From the article: How to Cope With Chronic Pain
As if coping with chronic pain wasn't hard enough, it certainly comes with a stigma. The true extent of your pain is not always obvious to an outsider. I don't know about you, but I have heard people say some very rude things about those with chronic pain conditions. Things like "it's all in your head" or "you're just being dramatic." Or there is my personal favorite, "he's pretending so he can get pain medication." No matter how thick your skin, these comments can really hurt.
What is the worst thing anyone has ever said to you about your condition, and how did you respond?
Things people say do hurt.
- On good days I hurt, on bad days I can hardly walk. The worst thing I've been told though, after years of working my butt off, is that I'm just lazy because I'm on my social security. What they don't realize though is that part of my depression is the fact that I can't hold down a full time job anymore. True I don't work anymore, but I doubt just laziness would also make me give up so many other things that I got great enjoyment out of. I broke my back in six places in '99. Now I've been diagnosed with six degenerative disks. If there was any way I could get rid of this pain for good, trust me, I'd do it in a heartbeat. By the way, I came across this article while searching for new ways to cope with my pain because the level lately has me feeling suicidal again. But yea, I'm just lazy!
- —Guest William Day
