Lupus: What It Means to Live With an Invisible Disease

Some health professionals advise people suffering from illness-related pain to engage in strenuous exercises as a kind of treatment. But, this is totally wrong. Illness-related fatigue and pain cannot be cured by taking part in strenuous exercises. This lack of know-how from medical professionals may result in fatal consequences and contribute to a patient feeling gun-shy about visiting a physician when new symptoms arise.

This is a common occurrence, especially if the suffering patient suspects that the symptom is a result of a life-threatening health problem. Individuals with chronic illnesses are not only misunderstood, but they are also mistreated by health professionals. They are commonly called drug seekers and, as result, are not provided with the proper pain medication.

These people also face misunderstanding over what it is or what it actually means to be disabled. The fact that a person is so sick that he or she cannot work does not mean that he cannot go out to a restaurant or any other place to meet friends. This misunderstanding can actually result in tragic consequences. Some patients have had their disability payments revoked because investigators found them being active in one or another way.