The Spoon Theory, created by Christine Miserandino
Alright, alright…you hear us mention the term “Spoonie” often, but maybe you have no idea what the #spoontheory is.
Spoon Theory
A metaphor that is used to describe the amount of mental or physical energy a person has available for daily activities and tasks.
It was developed by Christine Miserandino in 2003 as a way to express how it felt to have lupus. She used spoons to provide a visual representation of units of energy that a person might have and how chronic illness forces her to plan out her days and actions in advance, so as not to run out of energy, or spoons, before the end of the day.
It has since been applied to other phenomena, such as other disabilities, mental health issues, marginalization, and other factors that might place an extra – often unseen – burden on some individuals.
Fork Theory
It is a way of explaining how we can only handle so much in a day. Those snide comments that hurt, getting chewed out, flipped off, etc. We all have our limits and for those dealing with mental health, these digs can really deplete us faster too.
Now you have spoons and forks to worry about depleting! ?? Phew!
How do you manage your utensils?!