Dealing with Imposter Syndrome in Chronic Illness Communities

By stating and writing out FACTS z that I know are true!

I deal with it by constantly going to the doctor and ensuring that the scans show I'm sick. With POTS the symptoms seem so normal, why it's commonly misdiagnosed, and I feel like I'm overreacting and so I don't do what I'm supposed to. Then my condition gets worse. I hallucinated the smell of ammonia the other day.

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I agree 100%. I feel this way often because my mother tells me that I'm fine and that I'm being overly dramatic.

I have to constantly remind myself that if nothing was wrong, I wouldn't feel this way and I have a right to think about it because it affects me

I either read the diagnostic criteria and make a checklist or I remember that a DOCTOR who went to MEDICAL SCHOOL verified that I have it.

I just downloaded the app too! 🤗 I feel like what was most helpful for me was regularly going to a talk therapist to vent and feel empowered and validated. But when I initially told her my story, I definitely felt like I was making up some elaborate tale…as though no person could possibly have this many problems while looking normal. I hate that the majority of my problems are “invisible”, that’s what makes it feel unreal/made up.

I like to research my conditions because of hyperfocuses. Many times researching actually puts me at ease that I’m not faking because of how much I relate and the symptoms I don’t get aren’t listed as diagnostic criteria

Constantly I only feel my conditions are real when I over do it and end up in a great deal of pain But even then I often feel its my fault and I'm being dramatic For me, a large part of that is because I have to constantly badger doctors to investigate my symptoms and every new investigation doesn't turn up any answers and the doctors are rarely motivated to help me get to the bottom of it It's very invalidating

All the time! I struggled for the first few weeks after my diagnosis with telling people because I felt like I made it up in my head even though a doctor had diagnosed me. Even after a few months I always have a lingering “what if I’m faking?”

Following because this is a huge challenge for me! If you ever wanna vent feel free to message me 💕