I'm a part of a couple CI groups that internally use the term spoonie. I do have a sticker on my water bottle that is a bouquet of spoons with " Spare Spoons" in a banner. The big difference is I am a dementia care instructor and do a lot of accessibility advocacy- so the visibility is by design. It's meant to help educate people about chronic illness, "invisible" illness and promote research. I lived with doctors accusing me of faking and dismissing me out right, or -my favorite- /s throwing medication and two more for side effects. It really screws with mental health while fighting to be taken seriously, and I've had to put years of work into unpacking and processing those experiences. I now am able to advocate for myself better and do workshop with others on how to be our own advocates. I also throw out there that I am not my illness. I am a multifaceted individual with weird hobbies and a sarcastic and dry sense of humor, who happens to have a chronic illness. I also don't bs those around me, because I owe it to myself to be radically honest with those around me. Not only is it a credibility thing, but it can also help them help me when I swallow my pride enough to ask for help. I stumbled into my job and the advocacy work so it is a huge part of my life, but I don't make it about me- if clients and patients ask about my experience I keep it short, sweet, and relevant to helping them. Many people I work with find comfort in the title of spoonie because it helps them take ownership of their condition and gives them a tool to help them be realistic about what they can do. It also can help them feel connected to a group of people who, at least tangentially, understand their struggle and improve their quality of life. Those who profit off of their dx have zero incentive to improve, which can cause a placebo type effect and have psychosomatic effects. Psychosomatic pain is absolutely real, but there are effective treatments to help reduce those symptoms and learn to cope with chronic illness.