Dear Prudence,
Ten years ago, I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). It is not deadly, but it is incurable, and it could eventually leave me disabled if things turn south. Due to a combination of good fortune, early diagnosis, and the privilege of having access to great doctors/treatment, my case is very mild and doesn’t affect my ability to function. But the low-key nature of it makes it really confusing to figure out when and how to tell people about my illness.
When I was first diagnosed, I told all of my closest friends and family members, but that was almost a decade ago, and since then, I have made a ton of close friends who don’t know about it. I have struggled to find a way to bring it up naturally in a way that doesn’t seem shoehorned (or come across like a big reveal). Mostly, I am afraid that telling people will change how they see me! Am I overthinking it? How would you approach the topic? And yes, I’m in therapy!
—I’m Fine, Really!