Spoon theory

To say that Spoon theory is a experiment or model of personal 'energy' management, is to limit its breadth of use. It is increasingly used amongst people who suffer from hidden or invisible disabilities. Whilst all people have to at least some extent manage their priorities, people with chronic illness, hidden or invisible disabilities can often find their lives endangered if they don't manage crudely speaking their 'energy' levels. The discovery of spoon theory is retold as tale, but its application has been as both: an explanation to people who do not have chronic illness, hidden or invisible disabilities about the level of 'energy management' needed; and as short form "I am running out of spoons" for those who are aware of the theory.

One of the key issues for people suffering from a variety of hidden or invisible disabilities is that people assume that someone who doesn't look sick, cannot be sick. Spoon theory aim is to help people who do not have invisible or hidden disabilities understand what it is like to live with these illnesses.

In the original example, Christine Miserandino was asked by a friend what living with lupus was like. In an attempt to explain, she gathered a group of spoons together and asked her friend to talk through what action's they would take to live their life each day. For every action be it, getting out of bed, washing, putting on clothes, making breakfast, washing up, the friend would lose a spoon. The problem her friend quickly discovered was that their available spoons quickly diminished in doing simple routine task most people take for granted. With the spoons becoming increasingly exhausted her friend rapidly had to make tough decisions about what they could and could not do that day. ^[1]

The Spoon Theory was developed by Christine Miserandino, a lupus sufferer from New York and founder of the website "But You Don't Look Sick." Miserandino was searching for a way to illustrate to her best friend what she endures every day in order to function with a chronic illness.

The creation of the theory led to the founding of ButYouDontLookSick.com and remains the single most widely-read article on the website today.^[2]

Miserandino went on from the creation of the Spoon Theory to found the website and continue her work as a writer and patient advocate. In 2008 she and her family will be honored by the Lupus Alliance of America for their ongoing efforts to assist the chronically ill.^[3]