To think we are becoming a country of hypochondriacs?

[YellowTulips25]

Firstly, let me preface this by saying that I entirely sympathise with people who have to live with serious long-term medical conditions. I don't wish to downplay illness or disabilities - visible or hidden - at all.

However, does anyone else feel like we're rapidly becoming a country of hypochondriacs, where an increasing number of people let seemingly minor health issues dominate their life?

For example, an article on the BBC this week features a woman who talks about having 'chronic pain, migraines and travel sickness' as reasons why it's impossible for her to work in an office. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp9x0819417o

I think most of us suffer from aches and pains and headaches from time to time? What'd happen if we all started using this excuse?

And I know plenty of friends who always seem to have some ailment or other troubling them, whether it's being in pain, being tired, having a cough or cold, etc etc. It seems almost as if constantly being ill is part of their personality, a badge of honour?

I know I'll probably get flamed for this, but surely I can't be the only one to feel like rolling my eyes at some people's lack of resilience?

But actually you are agreeing with the lady in the article. The ability to work from home enables you to work more days a year. That’s what the article is about - working from home keeps work accessible to many with health conditions, and it’s not because they are lazy. Just like yourself.

I am waiting for a heart transplant and I agree with you.

Mental health has become a buzz word, nobody is a bit upset any more they’re “suffering from anxiety” We might as well bin off the term neurotypical and neurodiversity on the basis that because everyone claims to have autism/ADHD/some other ND we should just accept that everyone is unique in their own right.

My mum has a friend whose DD is constantly ill. The woman sits there and tells them how “I don’t know how much more she can take,” after she’s had her second cold that month. this in front of my mum whose DD (me) needs a transplant, and another friend whose daughter died last year.

FWIW I’ve only had one day off because of heart complications in the past three years, and I freely admit that WFH does reduce the fatigue I would probably experience if I had a commute.

I think that it’s fair enough to sight reasons why wfh works better for some, but many people are going further than that and checking out of life and responsibility altogether.

Migraines - can be debilitating. I can have mild ones where I get the flashing aura for 20 mins followed by either a little bit of a headache or a throbbing headache, nausea and sickness, to severe which start off like this, i get dizzy, a massive pressure, vivid colours and then I pass out. LED lighting also sets them off.

I have medication but it can be hit and miss as to whether it is going to work, I have the blue coating on my glasses.

I work full time and manage my life around them, normally get about 4 a month but I know when they are going to start.

No. She said "Most people with..."

Diagnosed chronic pain and fatigue conditions are nothing like having everyday aches and pains. They can completely change your life in terms of what you can do.

Many people do continue to work. But experience discrimination, belittling and bullying. They spend their evenings and weekends trying to recover so that they can continue working.

If they get a cold or a virus, it affects them much worse. For example I have been hospitalised for days with breathing difficulties. Just because I have a chronic pain condition and my body can’t cope with a virus on top.

It affects your sleep. I rarely sleep more than 4 hours a night. But have to be up at 7 for work. Which means I can be impaired with cognition and physically exhausted.

The clue is in the word “chronic”. In my case I have constant burning pain in most of the muscles in my body. No painkillers touch it. It affects every aspect of my life, 24 hours a day.

It is nothing to do with lifestyle in my case. But I have had some suggest you can cure yourself by going for a run.

If more people educated themselves, the world would be a better place. I work full-time but only manage it because I have a manager who offers support when I need it. It would be impossible with an ignorant manager.

This. i work part time and can only do so because of how understanding nd flexible my manager is if he was like the op and some other posters on here I wouldn't be able to work at all

I'm still waiting for the poster to tell us all how everyone with Me, fibromyalgia and pots are the same?

That would have to be diagnosed by a doctor, not someone on MN.

How about ADHD? I know so many adults who claim to have it I've lost count. And being on the spectrum is used a lot.

Some of my opinions have been skewed by some family members - one had a high paid professional job before marriage wealthy partner sahm now single but would only work for the equivalent pay of over twenty years ago now has mental health problems not helped by having nothing to do the other has a physical disability but wants to work in a niche area but has little experience so does not work.
There are things they could do but both see it as beneath them - I am sure the majority aren't like them but it is hard when this what I see

This is exactly what I mean. I have never even slightly insinuated that I don't want disabled people to speak and yet you are absolutely desperate to claim that I have. I simply said that we can't keep asking all posters to provides sources for their opinions/claims as it isn't the nature of this forum. We aren't writing academic essays. For example,
you have claimed that disabled people are the most vulnerable in society which is quite a bold claim when you think of other very vulnerable and marginalised groups in society. Where was your evidence for this claim? Why are you allowed to make uncited unproven claims and other posters can't?

I have noticed a growing trend on this forum where someone will question for example the number of people claiming PIP or claiming to have health conditions. Almost immediately they will be pounced upon by posters claiming that it is ableist to even ask questions about this and we all just absolutely unquestioningly accept that everyone claiming to be ill or disabled is completely honest and there is absolutely nothing else going on that's underlying this trend. Your initial post on this thread was this:
Oh look! Another vile, ableist post on Mumsnet. Yes, those of us with chronic pain are all weak hypochondriacs and you superior, strong people can lord over us with your excellent health. Until you get hit by a bus
A ridiculously extreme response to the thread and deliberately using inflammatory language to shut down debate.

I was very rarely allowed a day off school unless I was seriously ill. I think people are more likely to be absent from work with things we'd have describes as minor back in the 70s.

Oh says at his workplace some of the younger people don't even phone in to say they won't be in.

Exactly which is why I'm confused of why your calling your friend a hypochondriac. You do understand that health anxiety is the updated term for hypochondria

What a depressing thread.

What we are certainly becoming is a society with no empathy or understanding.

There's definitely some people that will do anything not to work, but some people on here seem to think that the majority of people with chronic conditions are taking the mickey, and have little to no understanding of what life is like for people that are suffering with these issues.

I think you should just be grateful for your own good health OP and stop judging others where you really have no idea of their actual situation and issues - physically and mentally .

When they were expected to be locked in doors isolated from everyone for two weeks over every cough or high temperature are we really that surprised?

The pressure of both parents having to work means if the child has the sniffles then rather than a rest and tlc then a gp visit is essential so the child can be back in nursery/school next day with parent worrying all day about getting that phone call to come and collect

Have a day off 😂

@RandomButtons not sure what you mean, but we all went through lockdown too.

People need to also realise that when you have disabilities and chronic illnesses you also have to take a lot of medication i have to take 52 pills a day, 2 inhalers and regular injections all of these medications make you feel exhausted and just generally shit so it's not just the condition your dealing with it's the side effects of so much medication

Yes, completely agree. No ambition with some people, no ability to push on and create a better life.

This along with no scientific diagnosis of made up "dislexia" etc. Just attempts to get more, put in less and do as little as possible.

I have diagnosed Anxiety , depression etc. . It's not just feeling a bit worried . I can get so anxious I can relapse into Postpartum Pyschosis which then means I have to have the crisis team come out. Which can you imagine how it feels when you also have diagnosed Social phobia 😭 I also have migraines that mimic strokes . My brain seems to really hate me 😭 I sometimes think childhood trauma fucked my brain up as I never got help as kid

Wow your so blessed that you don't understand the realities of this life

I think part of the issue is we have TV filled with adverts related to dying and death, we have social media feeds filling up with 10 things to eat to avoid xxx and other similar stuff - and Google on tap to search for every ache and pain that's bothering. The US has always been like this - I've had conversations with Americans that within 20 minutes I know all the 'meds' they are on - it seems like a national sport when the reality is it's a gigantic money maker!!