Chronic diseases are no joke. Anyone who has ever had to deal with long-lasting illnesses knows how much it impacts their daily life. Your physical, mental, and emotional health all suffer. But there’s an empathy gap between you and others. Some folks don’t quite understand how serious your condition can be.
Chronic patients took to a brutally honest AskReddit thread to vent. They revealed the most ridiculous, absurd, and delulu pieces of advice they’ve ever gotten from people that were supposed to ‘cure’ their debilitating illnesses. Think lemon for migraines and meditation for epilepsy are bad enough? Well, they’re just the tip of the iceberg of awfulness.
#1
I have osteoarthritis in the lumbar region of my spine. The amount of people telling me I should see a chiropractor and get "adjusted" is crazy.
I mean, those vertebrae look like a freaking crown in x-ray and you want me to let someone try to crack my back?
I'll stick with my physical therapy thank you.
I mean, those vertebrae look like a freaking crown in x-ray and you want me to let someone try to crack my back?
I'll stick with my physical therapy thank you.
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71points
#2
I have an autoimmune disease that causes severe fatigue and widespread pain, as well as a spinal deformity that causes chronic back pain. The amount of times I've been told to try yoga is staggering. When I was so depressed I couldn't even shower, I was told it was all in my head and I just needed to go for a walk. Everybody acts like these things can just be willed away by meditation and positive thinking.
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63points
#3
I have Type 1 diabetes. I've been recommended all sorts of things, including green juice mix, pink(?) Smoothies, "gut health" vitamins, and what have you.
No, I have never considered any of them. The only thing that works--that has ever worked in the 35 years of my disease,--is daily insulin injections (I'm on a pump now that tests my blood glucose and auto-injects insulin when I need it. That's pretty snazzy tech.).
No, I have never considered any of them. The only thing that works--that has ever worked in the 35 years of my disease,--is daily insulin injections (I'm on a pump now that tests my blood glucose and auto-injects insulin when I need it. That's pretty snazzy tech.).
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60points
The CDC explains that chronic diseases are the leading cause of illness, disability, and loss of life in the United States. Some of the most widespread chronic diseases include heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.
Not only are they the leading causes of loss of life and disability, but they also cost the US $4.9 trillion in healthcare costs… every single year.
Most chronic diseases are caused by a very short list of risk factors. These include:
- Smoking
- Poor nutrition
- Physical inactivity
- Excessive alcohol use
#4
Generalized Anxiety Disorder.
"Calm down. There's nothing to worry about!"
Why didn't I think of that? /sarcasm.
"Calm down. There's nothing to worry about!"
Why didn't I think of that? /sarcasm.
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58points
#5
Don't know how much it counts as an illness, but I have insomnia that sometimes nothing can help. The amount of meds I take daily are enough that most people would be incapacitated, and still sometimes ill try taking benadryl with it cause I can't sleep.
The number of people who find this out and ask if I've tried melatonin is insane, I'd say 99% of people ask me that, very seriously.
The number of people who find this out and ask if I've tried melatonin is insane, I'd say 99% of people ask me that, very seriously.
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52points
#6
Not me, but an ex-classmate of mine told me that his pastor was taking his own son to South America for some shaman to exorcise the son of autism. Classmate was soliciting classmates for money. Also, the child developed autism from vaccines, of course. I shot that conversation down fast; I worked for our local health department's vaccine clinics and he knew that.
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51points
Smoking, for instance, is the cause for more than 480,000 Americans losing their lives every year, the CDC warns. Furthermore, a whopping 16 million US citizens live with diseases caused by smoking. Such diseases include cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The latter includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
Excessive alcohol use, meanwhile, leads to serious issues with mental health, memory, and learning. On the physical side of things, you have a greater risk of developing heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, liver disease, and certain cancers.
As for poor nutrition and physical inactivity, you increase the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, depression, and some types of cancer.
#7
When my kid got Type 1 Diabetes, an in-law who had lost a lot of weight on her own sent me a message about how the right diet cures diabetes and I just need to change her diet. I had to educate her about the difference between Type 2 and the autoimmune disease called Type 1.
