Naomi Whittingham
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naomiwhitt.bsky.social
Naomi Whittingham
@naomiwhitt.bsky.social
360 followers 27 following 30 posts
Writing is my voice from a hidden world. Published in The Daily Telegraph and Open Democracy. Now focusing on my own website.

www.alifehidden.com
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by Naomi Whittingham
tomkindlon.bsky.social
"On Gratitude and Grief" by Naomi Whittingham @naomiwhitt.bsky.social (A Life Hidden)

alifehidden.com/2025/10/20/g...

Screenshot from latest Science for ME weekly update

#SevereME #MEcfs #chronicillness #Spoonie #CFS #PwME
A life Hidden On Gratitude and Grief A beautifully written blog post with poem by Naomi Whittingham who has suffered from ME since 1990 "The ability to balance great sorrow alongside genuine joy, while not allowing one to overwhelm the other, is perhaps one of the most important learnings of being human."
October 27, 2025 at 1:12 AM
Reposted by Naomi Whittingham
roberthmcmullen.bsky.social
“Grief sits heavily indeed when it must be stared full in the face, day after day. But joy, conversely, soars high in a life stripped bare. How intense is the beauty of the sky or a spring flower when days are bleak.”

Another beautifully written blog by @naomiwhitt.bsky.social
On Gratitude and Grief
Through many years living with severe illness, I’ve come to know a lot about emotions.  From the sorrow and regret of a life lived so differently to anything that might have been chosen; to th…
alifehidden.com
October 25, 2025 at 12:12 PM
Reposted by Naomi Whittingham
naomiwhitt.bsky.social
My new blog post on gratitude, grief - and the challenge of finding balance between the two. Although this is written from the perspective of living with long-term illness, I hope it will resonate with people in many different life situations.
🧵(1/5)
alifehidden.com/2025/10/20/g...
On Gratitude and Grief
Through many years living with severe illness, I’ve come to know a lot about emotions.  From the sorrow and regret of a life lived so differently to anything that might have been chosen; to th…
alifehidden.com
October 20, 2025 at 10:42 AM
naomiwhitt.bsky.social
My new blog post on gratitude, grief - and the challenge of finding balance between the two. Although this is written from the perspective of living with long-term illness, I hope it will resonate with people in many different life situations.
🧵(1/5)
alifehidden.com/2025/10/20/g...
On Gratitude and Grief
Through many years living with severe illness, I’ve come to know a lot about emotions.  From the sorrow and regret of a life lived so differently to anything that might have been chosen; to th…
alifehidden.com
October 20, 2025 at 10:42 AM
Reposted by Naomi Whittingham
tomkindlon.bsky.social
🧵
"Glimpsing the World: My Joy and Pain" (2019) by Naomi Whittingham @naomiwhitt.bsky.social , who has had #severeME for decades

alifehidden.com/2019/07/26/g...

#MyalgicEncephalomyelitis #ChronicFatigueSyndrome #MEcfs #CFS #PwME

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Glimpsing the World: My Joy and Pain Posted on 26th July 2019by Naomi Whittingham A rocky shoreline, with waves gently breaking on wet sandThere is an indescribable joy in experiencing the outside world after many months or years of incarceration. The dance of sunlight through the leaves of trees; the flicker of shadows on grass; the touch of a gentle breeze. When darkness and isolation have been the foundation of life, these simple experiences are cherished. There can even be beauty in less obvious places: I have felt wonder on seeing things like traffic lights and motorway signs. To the housebound eye, these sights are the pulse of a living, active world. As such, my heart seizes them.
October 7, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Reposted by Naomi Whittingham
tomkindlon.bsky.social
🧵
"The Trouble With Recovery Stories" by Naomi Whittingham @naomiwhitt.bsky.social (with severe ME for decades)

alifehidden.com/2024/11/05/r...

An excellent, articulate article discussing “Recovery Stories” and the complex impressions and impacts they bring about

#MEcfs #CFS #PwME

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The Trouble With Recovery Stories Posted on 5th Nov 2024 Photo of somebody up a tall mountain near the edge
October 4, 2025 at 8:07 PM
naomiwhitt.bsky.social
Thank you to @thesicktimes.org for giving me the opportunity to share Kara’s story with a new audience. Do take a moment to learn about her and discover her beautiful music.
August 14, 2025 at 7:53 AM
Reposted by Naomi Whittingham
naomiwhitt.bsky.social
As we approach #MEAwarenessWeek, a piece recognising the courage that exists in our community.

It acknowledges those who have lost their lives, those who have not improved, and those who’ve experienced progress - along with the loved ones who witness it all.
alifehidden.com/2025/05/07/c...
(1/7)
Courage Exists in the Darkest of Places
Today I updated my In Memoriam page, commemorating two friends who have died in the past nine months.  It’s a page I always update with reluctance: my heart is heavy and I struggle to find words.  …
alifehidden.com
May 7, 2025 at 2:03 PM
naomiwhitt.bsky.social
As we approach #MEAwarenessWeek, a piece recognising the courage that exists in our community.

It acknowledges those who have lost their lives, those who have not improved, and those who’ve experienced progress - along with the loved ones who witness it all.
alifehidden.com/2025/05/07/c...
(1/7)
Courage Exists in the Darkest of Places
Today I updated my In Memoriam page, commemorating two friends who have died in the past nine months.  It’s a page I always update with reluctance: my heart is heavy and I struggle to find words.  …
alifehidden.com
May 7, 2025 at 2:03 PM
naomiwhitt.bsky.social
I seem to have gained a number of followers here, despite having posted virtually nothing! Thank you to everyone who has followed me - I hope to be more active in 2025.

I begin by sharing a post on New Year that I wrote a few years ago. (1/4)
Is There Hope in a New Year?
Life has made me wary of looking too far ahead.  Even before the turmoil of 2020, my road was one of uncertainty.  New Year has long felt like standing on a cliff edge and looking down: t…
alifehidden.com
December 31, 2024 at 6:44 PM
naomiwhitt.bsky.social
@bob-hawkins.bsky.social Thank you so much for your weekly Substack updates. They’re greatly appreciated.
November 29, 2024 at 10:31 AM
naomiwhitt.bsky.social
There’s been a huge response to my latest blog post - thank you for all the support.

This week it’s been republished in The Sick Times. (My original post is below.)
thesicktimes.org The Sick Times @thesicktimes.org · Nov 14
Recovery stories take on a particular sensitivity when they relate to an illness that has consistently been belittled and denied. Naomi Whittingham writes about her own experience with the complex reality of ME recovery & the trouble with recovery stories. bit.ly/3YRsP5n
photo of Naomi Whittingham sitting outside in a sun hat, sunglasses, and a flowery dress. She’s holding a camera in her lap and sitting in a wheelchair. The text reads, “THE SICK TIMES: The trouble with recovery stories. By Naomi Whittingham.” "A large part of the problem lies with the media’s inability to reflect the nuances of recovery…The complex reality of chronic illness, partial recovery, and slow acceptance of lifelong incapacity is almost never addressed. - Naomi Whittingham, The trouble with recovery stories."
November 14, 2024 at 8:32 PM
naomiwhitt.bsky.social
Thought I’d have a look and see what it was like here. So far I’ve had photos of birds, stars and the ocean. Not a single ad or argument.

I could get used to this.
November 11, 2024 at 2:38 PM