Tell Them Nothing

That's right. They don't really want to know. Think about all of the horrific crap you've been through. Would you want to know if you hadn't had to go through it? Trust me. Don't tell them. It'll just be easier this way.

Answer Their Questions

If you have an illness that causes you to gain weight, people will often ask why you aren't taking better care of yourself. They will suggest healthier diets and different apps and programs that you can join to help become a "better and healthier" you.

So don't just stay silent. Answer their questions, sometimes. Tell them whatever happens to you is directly a result of the world's karma punching you in the stomach for not eating a salad for lunch.

But what's that you say? What if your illness causes you to lose weight? Well that's a completely different ballpark. In fact, people won't tell you to eat healthier (unless you tell them you're in pain – so remember tip #1: don't do that). Instead, they'll tell you how great you look! Awesome, right? No. Not awesome. You're in pain and wanting to die. What's awesome about that? To them? Well, they just want to know what your diet plan is. So go ahead and tell them. Personally, when I'm being asked, I love to watch their reaction to my truth: "I sit at home on the couch all day and eat cheese, ice cream, and bread, because unhealthy foods are the only thing not causing me pain."

In the off chance that I've actually slipped from tip #1 and have told people about my illness, they sometimes have the nerve to follow up with a, "I wish I had your illness so I could lose weight, too!" This is where the next tip comes in.

Walk Away

Don't worry, you read it correctly. If you get any of the comments like those from above, it'll take nearly everything you have in you to not punch someone. My suggestion is that you go home and scream into a pillow. A lot less damage is done this way; although, it might not be as much fun. That being said, it'll be a lot easier if you just walk away without even a word in response. They don't deserve a response, and it's not your job to educate the ignorance out of people.

Nod Along Politely

In case you ignore tip #3, stand there and nod. Adding more fuel to the fire isn't going to help anyone. If you haven't figured it out by now, they just aren't going to get it – so quit trying. The truth is just too much to bear for them. Forget the fact that you're the one going through it. It's clearly too much for them to simply hear it.

Find Others Like You and Vent

I can promise you this much: you are not alone. It might feel that way, but I promise you that there is at least someone out there going through something somewhat similar that can relate to you. So reach out and find them. Because talking to people who don't get it is exhausting and not worth your time. And your illness is exhausting on its own – you don't need to add to that. So give yourself a break and find someone to vent to about all of the awful people in the world who think they're helping, but are really just making it all so much worse.

Take a Nap

And when you do get completely exhausted? Cancel everything. All of your plans. That class you had to attend? Forget it. That dinner you had to go to? Don't bother. That thing you had to help that person with? There's no point.

Sleep. Take a nap. Cancel your plans. Forget about the world and take care of yourself. Because no one else is going to.

Tell Everyone You're Fine

Now, in all honesty, I hope you do actually have some people in your life who will get it and understand and truly be there for you. But it definitely won't be everyone, so tell the majority that you're fine. Get them off your case. Tell them they have nothing to worry about, because their version of worry looks a lot like giving unwanted advice that you can't walk away from fast enough. And it just takes too much energy to explain to each and every one of them why their advice is bad.

Ignore Their Advice

For those that throw their advice in your face, please ignore it. Every word of it. You should know your body best at this point. You know what you can eat and what you can't. You know what makes you sick and what doesn't hurt. Ignore their tips and tricks. Because if you listen to them, it's a short trip to falling into the vast abyss. Don't fall. Don't lose yourself. Don't listen to the people who don't get it.

Tell Yourself You're Fine

They more you say it, the more you'll believe it – right? I'm pretty sure that's how that works.

So try to tell yourself you'll be fine. But more emphatically than you tell other people. Try to convince yourself. Try to feel fine. Try to have some hope that you will one day feel better. Because sometimes, hope is all we have.

Hide

When all else fails? Hide. Hide from the world. Hide from the pain. Hide from yourself. Remember the game hide and seek when you were a kid? Nothing felt better than tricking everyone, right? Nothing felt better than having the prime hiding place that no one can find. So find your place. And hide.