The Spoon Theory

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Mar 6

FAQ!

What is the Spoon Theory?

The Spoon Theory was created by Christine Miserandino. For the full theory, please visit her website here. The theory is simply a story that explains what it is like to live with a chronic illness or disability. A person who is chronically disabled or ill only has a limited amount of expendable energy each day. The spoon theory uses a metaphor of spoons to turn energy into a measurable concept. A person living with chronic illness or disability only has a certain number of spoons in their possession each day, and every small action a person takes can result in a lost spoon. Once a person loses a spoon, it is very hard to get that back until after a full night’s sleep. Simple actions like getting out of bed, taking a shower, walking, and driving can require enormous amounts of energy that people don’t have. These chronic illnesses or disabilities can be visible or invisible. You cannot look at a person and tell if they have a chronic illness or disability or not, and these illnesses are not always physical in nature. Some examples of reasons people might use the spoon theory include:

There are countless other chronic illnesses and disabilities that aren’t listed here! It should also be pointed out that some people may have limited energy in some area of life, but not have a chronic illness or disability. If someone you know has a chronic illness or disability, please take the time to try to understand their condition(s) and work with them to create a healthy and de-stigmatized relationship.

Why was this project started?

This project was started because I noticed a lack of communication between chronically ill and disabled people and able-bodied people. Chronically disabled or ill people frequently wish to describe their daily struggles and problems with friends, acquaintances, teachers, professors, and bosses, but cannot find the words to relate this to able-bodied people. This project, when shown to an able-bodied person, can help make them more aware of struggles chronically ill or disabled people face in their lives, and facilitate positive and healthy communication in all relationships. It is my hope that people may be able to use this demonstration and website on a smaller or more widespread scale to help communicate their struggles, and improve relationships around them by using this as a tool to help people communicate their needs and wants when dealing with a chronic illness or disability.

Why take the time to go through the game/read this website?

If you have a chronic illness or disability, the game may be a helpful option to show to people to give them a better understanding of what it is like to be in your shoes.

If you are not chronically ill or disabled, the game may give you insight into what it is like to be chronically disabled or ill. If someone you know is chronically disabled or ill, looking at the resources page and the links contained throughout the site may help you gain knowledge about various chronic disabilities and illnesses, and how to assist and treat people with them.

What’s so difficult about having a chronic disability or illness?

Being diagnosed with a chronic disability or illness can be challenging and severely limit a person’s life and choices! People with chronic disabilities or illnesses often:

  • Have trouble finding a job or career that will work with their disability or illness;
  • Have trouble completing college;
  • Have a lower socioeconomic status;
  • Are more prone to be diagnosed with mental illnesses or a comorbid mental diagnosis;
  • Have higher medical bills and a harder time finding health insurance coverage;
  • Have to choose between certain facets of life over another (ex: choosing between having a job and having a social life);
  • Are more likely to be victims of sexual assault and domestic violence;
  • Inadequate representation in the media; and
  • Stigmatization by peers, coworkers, and the general public.

These are just a few examples of the ways a chronic illness or disability can change a person’s life. People who are able-bodied have a distinct privilege in this country compared to chronically disabled or ill people; it is important to be aware of this privilege and work to lessen discrimination chronically disabled or ill people face.

There is a distinction between having a disability/illness and a chronic disability or illness. People with a chronic disability or illness have an illness or disability that lasts a long period of time and changes a person’s life in the ways listed above. A person who doesn’t have a chronic illness may have a disability but not have limited energy or be affected in the ways listed above. Likewise, a person with a chronic illness might not identify with having a disability or limited energy. Not all chronic illnesses are disabling. While some people like those on the autism spectrum don’t have a mental illness, they can experience chronic limited amounts of energy. This is why the spoon theory applies not just to people with chronic illnesses or disabilities. Who can and cannot use the spoon theory is an extremely gray area.

What is Intersectionality and Why Does it Matter?

Intersectionality is studying the differences between groups of minorities,  and how being in a minority group affects a person’s life. These minority groups are generally traits about a person like sexuality (lesbian gay, and bisexual people), gender (transgender, non-binary people), sex (females and intersex), race (black people, latino/a(s), native americans, asian americans), class (low and middle income earners), and ability. Each person’s experience in life is different, and a person’s experience partially depends on these traits. For example, a disabled black person will have different life experiences and hurdles than a black person without disabilities or a disabled person who is not black. Each of these groups listed above face stereotypes, stigmatization, and systematic oppression; however, the details of oppression faced are different for each group. Not all people fit into one category, and many people often face one or more oppressions.

Why does this matter? When talking about chronic disabilities and illnesses, we need to remember to observe a person as a whole, and take understand that a person’s life has multiple contexts that overlap. It’s important to remember that people who face more than one oppression (ex: black and disabled) can experience significant hurdles when just trying to be alive, safe, and receive basic rights like food and shelter. When someone with a disability deals with oppression like racism or sexism, it can have a negative impact and be detrimental to health and energy. When communicating with people who experience more than one oppression, we need to attempt to understand how oppressions can intersect to create a more severe and systematic oppression when compared to those who face one or no oppressions.

For more information about intersectionality, check out this article and pdf.

What else is on this website?

Information, updates, and news about chronic disabilities and illnesses are posted on the home page of this website. 

Copyright Info:

You have permission to use this demonstration and website for personal use; however, the demonstration and website were created by people and I expect that I will be given credit where it is due. In other words, you do not have permission to plagiarize work.

Creator of the physical demonstration: Skylar Amari

Creators of the mental demonstration: Skylar Amari and Flea Dane, with thanks to Capt. Ocie

Creator of the social demonstration: Flea Dane

Posted 9 years ago

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