How many times have you said to yourself, 'No one can understand how I feel unless they've experienced it themselves?' Well I am just starting a book where both the authors, a man and a woman, have experienced an Invisible Chronic Illness and they are able to express feelings that I have experienced but have not even been able to put into words. They are both psychologists which helps and is also why there is a great Guide to Emotional Health and Wellness in the book amongst many other things. They understand the effects of an invisible illness on self-esteem, self-concept, and the feelings of guilt and shame, the frustrations, the lack of support and the suspicion we are often confronted with because our symptoms are not visible.
I am looking forward to reading the chapter called Getting and keeping the attention of the health care system because this is where I am at currently with my GP just saying dismissive things like "oh that's just your illness." He seems to think my health concerns are too complex, that I have been given a diagnosis and now I should be happy and go away.
The book, which I highly recommend, is called
Sick and Tired of Feeling Sick and Tired: Living with Invisible Chronic Illness (New Edition) by Paul Donoghue and Mary Siegel
Find out more about this book
