Hey my Lovelies,

Today I’m going to speak about the word, ‘SPOONIE’.

Since starting my blog I’ve received quite a few messages on social media asking me what the word spoonie means and so today I’m going to answer this question.

All throughout my blog the word Spoonie is mentioned, starting with my blog name itself, Laura Spoonie

Read on to find out where this word comes from and how it contributes to such a huge part of my identity and blog.

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The term spoonie was bought to light by Christine Miserandino in 2003. She wrote an essay “The Spoon Theory” where she refers to a conversation held between a friend and herself whilst in a cafe.

The conversation started as the friend of Miserandino asked what having lupus feels like. In reply to the inquisitive question, Miserandino chose to demonstrate using a visual aid. Miserandino took spoons from nearby tables and handed her friend twelve spoons and asked her to describe the events of a typical day, taking a spoon away for each activity. In this way, she demonstrated that her spoons, or units of energy, must be rationed to avoid running out before the end of the day. Miserandino also asserted that it is possible to exceed one’s daily limit, but that doing so means borrowing from the future and may result in not having enough spoons the next day… I guess this is what you could call ‘SPOON DEFICIT‘, you know like a bank balance but in spoonie terms. Miserandino suggested that spoon theory can describe the effects of mental illnesses as well.

PDF form of Christine Miserandino’s Spoon Theory – But You Don’t Look Sick

 

Since the spoon theory is a disability metaphor founded in 2003 by Miserandino (mentioned above), it makes the expression spoonie a rather exclusive word that not many know of unless not for close relations with a spoonie. It’s a newly coined word and expression to describe the reduced amount of mental and physical energy available for activities of living and productive tasks that may result from disability or chronic illness. Spoons are a visual representation used as a unit of measure in order to quantify how much energy a person has throughout a given day. Each activity requires a given number of spoons, which will only be replaced as the person “recharges” through rest. A person who runs out of spoons has no choice but to rest until their spoons are replenished.

The metaphor is personal story and analogy of what it is like to live with sickness or disability and is also used to describe the planning that many people have to do to conserve their energy to accomplish their activities of daily living. The planning and rationing of energy-consuming tasks have been described as being a major concern of those with chronic and fatigue-related diseases, illness, or conditions. The theory highlights the difference between those who are healthily functioning bodies and those with chronic illness, those who are always on the go without energy limits and those that do. The theory is used to facilitate discussions between those with limited energy reserves and those without. Healthy people typically are not concerned with the energy that they use during ordinary tasks such as bathing and getting dressed, and so the spoon theory helps healthy people realize the amount of energy expended by chronically ill or disabled people to get through the day.

 

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Examples of some chronic illnesses:

• asthma
• arthritis
• colorectal cancer
• depression
• agoraphobia
• fibromyalgia – including other illnesses that cause long-term pain
• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• chronic kidney disease
• MEcfs (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis –

  Chronic fatigue syndrome

• heart disease
• HIV or AIDS
• type 2 diabetes
• osteoporosis
• multiple sclerosis
• cystic fibrosis
• Crohn’s disease

The first time I found out about the term spoonie was in 2015/16. I didn’t automatically accept the identity of being a spoonie straight away as I was so used to feeling out of place even if something is blatantly a description of who I am. The thing is chronic illness is very isolating, no matter how many people you may know that have the same diagnosis or similar illnesses it’s something that causes even the most secure person to feel uncomfortable, out of place and just simply isolated for any and everything.

Eventually, by 2017 I finally decided to look further into what a spoonie is and soon found a new way for me to express myself and feel heard by a group of people who were also struggling, in pain not to mention doing so with a smile on their faces when the energy permitted it.

 

If you’re not sure if you’re a spoonie or not then ask yourself a few questions:

1. Do you resonate with the definition of a spoonie
2. Do you have one or more chronic illnesses that limit your mobility/ability to carry out everyday tasks
3. Do you have a regular routine that helps to manage your illnesses i.e long-term medication, physical or talking therapies, a support worker that helps to check-in on you and your wellbeing/take care of your care needs etc.
4. Does your Doctor think you’re a nuisance for going to them with the same untreated symptom  that has been present for more than a year that they’re trying to say is all in your head…haha, no really this is relevant because if the answer is YES then congratulations you may just be a spoonie

 

 

 

‘Life of a Spoonie’ – PAGE NOW ACTIVE

 

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Thanks for stopping by.

Laura,

XOXO