Many sick people feel that the world should know what it is to be sick. Professionally, I have had a lot to do with people who have suffered from chronic and incurable diseases. Since I am now also very ill, I also ask myself this question whether I should report about my suffering. My answer is a resounding no. I don’t have to abuse the world to cope with illness. I don’t have to complain in public, give deep insights into my everyday life to ask for recognition and understanding. I prefer to use the time to think, educate myself and make my life meaningful. My illness is there. It accompanies me and has become a part of me. I am learning to deal with her, or rather, I am learning to deal with myself better.
If a seriously ill person should read these lines, then I ask you to think about it. The narcissistic offence of severe illness is not solved by publication, but by the knowledge that one has to cope with the suffering and pain alone. Overwriting it can help when doing it for yourself. But if you want to make the world happy with it, then you should preferably seek psychotherapy. It’s never too late for that.
