Do I qualify for a shop?

Conscious Crafties is about supporting TALENTED people who happen to have Chronic Health struggles (physical or emotional), Chronic Pain, Disabilities or are Caring for family members who are affected (as your lives have been altered too).

To qualify you must be a FRIENDLY KIND PERSON who is TALENTED and lives with one or more of the following:

 

What is Chronic Illness or Pain?

Chronic Illness and Pain are life altering. Something that can sometimes be helped but not cured by medication and persists for more than 3 months. It can come and go with relapses and remissions resulting in diminished physical and/or mental capacity. It means you have to make decisions over what you can and can’t do and dramatically affects your life. It would be impossible to list all conditions here but examples are – Arthritis, Asthma, Cancer, Coeliac Disease, ME / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic Migraines, Chronic Pain, Coronary Artery Disease, Costochondritis, Crohn’s Disease, CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome), Cystic Fibrosis, Degenerative Disc Disease, Diabetes, Dysautonomia, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), Epilepsy, Fibromyalgia, Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), Gastroparesis, IBS, Insomnia, Intracranial Hypertension, Lupus, Lyme Disease, Marfan Syndrome, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Neuralgia, Osteoarthritis, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), Raynaud’s, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Scaroiliitis, Sciatica, Scoliosis, Seizures, Sjogrens Syndrome, Sleep Apnea, Spina Bifida, Spondylosis, Tourettes, Ulcerative Colitis – the list goes on!

What are Emotional Health Issues?

Mental health struggles can affect anyone of us. They can alter personalities, thought processes or social interactions. Psychological factors and environmental factors such as upbringing and social exposure can form the foundations for harmful thought patterns associated with mental disorders. Emotional health issues can be (if not more) as debilitating as Chronic Illness or Disability. Types of mental health issues can be (but not limited to) – Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Anxiety, Bipolar Disorder, Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), Borderline Personality Disorder, Depression, Manic Depression, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Panic Attacks, Postnatal Depression (PND), Schizophrenia etc.

What is a Physical Disability?

Chronic Illnesses can cause disabilities, but you may also have disabilities without having a Chronic Illness. Physical Disabilities can be (again not an exhaustive list) – Blindness, Collapsed Lung, Deafness, Hearing Impairment, Vision Impairment, After affects of Stroke, Missing Limbs, Paralysis, Learning Difficulties, Muscular Dystrophies, Brain and Spinal Injuries, Spina Bifida, Cerebral Palsy etc

What are Aspergers and Autism?

These are not an illness or disability, but affects how people perceive the world and interact with others. People with Aspergers Syndrome or Autism see, hear and feel the world differently to other people. If you have Autism, you have it for life – it is not an illness or disease and cannot be ‘cured’. Often people feel that Aspergers Syndrome and Autism is a fundamental aspect of their identity. As Aspergers and Autism greatly affects a persons life, you’re welcome to join our Crafties team 🙂

What’s a Carer?

You’re a Carer if you care for and help a friend or family member (for at least 35 hours a week) who due to illness, disability, autism, a mental health problem or an addiction cannot cope without your support. The work is unpaid, but you may be able to claim a Carers benefit. A Carer is different to someone who provides care professionally or via a voluntary organisation, as when Caring for a loved one, you would likely of needed to give up huge parts of your life, perhaps your career, hopes and dreams and/or social life.  Caring for a loved one can be very rewarding, yet difficult at the same time. There are many ways you might care for someone else, which include:

  • Practical tasks, like cooking, housework and shopping
  • Physical support, like lifting, helping someone on stairs or with physiotherapy
  • Personal care, like washing, dressing and helping with toileting needs
  • Managing the household budget, and collecting benefits and prescriptions
  • Giving medication
  • Emotional support
  • Help with travel, getting out, getting to appointments

Carer quote

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