In an article published in Vice, 31-year-old Anouch Van den Block told reporters how she has learned to live with her fibromyalgia. Despite having signs of the disease throughout her childhood, Ms. Van den Block explained that her symptoms of severe and recurring pain, chronic fatigue, and weakness grew worse in 2020. After she received a diagnosis, she began to cope with the new realities of living with fibromyalgia—that she would have to reassess her lifestyle, her relationship with her body, and how she navigated the world around her. “Over time, you really start to feel marginalized. Just because I can’t work, or because sometimes I need a cane, doesn’t mean I should be shut out from society. We shouldn’t have to be fighting all the time to be seen,” Ms. Van den Block emphasized. She noted that, at first, she found it challenging to accept that she would have to use a cane, take medication that caused weight gain, and decide whether to withhold information about her chronic illness to romantic partners. However, she eventually opted for transparency, began to live with the necessary adjustments to her previous way of living, and communicated her experiences on social media. Experts stressed that the condition is marked by a collection of symptoms rather than an underlying cause and can result in biopsychosocial manifestations such as sleep disturbance, memory loss, involuntary leg movements, depression, anxiety, feelings of anger, and an overall reduced quality of life. Without a cure for the condition, physicians often recommend painkillers and physiotherapy. Patients are also urged to exercise regularly and pursue psychological support if needed. “Living with a disability or an illness really isolates you. So, being in contact with [the] community keeps me going. Honestly, it contributes to my fibro[myalgia] healing as much as my doctors do,” Ms. Van den Block concluded.
May 25, 2023