My sister has lupus and our family gatherings have become these careful performances where we all pretend everything is normal when she's clearly struggling, and I think our tiptoeing around it is making her feel more isolated than helped.
More people experience this than they realize.
Well-intentioned silence around chronic illness can create emotional distance when what's needed is authentic connection.
“Where Are You with Chronic illness — living with a long condition?”
If this sounds familiar, the Library can help you find the bigger picture.