For about six years, I have suffered from chronic migraines. With it being an ailment that has run in my family, I knew it was coming, and yet still underestimated the overwhelming impact it would have on my life. The way the pain can shape shift into different forms; one day being a throbbing ache behind the eyes, to another being an unbearable pressure at the temples. The way it has tainted everyday pleasures, from coffee, to concerts, to even the weather. Even now, with them being somewhat controlled by daily medication, I still dread the rain and what the air pressure brings (the answer is a migraine, if that wasn’t clear).
Browsing various posts on this blog, my sentiment in struggling to classify this chronic illness as a disability is one shared by fellow migraine sufferers. When reading a post from 2014 regarding migraines, I was taken aback at how seven years later I was able to relate to them on this topic on an eerie level. That being said, the concept of invisible disabilities is not a relatively new one in this day and age. However, despite the discourse being around for a while, it wasn’t until this class that I started to deconstruct why I struggled so heavily with viewing my chronic migraines as a disability.
America, like much of the world, is a very judgmental country. From the way someone stands, to the clothes they wear, to the color of their nail polish, we make split second judgments of people every second of the day. But, unlike a lot of the world, America is also a very individualistic culture. Meaning, that frequently, when we perceive someone as having less than desirable (according to society) characteristics, we deem them as personal failures.
Obesity? Even though it is a global epidemic that is impacting individuals of all cultures and backgrounds? Has to be because of personal failures. Has to be the result of laziness and weak-will. Poverty? They just didn’t work hard enough; should’ve just pulled themselves up by the bootstraps. Our individualistic, visually based culture is constantly making these wild assumptions. And frankly, they scare me. I already have built in assumptions being made about me as a black woman in America.
My illness, my pain isn’t visible. Do I really want the assumption of laziness when I can’t get out of bed due to the pain, of a bad-attitude when I’m not smiling because I’m in pain, and so on, on TOP of what I already have to deal with? From early on, I decided to just suck it up, because I didn’t think the world would be understanding of my illness. And frankly, it still mostly isn’t.
I don’t even have much of a conclusion to this post, because I haven’t even solidified my opinion; I still don’t feel fully comfortable with labeling my chronic illness as a disability. I guess the point is to continue this discourse, because it’s important and deserves attention. I will continue to do so, and I hope you do as well.
Unruly Bodies 
i have very bad migraines OFTEN 5 A DAY .Some times Vomiting all over .Nothing helps tryed all sorts things. people never see the every day effects there views/judgements very SNOTTY NOSED .have a long list of health issues.my blog.http;//mark-kent.webs.com twitter.supersnopper MARK
For several years, I had to deal with chronic pain. It felt too painful to get up in the morning, but my mom insisted on waking me up. I was accused of being too slow while in school, and I was bullied. It was only a few years ago when a doctor actually checked me out, and helped me out. Your pain is valid, and no one should say otherwise, because they have not felt it, and judge you for having it. Good luck.
As someone with a totally different chronic illness, I can agree with you that labeling it as a disability does not make me comfortable either. It’s not just because it isn’t visible, but because I can still perform so many tasks that a healthy individual can do without my illness getting in the way all the time. However, sometimes it does feel like a disability, the drawback of my illness keeping me from successfully participating in something. I think with an invisible illness, you label it how you want. Like the previous comment stated, your pain is valid and just because it isn’t “shown” doesn’t mean it isn’t there.
I think that it is valid whether you consider it a disability or not. Your pain exists and still has negative interference with your life. I think migraines are something a lot of people do not understand in terms of severity. Many people write off a bad headache as a migraine, watering down the term. This often leads to people not taking migraine pain seriously and giving those with them nearly enough empathy.