There are many health maladies out there which are called "invisible disabilties". They are listed this way because one cannot look at another and tell that something is wrong with them, and thus, the "ill person" gets unfairly judged and made fun of.
One of the largest health maladies that fits this picture is called Fibromyalgia and M.E. which stands for Myalgic Encephalamities and also more recently accepted Myalgic Encephalopathy, or the street name Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
The people who get this are children through to Seniors. Mostly women aged 25-65 and a small percentage of men. There are many many websites in the USA and certain ones in CANADA which are very good with details, education, information on research etc. For the men who get this there is a wonderful website called
www.menwithfibro.com.
There are now about 15 Million people in the USA and 1.5 Million and growing each year by 30,000 in CANADA with this health malady which turns into a disabling condition removing one from work and a lot of life's activities.
These people (that includes me, that's how I can write this) live with lots of body pain which is in certain areas like back, lower back, hips, knees, ankles and yet travels as well and also a fatigue which just never seems to go away. As I've stated, this affects people in different levels and the levels can change into a "worseness" which then takes people from their jobs and activities of life.
Because of this, a lot of us end up stuck at home and not able to go out very often. We make plans and then have to change those plans, because we get affected with pain or fatigue which makes it impossible to do what we had hoped to do.
All of us with this need HUGS and UNDERSTANDING and HELP.
Please look this up and find out which organizations exist in your area; some have websites and some do not. When you find an organization, please, please reach out and do what you can to help the organization and the people in it.
Many are Researching this and currently, there is no actual known reason for this except that they say those of us whom have been raised with lots of abuse or suffered lots of abuse, those whom have gone through a car accident are the types who end up getting this. They also lump us together with those whom have returned from war with PTSD. A lot of us end up with other health problems along with it like IBS, PTSD, Lupus, etc. etc. WE all are praying for a reason and a cure! The thing that is the mind blower is that this health malady started in the 1800's and it took the medical community 170 some years before they would even recognize it as a bona fide health malady. The main problem is that even tho that has gone through, many doctors still do not believe in it and give those coming to them a very hard time and cause them even worse depression that what they ever had before. HUGS, HUGS, HUGS please.