October 3rd - Daily Life with Invisible Illness

For those who do not know, it is Invisible Illness Awareness Week (IIAW)!

As such, we have a few things lined up during this week in order to honour this observance. Feel free to join in, if you can! - We encourage everyone to share and strive to learn about invisible illnesses during this time.

Yesterday's focus was "Relationships and Invisible Illnesses". It was a day to reflect upon our relationships with others, and how it affects us, as well as how others might support or be supported by regarding invisible illness.

Today's focus is on Daily Life with Invisible Illness.

Yesterday we addressed how those around us play a part in our lives, as those who interact with us very regularly or even daily. So today we will be expanding upon that by looking at the overall daily life picture of living with invisible illness(es).

Here are some things you can get involved with today on 7 Cups for IIAW:

Forum post: A day in the life of...
Information: Let us know about your daily life with invisible illness!

Forum post: The power of I admire you
Information: Considering the value and importance of just being there for someone.

Forum post: When your friends/family are chronically ill
Information: Looking at ways in which we can support those around us with invisible illnesses.

Forum post: Walking in my shoes
Information: A personal account of someone who suffers from an invisible illness.

Forum post: Accepting an Invisible Illness
Information: Looking at the steps we can take in order to accept our illnesses.

Forum post: "You don't look sick!: Living well with Invisible Chronic Illness"
Information: A book review.

Forum post: Having an invisible illness as a young adult
Information: Taking a moment to consider the experiences of young adults with invisible illness.

Forum post: Introducing the Chronic Pain and Illness Forum
Information: Giving an introduction to a few things available in this forum section, which may be a great space for those with chronic pain and illness to share and connect with each other.

Forum post: What is your invisible fight?
Information: Sharing what our personal experiences are with our invisible fights.

Forum post: A little help gives a lot of hope
Information: A reflection on the profoundness of this statement regarding invisible illness.

Forum post: The Invisible Me
Information: A poem touching upon the experiences and feelings of someone with an invisible illness.

Feed Activity: Talking about Invisible Illnesses
Information: Today's entry for the #IIAW hashtag will be on Autism

Feed Activity: My Invisible Fight
Information: What is a fight for you that few people would even notice or understand? It doesnt have to signify something you cannot do. It can represent something that is just an extra challenge for you, something that makes you sigh with frustration, or perhaps hold your breath with a bit of anxiety. Share them with us via your feed this week! Hashtags: #MyInvisibleFight #InvisibleFight #IIAW

Feed Activity: 30 Things About My Invisible Illness Challenge
Information: Complete these sentences in order to give others an insight into your experience with an invisible illness. E.g., The illness I live with is…, I was diagnosed with it in the year…, But I had symptoms since.... You may wish to post one thing a day on your feed, or perhaps three or more - or all!

Hope you'll have a good day today! Learn more about IIAW here.