AIBU to wonder why the hell some people think “no one with their own business has long covid”

[Stillabout]

Who are these people obsessed with ridiculing people who are trying to manage living with the really shitty aftermath of covid infections?

Also do they seriously think that people with no sick pay or who run their own businesses don’t get long covid? I had my own business and have ended up with it.

Do they think those of us without sick pay or our own businesses live in a magic bubble where lifechanging illnesses don’t happen?

I can’t tell if they’re just trolling ill people (it really is an actual hobby for some) or are genuinely that ignorant.

Who is saying this? How many people are going going around telling your health issues to?

Genuinely that ignorant. Don’t believe what they can’t see with their own eyes. Also, suspect everyone else is a lazy arse skiver out to shaft the taxpayer. While being quick to try for a cash deal if at all possible.

No idea whether there are or not. What is well established is that on average public sector employees take more time off than private sector employees who take more time of sick than the self employed.

Make of that what you will. It'll be a bunfight between two factions as usual.

I don't know anyone at all with long COVID if that helps balance things out.

Dunno 🤷‍♂️

Never really heard anyone talking about it to be honest.

How many people have you told?

I work as an OT in Long Covid and see self employed people!

You’re out there. It’s real and it sucks.

Family know, some friends know. Lots don’t and obviously there will be people I know where I’m unaware too. I was referring to random comments online.

I read that as self employed people prioritising earning over health and risking their recovery.

I can’t ever remember a single person online saying ‘self employed people don’t get long covid’, and I’m online a lot.

I’m sorry you’ve got long Covid.

YABU to post a thread about a thread.

As for the demographic of people who get LC, I have no idea.

I saw that comment. I read it as the poster suggesting people made up their debilitating illnesses. I hope I did misunderstand.

I think many people think LC is the new "bad back" excuse for workshy people, so I'm guessing they think that because self employed people have to work to get paid and there is no sick pay they just have to crack on.

The Internet means you come into contact with more opinions from unpleasant and not very bright people than you would have otherwise

Used to work as a therapist in Long Covid. Can confirm self-employed people get it too.

They're just cruel ignorant bullies, take no notice of them OP. I saw several people commenting the same thing on a social media post where a nurse was talking about her struggle with long covid, really appalling way to behave. Long covid can affect anyone. So sorry you're having to deal with it 💐

So these same people would think that a builder couldn’t get a bad back?!

Some people have always thought chronic fatigue is a made up thing. But it’s very real and very debilitating. Many are bed bound. For decades with no life. Just awful. The forgotten ones, left with no medical help to manage their own condition.

Those who pretend they have it should be ashamed.

People from all walks of life have suffered with it. Covid is just a new cause of it.

When will they start testing people and making sure those who are At It get their comeuppance.

If people are pretending to have it, then of course they should be ashamed. People who lie about rape for example should be ashamed too. I should think the stats are pretty similar.

They aren’t actually saying that self-employed people don’t get it though. They’re saying it’s a made up condition on the part of those who are in employment and say they have it.

Not agreeing with them, but that’s what they mean.

So I could have just phrased the AIBU as wondering why the hell some people think long Covid is a made up condition as that’s essentially the same thing?

People think all kinds of things, is it a surprise after all this time to find out that some people might think long Covid doesn't exist?

That's been a long held opinion about any similar condition, yuppie flu, ME etc and it's not hard to imagine why some might think such illnesses are a bit make up or all in the mind

They probably won't ever change their opinion, I'd suggest you ignore them

I read it as financial necessity, carry on working as much as you can to stop going into debt, using up any savings you may have and risk losing your home. Remember, self employed don't get SSP, so if they don't work, they have no income.

I totally agree, @taxguru . I should have said ‘feeding their dc over recovering health’.

It’s not because they are well enough to work.

Yes. It's the usual "I haven't got time to be depressed" crowd.

If its online its trolls long covid is any symptom that lasts over 3 months for e.g. I have asthma from covid so technically I have long covid and obviously I work