In modern times, the term self-care has become ubiquitous with treating oneself. And while we can all agree that the occasional pampering is healthy and beneficial, for some it’s not merely an indulgence, but a daily struggle. For those with a chronic illness or disability, self-care can be the difference between life and death.
For someone who can barely get out of bed, the idea of doing a face-mask or taking a bubble bath seems inconceivable, exhausting and frankly, absurd. How can you run a marathon when you can’t walk a mile? When you’re in survival mode, self-care needs to be about taking tiny steps, not giant bounds.
In a 2003 essay, Christine Miserandino coined the term “spoon theory”. Spoon theory “is a disability metaphor…used to explain the reduced amount of mental and physical energy available for activities of living and productive tasks that may result from” having a disability, chronic illness, autoimmune disease, or mental illness. (wiki)
Continue reading “Self-Care for Survival.”
Leigh Hecking 