"I Believe You"

The best thing that you can do for a patient struggling is convey your belief in them.

Chronic illness is entirely full of question marks - especially if tests are not all conclusive or the symptoms are invisible.
We go from being dismissed, to being tested, then dismissed, then told it is all in our heads, to actually arguing with health professionals, to actually wondering if we are exaggerating or if it really might be in our heads, to being diagnosed, misdiagnosed, told one thing from one group and other things from alternative medicine practitioners.
Then, through all of that nightmare, we deal with the stigma and the criticism and the judgement from people with the same struggles as well as people who have no idea.

So if your friend or family member is struggling, if no one knows what's wrong and symptoms are being dismissed as due to 'stress' or a thousand different excuses, knowing that at least ONE person actually believes you can make the difference between continuing to fight and giving up... and giving up doesn't always mean doing something drastic. It can mean withdrawing from people, relenting and accepting a misdiagnosis from being incapable of fighting anymore, resorting to meds that only mask the pain, or just living with the symptoms - alone - and telling no one. Suffering in silence - knowing that nobody believes you.

We all need validation that how we are feeling is real and being conveyed.
We need support.
We need a little trust and a little belief.

I know that there ARE people who 'fake' illness and who abuse the system and who exaggerate and use whatever means they have available to them to swindle good-hearted and compassionate people. Those people have ruined credibility for those who are really in need.

If you don't know what to say, say "I believe you".