An invisible illness is defined as a physical, mental, or neurological condition that is not visible from the outside, that limits a person’s movements, senses, or activities (IHP, 2020). This includes chronic physical conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, fibromyalgia, and others — but also mental illnesses. According to the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau, it is estimated that nearly 96% of individuals diagnosed with a chronic medical condition live with a condition that is invisible (Marcella, 2017). Among these individuals with an invisible condition, each person experiences a different degree of symptoms (IDA, 2021). For example, some people have mild symptoms with little adjustment in their diets or schedules allowing them to live a somewhat “normal” life. Others sacrifice various activities / work in order to contend with their conditions, or they become so ill they are unable to work and struggle to meet their daily needs.

Unlike having a condition that you can see, those with invisible illnesses often face a lack of social awareness and additional stigma, which often results in accusations of the person being “lazy” or “too moody” and in need of cheering up, going out more, calming down, or a host of other dismissive judgements (Fabian, 2018). This judgement and criticism is often due to others believing the person looks fine on the outside, and therefore must be “making up” his, or her, suffering. Similarly, individuals living with a mental illness experience judgement and criticism due to an inconsistency of symptoms — some days, weeks, and months go really well, and during others it’s difficult to work, socialize, and function, confusing those who can’t “see” why one day is good and another a challenge. Fabian (2018) quoted an individual living with an invisible illness who said, “The invisibility of most chronic conditions makes it even more difficult to convince others that you really are in pain… and oftentimes the invisibility of the illness sets up an environment for misunderstandings and even doubt about the validity of the illness.” This highlights the need for more education, conversation, and storytelling to assist in reducing the stigma surrounding invisible illnesses.

Common Misconceptions (Marcella, 2017)

  1. “The way a person looks reflects how they’re feeling physically.” Someone may look healthy, but that doesn’t mean they are.
  2. “If a person suffering from a chronic illness is enjoying themselves, they must feel ok.” Many people have learned to cope with their symptoms to participate in important events and activities, but that does not mean they are feeling well.
  3. “Stress reduction techniques are a cure for chronic pain and illness.” While these techniques may assist with symptom relief, they are not a cure-all.
  4. “Invisible illnesses are ‘all in the person’s head.'” Keeping stress at a minimum may reduce symptoms of a chronic illness, but it doesn’t mean the root cause of the disease is psychological.

A few invisible illnesses include:
• Cancer
• Cystic Fibrosis
• Depression
• Diabetes
• Epilepsy
• Lupus
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Ulcerative Colitis

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References
Fabian, R. (2018). What is invisible illness? (+ how to explain it to others). Talkspace. https://www.talkspace.com/blog/what-is-invisible-illness-how-to-explain-it-to-others/.
Looks can be deceiving. Invisible Disabilities® Association (IDA). (2021). https://invisibledisabilities.org/publications/invisibleawareness/lookscanbedeceiving/.
Marcella (2017). How to support those with invisible illnesses. Northwest Primary Care. https://www.nwpc.com/supporting-people-with-invisible-illness/. 
People with invisible disability look like me, look like any of us’. IHP. (2020). https://www.internationalhealthpolicies.org/featured-article/people-with-invisible-disability-look-like-me-look-like-any-of-us/.