Dealing with Unsolicited Chronic Illness Advice: A Guide

"thanks, but I prefer to listen to my medical team."

Let them talk and you tell them thank you for their advice and move on

I just let them talk it out and tell them I'll think it over

Let the other person Vent

Let them vent and then never talk about it with them and if they presist don't talk to them ever again

Just smile and keep smiling and then say thank you. Afterwards I ignored

Responding "thanks, I will think about that." with a smile and walking away is a good option. You don't have to let them know whether you agree or disagree. You don't have to think about it much later if you don't want to.

I don't respond to it.

Say thank you and move on about your day

I just let them say it, but don't really pay attention or take it seriously. The most frequent advice I get is yoga, though, and I can truthfully reply I've been doing gentle yoga for years, but thank you. If they are being extra rude with it, though, I've been known to use my Mom Voice and remind people to use manners.

Depends how it's delivered 🤔 a nonjudgemental piece of advice I can take and say thank you and if there's time say what I think maybe harmful about it because the end of the day advice 99.9% of time comes from a good place and if I can influence what that person thinks in to a fact that based helpful way well that's a win as at some point in the future that person may be faced with a scenario whereby their actions could potentially save somebody's life. On the other hand if they're rude, judgemental or just downright rude I'd just smile and walkaway as helping someone who is 'always right' well I don't have enough hours in my day.

I would just explain to them that until they understand what someone with chronic pain is going through, they do not need to offer advice that is not going to help them