Those suffering from Lyme disease are often misdiagnosed and misunderstood. May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month, and it is a time to do your part to create change. Listen without judgment, learn about Lyme disease, and share awareness through social media and local events. Your interest and compassion can make a big difference for Lyme warriors this month and throughout the year.
Millions of people are suffering from Lyme disease at any given moment throughout the world. And many of them are left feeling unseen and misunderstood due to a lack of proper medical care. This disease swoops in and wipes away life as they knew it, replacing it with intense fatigue, debilitating joint pain, and cognitive problems.
Blame it on the lack of awareness that can lead to misdiagnosis without a sign of hope, or the missing emotional support that leads to isolation and hopelessness. Regardless of the reason so many feel isolated, it is time to recognize this disease and the warriors who are fighting the battle.
May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month, and it is time to do your part. This article explores how you can support Lyme warriors today and every day.
What is Lyme Disease?
To fully support those with Lyme disease, it can help to know a little about it. So, let’s dive in.
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection caused by the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria that is transmitted through the bite of ticks that are carrying it. If caught early, it can be successfully treated with a round of antibiotics.
Unfortunately, many people do not get adequate treatment or contract co-infections, leaving them with chronic symptoms.
Heart complications, neurological issues, joint and muscle pain, as well as extreme fatigue, are all very common symptoms, and they can all be associated with various chronic illnesses. It is not unusual for Lyme patients to go years without being properly diagnosed. Education, advocacy, and support are essential for changing their future.
The Importance of Lyme Awareness Month
Since May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month, it is a great time to raise awareness about the disease. Focus should be placed on the experience of patients and the poor treatment protocols that delay diagnoses and proper treatment.
Of course, it is also a time to simply be there as a means of emotional support for the Lyme warriors. Their journey can be long, and their road can be hard. Here are a few ways you can make a difference in their lives.
Get Educated
The lack of knowledge about Lyme disease by both medical professionals and the general public is astounding. To support the warriors fighting the fight, you have to learn the facts.
- Know the early signs, such as flu-like symptoms and a very distinct bullseye rash
- Understand that chronic Lyme disease can last months or even years
- Accept that a co-infection may be present and may complicate the diagnosis and treatment
Read information from reliable resources and share it with others. If you or someone you know has a personal story about fighting Lyme disease, share it.
Listen and See
Many of the symptoms faced by Lyme disease patients are invisible. They feel them and have their lives uprooted by them, but others cannot physically see what it is they are going through. To support Lyme warriors, listen to what they say as they share their experiences with the disease and their overall journey to find relief.
Create a judgment-free space where they can share, and you will listen. Don’t minimize what they are saying. Instead, be genuine. Show kindness and compassion, thanking them for opening up to you.
Spread Awareness
Just because you do not have your battle with the disease doesn’t mean you can’t share information about it to help educate others. Use the platforms you have and do what you can.
Need a few ideas?
Throughout May, share daily Lyme disease facts on your social media pages. You don’t need to have posts that go viral to begin spreading the word. Be sure you are using relevant hashtags, too.
Wear the official color of the awareness month – lime green – and explain its significance to those you encounter as you move throughout your day.
And if you are someone who is or has dealt with Lyme disease, share your own story.
Participate in Local Lyme Events and Fundraisers
Whether you know someone who has Lyme disease or not, taking part in local events and fundraisers put on by organizations and communities is a great way to show your support. You can even take it one step further and talk about it with friends, family, and co-workers to get them involved, too.
Your engagement will show solidarity with those who are silently suffering while also raising awareness and allowing them to be seen.
This time of year, there can be many different types of events, including Lyme awareness 5Ks, charity auctions, webinars, and more. Not seeing anything local? Why not host your own? It doesn’t have to be huge — anything helps to further the cause.
Know a Lyme Warrior?
As you educate yourself on Lyme disease and learn more about what your friend is going through, take action.
- Offer to help with daily tasks and chores
- Give a ride to medical appointments
- Send a care package
- Cook a hot meal
Check in with your friend regularly and ask what you can do to help make life easier while they are fighting the battle.
Looking for Answers and Effective Treatment?
When increasing your knowledge about Lyme disease, it is a good idea to know where to turn for effective treatment from Lyme-literate doctors. At Lyme Mexico Clinic, advanced diagnostics, alternative treatments, and personalized care by specialist Dr. Omar Morales are capable of changing lives.
Using a science-based approach that goes beyond the boundaries of traditional protocols, Lyme warriors can find healing.
Learn more today — and help someone you know become a patient and schedule a consultation today! Travel outside the country, such as outside the United States, Canada, the UK, Australia, or New Zealand, and find treatments that will give you the relief you have been hoping for
Conclusion
Lyme warriors go through so much that the rest of us cannot see. But they deserve to be seen, heard, and supported in all ways– every day. Educate yourself, listen intently, participate in awareness events, or lend a hand, and you will see that you have the power to initiate change.
It’s Lyme Disease Awareness Month. Do something.