i Fashion
The thing about having an invisible illness and being in this line of work is th… : The thing about having an invisible illness and being in this line of work is that it makes it really hard to know what to post and when. If you have a condition that no one can see and you post glam, polished shots of you seemingly looking “well”; you’re making your illness up. If you post photos such as this one, you’re begging for attention, you’re wanting a pity party and you’re too woe is me.
The reality is I spend most of my week looking like this. I’m in 4 day old pjs here adorned with various stains, greasy hair that desperately needed washing but my mood was too low, I’ve been in too much pain to lift my arms and I’ve got a greyed off complexion from lack of vitamin D.
I’ve become very good at constantly being present on this app, posting semi-regularly but I don’t show what I look like every single day. I post the glossy pictures that were taken in advance & stock piled, and I post stories where I’m not visible for days on end. The truth is, I’m in too much pain to post daily like many of your IG faves. I’m too tired. I’m too low. I’m too sick.
I’m trying to find the balance of showing the real me vs the glossy me. When I do post on the days I’m struggling (but still feel up to sharing with you guys) please know it isn’t for sympathy. I have a beautiful girlfriend, such loving family and friends so thankfully I can turn to them. When I post that I’m struggling it’s to show you guys that behind all these glossy insta pages, there are real people with real issues and that you shouldn’t feel isolated if you’re life isn’t going perfectly.
My illness hasn’t magically disappeared when you see that photo of me in a pretty dress, or sitting on a sun lounger on holiday or posing at an event. I just want to show people, that are in similar positions as me that there can be good days. There can be moments, even if they’re brief where you feel ok, you can somewhat enjoy your life and that you can feel positive about your future.
Don’t give up, even on the darkest of days. If you can’t make it out of bed today, that’s ok. If you can’t find the strength to get dressed next week, that’s ok. There’s always tomorrow. #chronicillness #mentalhealth #fibromyalgia
