For stories, articles, questions about chronic illness such as Lyme Disease, multiple sclerosis, SLE, fibro and more.
Spoons for your brain?
I know the idea of spoons (at least in the original story) was in regards to physical energy/ability, but do you think it can also be applied to mental energy/ability?
I've mentioned before that I have depression and I'm working my way through a sleep study, etc....usually I just refer to this feeling as "out of sorts" or being in a fog. But it doesn't really feel like that, or feel like exhaustion, really. It feels like...I've run out of spoons. I can't handle regular conversations or decisions or accomplishing tasks. Like a fuse blew in my head, and I have to wait until whenever it gets reset.




A disability is a disability. A disability that comes from mental illness is still as much a disability as one that comes from physical illness. The spoon theory is meant for anyone who needs a way to explain why they must carefully ration their energy, why they have to decide not to do something despite really wanting to.
I believe the original author of the Spoon Theory also mentioned herself that it applies to mental illness.
Ah ok - that's good to know! I didn't want to appropriate a term not meant for me, but it kept popping into my head as a way to describe how I'm feeling, and it seemed so applicable. Sometimes just being able to put my finger on naming it, it doesn't seem as bad.
I think it applies to that for sure! It's about rationing anything, and just that feeling of knowing that you have limits and having to plan and prepare everything, more than most people.
Personally I use spoon theory for a stomach disorder I have. It applies to my eating. Often I find I'm out of spoons completely if I do something like eat out, eat at a friend/family member (where I don't know every single ingredient) or feel obligated to eat high fat (like birthday cakes). Sometimes I may reaaallly want something myself and know full well I'm going to be giving spoons away in order for a few minutes of pleasure.
So if I can use it for a stomach condition you can use it for mood/mental conditions.
Dealing with food issues and eating out or having food that is prepared by others is so frustrating. I feel ya.
Thanks TLQ!! It really does take a lot more out of a person than most people realize. Sort of like a mild stomach flu for life. Ugh.
I know that simply trying to talk at all with my mother drains me. She is exhausting to deal with. And then playing buffer between her and 2/3s of my kids is also exhausting. I know that that certainly plays into my spoon allotment for the day, just as much as I know that doing a show or going grocery shopping will.
And for me, it's a lot of balance between mental physical. The physical spoons are the joint pains, and the headaches and the if I keep this pace up, I know I'm going to have a seizure. But the mental stuff is I cannot take another step because if I do I'm going to end up in a puddle on the floor and I have to deal with X number of things still today, and so I better go sit down and read or do a puzzle now. So maybe they're mini-spoons and they may recharge more than a day. But they're definitely there.
Can they be sporks? I like sporks.
Sure. I have sporks stabbing me in my head. Not dangerous really, just annoying as hell.
Yes. I totally apply it to the cognitive issues I have myself.
Oh good then I definitely don't feel bad for using it!
Definitely.
It can totally be used for anything you want where you have a finite resource that you have to allow to refill. I use it to refer to mental depletion, and also to my ability to socialize (being an introvert), my ability to stave off anxiety, and for my chronic pain issues.
Anyone who insists that it must ONLY be used for the purpose from the original story is being a gatekeeper.
I have anxiety and depression, and I've used spoon theory to explain it as long as I've known about it. At first I worried about appropriating it, but then I found out that the creator of Spoon Theory has expressly OK'd using it for mental illness as well as physical illness.
I also use it for brain and body both. Any time I get that feeling where I know I've hit my limit and anything I do beyond it will have consequences for the next 1-3 days. Trying to get better at listening!
With my meds making me fatigued on top of my tn, I'm usually running on a negative amount of spoons. Even when my hubby so graciously takes over house duties so I can have a 2 to 3 hour nap I typically still wake up feeling like one of the living dead. I've been using it for both the physical and mental for some time now. I forget things a lot now to the point it's kind of become an ongoing joke of how many lists I have to have to remember things. I like to think of it as you would spoons in a kitchen, if it works for the situation at hand then use it..