Superpowers You Gain From Chronic Illness and Chronic Pain

Just for fun, I thought I’d write a post about all the “superpowers” we (unintentionally) gain when we develop chronic health conditions.

My massage therapist and I joke that I fight crime in my sleep. It’s a much more fun explanation for why my muscles freak out (the real reason: fibromyalgia). We joke that this is why I have brain fog too—I’m so deep undercover that *I* don’t even know that I’m a secret super hero, so I must be getting my memory wiped every morning. Sounds legit.

This got me thinking that, hey, those of us in the spoonie community really do have our own set of superpowers. And no radioactive spiders are even required! (Thankfully, because I hate spiders…and as for radioactive—been there, done that!)

I hope you enjoy these tongue-in-cheek examples of our superpowers. Because in all seriousness, each of you are fighters to get through each day with chronic illness and chronic pain.

Your superpowers might include

Chair radar—If you’re like me, you can spot a chair like nobody’s business. When you feel like you’re going to pass out multiple times, every day, you develop a keen sense for places you can sit. I’m always on the lookout for somewhere I can crash.

Confusing doctors—We baffle even the brightest minds in the medical field. I stump my doctors frequently, getting responses such as flummoxed stares, “You’re a bit of a puzzle,” “You are a complicated woman,” to “That…doesn’t…make sense.” Ummm…thank you?
Alas, if only we could turn this superpower off!

Confusing myself—Haha, our superpower doesn’t end with confusing others. Oh no, with brain fog, we baffle even ourselves.
Wait, what was I blogging about again?

Masters of disguise—we are skilled at making ourselves look presentable even when we feel terrible.
Thank goodness for makeup! It keeps people from looking startled when they see me with that look that says “Are you okay? Should I get a doctor?” (Nope, see superpower #2.) So come at me with that camera; I’m not going to ruin this photo by looking like a zombie.

Knowing weird words—Pssht, kids in spelling bees have nothing on us. Dysautonomia? Spell it all the time. Adrenal hypothalamic axis? Can totally define it. I can even pronounce the names of many medications, and we all know how hard that is!

Some powers that really are super

I hope the silly examples of superpowers made you laugh. Now I want to switch gears and focus on powers that really can make a super difference.

X-ray vision to see others’ pain—When we deal with illness and pain, we become adept at seeing the signs in others. Invisible illnesses aren’t really quite invisible. We can tell by little things people do that they’re in pain when they’re moving. We see the telltale signs of fatigue and hear when someone is foggy and having trouble finding words. This is a real superpower: letting people know they are seen.

Super-charged empathy—We know what it’s like to struggle. People in the chronic illness community are among the most understanding people you will ever meet or talk to. I’ve benefited from people exhibiting this super power more often than I can count. If we let them, chronic illness and chronic pain can help shape us into people who are more and more compassionate.

A final thought: If you read this and think, Cassie, I don’t feel very superpowered today. That’s totally understandable, and totally fine. We all get knocked down from the fight. We all have our kryptonite. If you’re in an especially rough season, know that that doesn’t make you any less super. 

What superpowers am I forgetting? Comment below!

I’m off to go sleep… I mean, fight crime.