I am attempting the Wego Health Activist Writers’ Month Challenge. A post each day in April. So, now that I told you I am going to do it, I oughta follow through, right? Today’s post was to write the most ridiculous thing you’ve heard about health or your condition.
I hear stuff all the time. Crazy, ridiculous things. Usually in the comments sections of articles. The ignorance is heart breaking, and often the grammar is just as appalling.
About Chronic Pain (I am going to go with the whole category because the ridiculous things said apply to all varieties of pain)
“It is a great way to get some sort of pity and plenty of state benefit.People look on the internet to find an illness that fits there way of life.”
“It is all in your head.”
“You just want pain killers.”
“Oh, I broke my ankle once, I know how you feel.”
“You smile so often, you can’t possibly be in pain.”
“If you just lived gluten-grain-dairy-caffeine-alchohol-free life you could cure your pain.”
About living gluten-free
“You just want people to feel bad for you.”
“Gluten-free, isn’t that like low carb?”
“I thought gluten-free people were skinny.”
“People with food allergies & sensitivities should not be allowed to reproduce so we can get these problems out of the gene pool.”
How I respond
Comments like these are par for the course when your body has some faulty wiring. In my experience, as much as I have wanted to bop these people on the head, I find that it is best to kill people with kindness.
It is dang hard.
These attitudes come from sensationalistic media and a general public that is ok being ignorant of things that dont effect them. And they hurt. They get me at my core. I would do anything for a warm, crunch, chewy french bread that didn’t taste of egg. To be able to go to any restaurant. To not need to sit near the door on the train so I can get off efficiently because I can’t stand on a moving train.
So I choose to find the strength to kill ’em with kindness. To educate. One person at a time.
And to find the strength to not bop them on the head.
I have definitely heard all of these!
I hate that these are so commonplace…
My favorite was when asked “Why on earth would you want to eat glue anyway? Of course you can’t eat glue!” Yeah…
Wow, I have never heard that one! People are crazy…you would think with gluten-free in the news people would know that it wasn’t glue…