BIANCA Fitzpatrick has some days of endless pain, but can look perfectly healthy.
She has founded the Whittlesea Invisible Illness Support Group, along with Jen Magoulas, for people whose health problems are not obvious and not understood.
“What does disabled look like?” Mrs Fitzpatrick said.
“I’m not missing a limb, I am not in a vegetative state and it is hard to explain to people you are ill when you don’t look like you are.”
The 35-year-old suffers complex regional pain syndrome, arthritis, a twisted pelvis and chronic fatigue after an accident three years ago “changed my life”.
A fortnight after setting up the member-only Facebook group, it has 58 members, including several men.
Some of the men suffered depression or anxiety but were afraid to admit vulnerability in public because they were their families’ breadwinners, she said.
A male member posted: “I have been suffering [depression] for years but nobody except my wife knows because people look at you as if you are not a real man.”
Mrs Fitzpatrick said the Facebook group was a “safe non-judgmental place” to share stories, build awareness and connect with others who were dealing with the effects of invisible illnesses.
“If you are in emotional or physical pain, it is nice to know that people understand,” she said.
“They [group members] no longer have to suffer in silence and, more importantly, they are not alone.”
She said the Facebook access meant members could be “in the safety of their own home, but hop on line and say they were having a hard day and always get a response from other members”.
“They can get support, understanding and be embraced, even if it is a cyber embrace,” she said.