A second relative said something really similar, saying that my kid wouldn’t need insulin anymore if she just followed this health food book he gave me. I also had to educate him about T2D vs T1D.
A second relative said something really similar, saying that my kid wouldn’t need insulin anymore if she just followed this health food book he gave me. I also had to educate him about T2D vs T1D.
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47points
#8
My MIL told me my son's autism was my fault for teaching him his letters "and stuff" too early. A random customer when I worked at Borders told me I could cure him if I made him take baths in a certain kind of clay.
We never did any of that. Autistic or not my son is a wonderful, kind, smart, funny person and I wouldn't change him for the world.
We never did any of that. Autistic or not my son is a wonderful, kind, smart, funny person and I wouldn't change him for the world.
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44points
#9
Cancer, twice. I had an aunt try and convince me on everything from coffee enemas to colloidal silver. She got breast cancer and tried all these remedies until it was too late and it spread to the other breast. She's now working with my oncologist.
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42points
Have you ever had a chronic illness or know someone who suffers from such a disease? What impact did it have? What are the most ridiculous suggestions for ‘cures’ that you’ve ever heard from medical amateurs who don’t quite understand how the human body works?
If you feel like sharing your story, feel free to open up in the comments section, at the very bottom of this post.
#10
Am paralyzed, was told by one of my friends parents who came to see me in the hospital that if I wanted it enough and if I thought about it hard enough I would be able to walk again. Guess I didn’t want it bc 18 years later still can’t walk lol. ( there was literally no chance of it, I have a complete injury, not just a damaged spinal cord completely crushed).
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42points
#11
I once had someone tell me that if I went vegan, my Rheumatoid Arthritis would "go into remission." I had been vegan for about 5 years by that time.
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41points
#12
I'm celiac and I'd say 50% of the time it's brought up, I get told I should just go to Europe so I can eat gluten there. Gluten is gluten no matter where you go.
I am not going to listen to someone who has zero experience with the disease I live with.
I am not going to listen to someone who has zero experience with the disease I live with.
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41points
#13
Celery juice to cure Crohn's I was in hospital at the time waiting for surgery to remove a severely damaged part of my bowel. I didn't even consider it because 1. I absolutely hate celery, and 2. I was so sick of being sick and in pain and knew removing the culprit was going to give me that break I needed. If it took 4 biologics to achieve remission, no amount of "alternative medicine" was going to be more effective. It makes me quite angry because there are people who will be sucked in by these ridiculous promises and end up with complications, including death, that could have been avoided.
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41points
#14
Endometriosis. My doctor suggested I get pregnant…at 19 years old.
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39points
#15
ADHD and had a fellow nurse tell me I just needed to tell myself to focus. Why didn't I think of that?! .
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38points
#16
Severe depression. The 2 most absurd "cures" recommended to me?
#1 is "Just cheer up/smile! You'll feel better!"
#2 is "Get some exercise! It'll make your depression go away!".
#1 is "Just cheer up/smile! You'll feel better!"
#2 is "Get some exercise! It'll make your depression go away!".
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37points
#17
Severe anxiety and frequent panic attacks as well as severe depression. I had a doctor tell me to stop drinking milk before bed. Apparently any other time of day was fine, but he was convinced that my problems were caused by milk before sleep. Except I wasn’t drinking milk before bed, or much any other time for that matter.
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36points
#19
GLUTEN FREE!
Gluten is so evil, did you know it causes every single problem you have, acne, dry hair, itchy eyes, seasonal allergies, period cramps, arthritis, gall bladder disease, CANCER!
All you have to do is stop eating gluten, and you'll be cured of everything!
I hear similar things about the "raw diet" too - I have a family member who was just diagnosed with stage 3 cancer, and they think they can cure it by eating raw carrots and broccoli.
Gluten is so evil, did you know it causes every single problem you have, acne, dry hair, itchy eyes, seasonal allergies, period cramps, arthritis, gall bladder disease, CANCER!
All you have to do is stop eating gluten, and you'll be cured of everything!
I hear similar things about the "raw diet" too - I have a family member who was just diagnosed with stage 3 cancer, and they think they can cure it by eating raw carrots and broccoli.
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34points
