There is such a thing as too much when it comes to this superpower of invisibility. Perhaps you find this hard to believe, after all, who doesn't want a strong superpower. What is too much when it comes to having invisibility, you might wonder.
Why don't we examine my experiences of living with a chronic, invisible illness?
This won't surprise you but, I can be sick and still look healthy. Often when I'm unwell (and wracked with pain), a person will tell me I have a healthy glow. Sure it's a compliment. It also highlights the challenges of living with an invisible illness: what you feel versus how you look are out of sync.
If you are like me, you manage your disease with a variety of medications. I take a cornucopia of medications: some suppress my overactive immune system, some manage my worst symptoms, and others manage unpleasant side effects. Think of a meal replacement, in pill form, and you have figured out my morning routine!
I don't share my medication consumption with people. You will never see me whip out a pill sorter in a public place. Now, if I am in the hospital, I may not be able to control people seeing me take medications. For the most part, I keep my medication private. This habit adds another layer to the superpower's strength.
I bolster my superpower's strength in other ways too. Maybe you do the same thing. See if any of these are familiar to you: not talking about your illness, never letting people see you at your worst, making light of your symptoms, and hiding behind a mask. Do any of those ring a bell? If so, congratulations on adding complex layers to your superpowered friend, invisible illness.
How do we crack the tough exterior of invisiblity? We have to find a way to let people see inside, such as talking about it. Perhaps you are brave and let people see you when you aren't at your best. I've started to share what it is like to live a day in my life. Every little crack opens up our world a little. Each opening lets some light shine through. When the light shine throughs, we can realize we aren't alone in our experiences.