Invisibility and Restless Legs Syndrome

Judgement Day

No, not the Arnold Schwarzenegger rendition of The Terminator, but the most horrendous new analysis being wielded around by the younger generations these days, both in real life and via social media.

Everyone is entitled to an opinion. That has never been in dispute. But to decide that your opinion is so important it needs to be handed to the person in question is one of the worst traits to have emerged in recent years.

Living with an invisible illness

Whether restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a stand-alone condition or comorbidity, it is an invisible illness.

These are some of the hardest conditions to suffer from, as everyone feels they have an opinion that must be taken into account. Or, worst of all, they dismiss your symptoms altogether.

Applying for disability benefits

When I first met my husband, I had been suffering from symptoms of my main condition for approximately 4 years. Alongside RLS, other conditions were being diagnosed at a rate of knots.

During the first introductions with my mother-in-law, she explained all her medical conditions, alongside the fact that she had been awarded disability benefit with the mobility component that allowed her to hire a car for 3 years.

Over the next 3 years, my conditions, primarily my RLS, got progressively worse, so I applied for disability benefits too. After 3 years of battle, I was luckily awarded a lower component of benefit.

A hurtful accusation

For 13 years into our relationship, we attended birthday and Christmas parties at my mother-in-law's home, a home she shares with my brother-in-law, whom I have known since he was roughly 6 years old.

One day, he popped up on Facebook with an utter tirade of abuse that I had been faking my conditions, including my RLS, to fraudulently claim benefits after getting the idea from my mother-in-law.

I should not have to explain myself to strangers

This type of unsolicited opinionated thought has blossomed into online trolls, rude people who challenge your illnesses when you have parked in a disabled parking bay, and forceful individuals who want to know why you are sitting in a disabled seat on a bus.

I never thought I would have to reel off the list of my conditions and medication to a complete stranger to try and placate them into seeing my symptoms are real!

My medical history is no one's business

The list of invisible illnesses is long. Today I am just covering RLS, as it is my specialised subject. I have heard and read the horror stories from people who have been challenged by people when they have absolutely no idea what their medical history is and, quite frankly, have no place crawling out of their shells to put their 4 pennyworths into the environment.

Just remember, if one of them happens across your path, you do not need to explain yourself! It is your business and your business alone! Tell them to climb back under the rock they crawled out from.