Spoon Theory: Spoonie 101

Into the life of the Chronically Ill

A spoonie can refer to any individual who suffers from a chronic illness. These illnesses are often invisible. To most people, spoonies may appear healthy and able-bodied, especially when they are young.

Why spoons?

The spoons symbolize all of a person’s daily energy reserves. Every activity, no matter how thoughtless and automatic, depletes from the energy supply. Getting out of bed, showering, getting dressed, eating, and any number of mundane tasks threaten to deplete energy at any given time. When you run out of spoons, you can choose to borrow against the spoons of a future date, but there are consequences. When you deplete your spoons, you are bedridden, unable to manage the simple activities of life. Once the spoon supply is depleted, your body takes over, and you’ll no longer have a choice of what to do. The pain cannot be solved by medication or cooled by massage. You’re forced to sit, or more commonly, lay down. Once resting, it is only a matter of time before the exhaustion washes over you.

“I’ve spent the better part of my life borrowing against my spoons leaving nothing left for myself!”

What does this mean?

When it comes to chronic illness, everyone is different. Where a healthy person wouldn't even touch their spoon to do something as simple as making the bed or taking a shower, a chronically ill person could use 1-2 spoons doing such tasks. Your body only has so much energy each day and when its busy fighting off chronic pain (much like an infection) there is no energy left for the day to day.

Stay Positive

I’ve spent the better part of my life borrowing against my spoons leaving nothing left for myself. Anyone in your life that has an issue with you taking care of yourself, shouldn’t be in your life. It is OK if you can’t do everything. Know your limits and use your spoons wisely!