ChatterBank2 mins ago
embarassing illnesses
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just seen a trailer for a teenager special of this show. i just don't get it - why do people go on this programme. could you think of anything worse??
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One of the obvious reasons for going on the show is that the participants receive expert diagnosis from specialists and the opportunity to try out various treatments, to either cure the illness or at least to alleviate the symptoms.
Additionally, some people who suffer from certain conditions would welcome a greater acceptance from society. They hope that fellow sufferers will gain confidence from watching the programme, and they hope that their own friends and acquaintances will gain a better understanding of their personal suffering through watching the programme.
The series certainly helps some people. Like many boys. I had acne as a teenager. However, I was one of the minority for whom it never seemed to fully clear up and I was still suffering intermittent facial skin problems 40 years later. It was only when I watched one of those programmes that I realised that my problem wasn't actually acne but folliculitis. Since then I've been able to find ways to improve my facial skin, by treating the real cause of the problem.
Chris
Additionally, some people who suffer from certain conditions would welcome a greater acceptance from society. They hope that fellow sufferers will gain confidence from watching the programme, and they hope that their own friends and acquaintances will gain a better understanding of their personal suffering through watching the programme.
The series certainly helps some people. Like many boys. I had acne as a teenager. However, I was one of the minority for whom it never seemed to fully clear up and I was still suffering intermittent facial skin problems 40 years later. It was only when I watched one of those programmes that I realised that my problem wasn't actually acne but folliculitis. Since then I've been able to find ways to improve my facial skin, by treating the real cause of the problem.
Chris
Icey: My own problem isn't serious enough for me to be considered for the programme. However, if it was, I think that my answer would have to be 'Yes'. If I've had a sudden outbreak of spots on my face, I'm more hesitant about applying for jobs where I might be interviewed in the near future (simply because I believe that many employers are wrongly influenced by physical appearances). I'd welcome the chance to appear on a programme that would allow me to show the 'real person', rather than just the 'outward appearance'.
While I'm not trying to suggest that my problems are anywhere near as serious as those of Simon Weston (who suffered severe facial injuries in the Falklands conflict), I think that we may have the same basic philosophy. Mr Weston had the choice of hiding away from society or standing up to prejudice and challenging public attitudes to facial injuries. He chose the latter course and is widely (and rightly) applauded for doing so. Many of those who appear on the 'Embarrassing Illnesses' programme have similar philosophies. I fail to see why they should not be applauded in the same way that Simon Weston is.
Chris
While I'm not trying to suggest that my problems are anywhere near as serious as those of Simon Weston (who suffered severe facial injuries in the Falklands conflict), I think that we may have the same basic philosophy. Mr Weston had the choice of hiding away from society or standing up to prejudice and challenging public attitudes to facial injuries. He chose the latter course and is widely (and rightly) applauded for doing so. Many of those who appear on the 'Embarrassing Illnesses' programme have similar philosophies. I fail to see why they should not be applauded in the same way that Simon Weston is.
Chris
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