but there are dark parts of the internet she can't quite stand to look at. Once, near the beginning of her career taking off she took some time to scour the internet for what they were saying about her and what she found left her stomach in knots. She found hate forums, webpages full of threats and worst of all, a lot of people fantasizing about assaulting her. She closed the computer and never spoke of it again, never daring to look or let it get to her but sometimes the thoughts sneak back in. She tries to be a hero and entertainer and devote herself to her fans and her country but every once in a while it breaks her knowing how many people out there want to hurt her, take her against her will, humiliate her, etc. She gives everything and it's still not enough for some people. They want to take more and she can't ignore it. No matter how much she tries. One wrong step and people would descent on her like hungry wolves.

🟡🟣 Moira: Her confidence is unwavering but sometimes even she has to admit she might have gone too far. It's not uncommon for her to wake upon the middle of the night in a cold sweat, struggling to breathe, dizzy and sickly pale. The throbbing pain in her arm threatening to overtake her. She did this to herself yet in the wee hours of the morning, alone in the darkness. She can't help feeling like a victim. The pain is unimaginable and while she has learned to manage it with painkillers and injections to slow the spread, it's still there, it's still happening. Her own brilliant work eating away at her flesh. Sometimes it makes her so sick she can barley move, too dizzy to stand and too nauseous to eat. In those moments, despite herself and her ego, Moira wonders if she will be able to save herself after all. For all her plans, theories and experiments, she is still withering away, painfully. In those few, rare moments of weakness she wonders if she will be another victim of her own ambition.

[friend-of-kyoshi]

ALLEGED shooter, come on y’all

Don’t do the cops’ work for them

on a more serious note, I think it's important to consider the uhc ceo shooter's twitter seems to indicate he suffered from severe chronic pain and this is likely a big contributor to his actions

[scretladyspider]

hey friends.

I need $1800 by December 31st for rent (staying housed!), a couple bills, and groceries.

please help a queer disabled ace stay housed this Christmas? even $1 helps. and/or share to do good for someone in need? anything helps. it really does.

cashapp - secretladyspider

venmo- secretladyspider

paypal - secretladyspider@gmail.com

ko-fi- ko-fi.com/scretladyspider

[nondivisable]

I need to say something and I need y'all to be calm

if it isn't actively bad or harmful, no representation should be called "too simple" or "too surface level"

I have a whole argument for this about the barbie movie but today I wanna talk about a show called "the babysitters club" on Netflix

(obligatory disclaimer that I watched only two episodes of this show so if it's super problematic I'm sorry) (yes. I know it's based on a book, this is about the show)

this is a silly 8+ show that my 9 year old sister is watching and it manages to tackle so many complex topics in such an easy way. basic premise is these 13 year old girls have a babysitting agency.

in one episode, a girl babysits this transfem kid. the approach is super simple, with the kid saying stuff like "oh no, those are my old boy clothes, these are my girl clothes". they have to go to the doctor and everyone is calling the kid by her dead name and using he/him and this 13 year old snaps at like a group of doctors and they all listen to her. it's pure fantasy and any person versed in trans theory would point out a bunch of mistakes.

but after watching this episode, my little sister started switching to my name instead of my dead name and intercalating he/him pronouns when talking about me.

one of the 13 years old is a diabetic and sometimes her whole personality is taken over by that. but she has this episode where she pushes herself to her limit and passes out and talks about being in a coma for a while because of not recognizing the limits of her disability.

and this allowed my 9 year old sister to understand me better when I say "I really want to play with you but right now my body physically can't do that" (I'm disabled). she has even asked me why I'm pushing myself, why I'm not using my crutches when I complain about pain.

my mom is 50 years old and watching this show with my sister. she said the episode about the diabetic girl helped her understand me and my disability better. she grew up disabled as well, but she was taught to shut up and power through.

yes, silly simple representation can annoy you if you've read thousands of pages about queer liberation or disability radical thought, but sometimes things are not for you.

[wishful-seeker]

I would like to see more people talk about how jobs treat disabled employees.

I used to prep, wash dishes, and cook at mellow mushroom. I had chronic pain that wasn't NEARLY as bad as it is today, but it was still very debilitating. I told my employer "i cannot stand more than 4 to 6 hours. I CANNOT do shifts longer than this due to my illness." And even though i made my boundaries VERY clear, everyday i worked it was 8 hours at the least and 10 or 12 at the most. I would go up to my manager and say "look i really need to leave, my shift is over, my chronic pain is killing me." And he'd say "we really need to here, you HAVE to push through." And so i did, and after one, ONE month of that job my crps got incredibly worse to the point where i could no longer walk my dog around the block which was .5 miles. I quit, and that was FOUR years ago, and ever since that day I HAVE BEEN BEDRIDDEN AND HAVE TO USE A WHEELCHAIR. It is my biggest regret in life.

My best friend who has seen my whole journey has recently developed undiagnosed chronic pain, and she is in the EXACT same scenario i was 4 years ago. Busting her ass at a pizza place with extreme pain that hurts her so much she tells me "im in so much pain i don't even feel like a person." She doesn't feel LUCID. And her manager and coworkers are saying the same thing "if you don't help us you will let us down, we'll be in the shit."

That job thats hurting you isn't fucking worth it. I promise you no money is worth losing all your physical abilities and never getting them back. Your coworkers and boss do not give a shit about you, so don't you dare suffer for them. They will never understand your struggle and they will never try. They truly think being understaffed is worse than whatever pain you experience. They would rather you permanently damage yourself than inconvenience them. FUCK THEM. DON'T FUCKING DO IT!

[whatthefibromyalgia]

This made me so emotional. I had no idea after my surgery I would learn that I had a stroke. A Traumatic brain injury, a spinal stroke they call it. Now I can barely remember why I stood up some days. I burn meals because I simply forget I put something in the oven. Sometimes as a Nanny for the last 16 years there are times I can not remember the names of my charges that mean so very much to me. That will break my heart. Like I can see their faces in my mind. I can see clear memories flashing through my brain as memories are triggered int to firing but... The names won't come to me and I break down.

So often through-out the day I hear things like "thats not what you said" or "don't you remember" and I have NO memory, just blankness and sense of confusion that just brings me to tears because I don't understand what is happening.

Mrs-Q

Hey, if you’re not as mentally quick as you used to be because of your illness- that’s okay. If you’re can’t think as fast or handle as many tasks that’s okay. You aren’t stupid, you aren’t unintelligent, and you aren’t less worthy of love or respect. It’s okay that your brain won’t or can’t go back to how it used to be. It’s different now, but it’s okay.

[i-say-stupid-things]

what is it with able bodied people saying “get well soon” after you say that you’re chronically ill?? like? i am not gonna? and i once literally responded with “i’m not gonna, it’s chronic, as in permanent.” and they went like “oh well, hope you get better!” like bro 💀