Invisible Illness Page
Here we will share about many invisible illnesses, resources to learn more about them, and ways to take care of yourself if you believe you have an invisible illness, whether or not you have been formally diagnosed.
What do you mean by "Invisible Illness"
Invisible Illnesses are health conditions that people have, which aren't easily seen by others around them. An easy to understand example is that our society understands when they see a person with a cane get out of a car in a handicap parking spot, but they may not understand a free-standing person may have a condition such as postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) which can cause fainting with changes in blood pressure. In the Harvard article linked below, it is estimated that 10% of Americans who have physical or mental limits to movement or senses have an "invisible illness."
Which Illnesses are Invisible?
There are numerous invisible illnesses, so it would be so hard to even pretend to have an exhaustive list. We here at Gut, Heart, & Soul are still learning about new additions to this grouping ourselves. That said, some of the illnesses that you may have heard of include fibromyalgia, Chron's disease, ulcerative colitis, diabetes, the growing diagnosis of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, epilepsy, cancer, depression and anxiety, and even irritable bowel disease. As we publish more information on personal experiences with Invisible Illness from the Gut, Heart, & Soul family, as well as guest contributors, we will link articles and resources below, as well as on our Resources page.
