Related Posts
‘Tis the season for holiday shopping and gift guides! Where has the year gone? In this post, I’ve rounded up 21 of the most amazing gift guides for chronic illness & pain to help your gift-giving efforts for the spoonies in your life.
You’ll find everything broken down into different categories, so I’m sure you’ll find something for that special person on your list. But, if you do find there’s a condition that’s missing from this list, be sure to let me know – I’m always looking to improve the ways in which I serve the chronic illness community.
Grab something cozy to sip while you dig into the 21 of the most Amazing gift guides for chronic illness & pain below.
Disclaimer:
This post, related lists, and all items are not sponsored by these bloggers and I get nothing in return for you purchasing from these lists. Please see each individual site’s affiliate disclaimer for details on how they may or may not benefit from your purchase.
Additionally, while I talk about my own experience, and information based on my own research, and offer tips for maintaining wellness while dealing with a chronic illness, I’m not a licensed medical physician, psychotherapist, or psychologist, and I’m not offering medical or psychiatric advice.
For my full disclaimer policy, go here.
Why is it important to cater your gifts to those with chronic illness & pain?
You have the opportunity to help your loved one better cope with their illness & pain.
- by offering gifts that cater to their needs, you have the potential to help your loved one with:
- Pain management
- Comfort
- Low-energy activities
- Accessibility
- Sometimes, people with chronic illness can be hesitant to ask for things that will help them as they navigate life with chronic illness. This can be for a myriad of reasons, such as embarrassment, not knowing what they need/want, or trying to adhere to more “traditional” gifts that are fun rather than something that puts the focus on their illness. By taking the initiative to gift something thoughtfully catered to their needs, you’re showing compassion and support for what your loved ones’ lived experience is.
- By paying considering your loved one’s condition when gift-giving, you also help decrease the chance you’ll give them a gift that could cause a flare-up or otherwise be dangerous to them.
Other things to keep in mind when gifting those with chronic illness & pain:
- Ask for what they need/want. Unless you’re close to this person and have a pretty good understanding of their illness, it may be best to get a list of desired gifts directly from them. You’ll at least want to ask if they’d be open to receiving items catered to their well-being, as some spoonies can be sensitive to this.
- Understand their gifts requests may be more practical than “fun” or “luxury” requests.
- Know that their requests may seem untraditional and may not seem like they would help them, but trust that they know their experience and that helping them live well and thrive through their chronic illness is a BIG gift in itself!
How to use this guide:
Below you’ll find a list of gift guides from some fellow chronic illness bloggers gathered from around the web. Some are more general, while others are specified for certain conditions. There’s even on catered to kids, and one that gives you ideas for what not to give a spoonie as a gift! I’ve organized these by different categories, to help make it easier for you to find the list that’s most helpful to you.
There’s also a bonus general gift guide for anyone on your list – I couldn’t resist sharing these great deals!
What Not to Give Someone With Chronic Illness:
General Chronic Illness Gift Guides:
Gift Guides for Migraines:
Gift Guides for Chronic Pain:
Gift Guides for Digestive Conditions:
Gift Guides for Spoonie Moms & Kids:
Gift Guides for Endometriosis:
Gift Guides for Chronic Allergies:
No matter what holidays you and your loved ones celebrate, I hope these lists give you options and ideas to help make them joyful for everyone!
Don’t forget – your favorite spoonie would also benefit from my blog posts & freebies, so be sure to mention where you got the idea for their gift from!
And, if you buy something from one of these lists, be sure to come back and let me know how it worked out!
May your holidays be filled with joy, love, and spoons if you need them!
Do you struggle with intrusive thoughts
about living with chronic illness?
April, thank you for putting together such a wonderful collection of gift ideas!! I love your chronic illness affirmations too.
So glad these were helpful to you, and that the affirmations are an uplifting addition to your chronic illness management plan!