Dear Daily Mail,
I am writing in regards to the article posted on September 7, 2022, titled “Addicted to being sad: Teenage girls with invisible illnesses – known as ‘Spoonies’ – post TikToks of themselves crying or in hospital to generate thousands of likes – as experts raise concerns over internet-induced wave of mass anxiety.”
Hi. I am one of those spoonies with an invisible illness or three. I have had 4 major abdominal surgeries since I was 12. I’m 23 now. I was diagnosed with Endometriosis in 2012 via laparoscopy at the Center for Endometriosis Care in Atlanta, GA. In 2017, I had an OBGYN tell me I was too young to have Endometriosis. I provided him my surgical report and images from my surgery. He still stood by me not having Endometriosis because I was too young. Less than a year later I was diagnosed with Adenomyosis after I had a hysterectomy. I lost my ability to carry a child at 18. That isn’t for attention. I didn’t fake anything to get a surgery. I would never wish what I have been through on anyone.
Your article perpetuates the mentality of the OBGYN who said I was too young. Your article makes it even harder for those of us with real issues to get help. I have been blessed that most of my doctors have been great and actually listen to me. But what happens to the people who aren’t heard? Rates of suicide are higher and the risk is more prevalent for people with chronic invisible illnesses (Pederson, 2020).
I have an invisible illness. I look healthy when I am out in public or at school, but at home or with people I am close to, my struggles are much more apparent. Sometimes I look super normal throughout the day, but I go home and don’t move from the couch because I am in pain. I don’t have something visibly wrong with me. I don’t use a wheelchair or a crutch. I don’t have an insulin pump or oxygen machine. I don’t have any tubes attached to me, but I am still sick.
Did you talk to anyone with an invisible illness for your article? Are you aware that the Center for Endometriosis Care came out and condemned your article? Are you aware of why people share their journeys with an invisible illness?
I share my story because I know that there are other women going through the same things. I share to remind people that it isn’t all in their heads. Women are often turned away being told their pain is all in their head when they actually have Endometriosis (Bontempo, 2020). I would highly encourage the Daily Mail executives and Emma James, the author, to read the article located HERE.
I am calling on Daily Mail to retract their article and issue an apology for the way they spoke about those of us advocating for ourselves via social media spaces.
Pederson, C. L. (2020). https://escires.com/articles/Health-1-176.pdf.
Bontempo, Alyssa and Mikesell, Lisa (2020). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32007945/
Thriving With Endo 