Hi, you may be dealing with a very common problem amongst chronically ill people- imposter syndrome. IS can often show up as feeling like a fraud in your body, doubting the reality/severity of your symptoms, being afraid to ask for help, comparing oneself to others in a negative way, internalized ableism and more. These thought processes can be especially fueled by medical gaslighting

i’m glad i’m not alone in the feeling. thank you for this information. ❤️

I second @spookyspoonie — imposter syndrome is very real!

I've been severely ill and mostly homebound for over half my life (10+ years) and I STILL find myself questioning if this is all in my head- like maybe things really aren't as bad as it seems. Don't think of this as anything other than another symptom of your condition, even though it can be difficult to. These thoughts never discredit your lived experiences and daily battles within your body.

yep . every damn day

i constantly feel like im faking or exaggerating how "severe" my symptoms are! you are not alone in that <33

i always feel like i am being dramatic about my symptoms and that i am just making them up

Ever since I was a kid and diagnosed with bipolar . If regular doctors know the meds you are on they instant believe that all your symptoms are in your head . I never tell , even ER doctors .

Yes. I stuggle with gaslighting and imposter syndrome a lot. It's only when I flare up that I remember that what I have is real, and I am not lying to myself. I forget that able bodied people don't live with daily fatigue and pain, and even when my symptoms are lower on the pain scale, I remind myself I shouldn't be on the pain scale 24/7, daily gauging how many spoons I have, and feeling envious of my able bodied peers.

Yes, I do it all the time. I also deal with “not being disabled enough” and it sucks :(

What is medical gaslighting?

Gaslighting is a form of abuse in which the abuser makes the victim question their reality. An example of medical gaslighting is when doctors insist that your symptoms "arent that bad", or say "its all in your head"