What writer’s block can teach us about symptom management

Writer’s block: when you want (or have) to write something but the words just won’t come to you.

It could be for a school paper, a business report, a personal story, a speech, or a simple social media post, but it happens to all of us. We think. We overthink. We stare at a blank screen for minutes or hours, beating ourselves up over our inability to write something that should be so easy.

Still, we’ve got to find a way to break through, to get those words on the page. We read what others have written, hoping to be inspired by an idea or a style. We jot down notes, key points we’d like to make or perhaps an outline to get us started. Or we take a break and find a distraction, knowing that we’ll come back to the writing later.

Ironically, it was thinking about my writer’s block that actually helped me break through it today.

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Those of us with sarcoidosis often experience a comparable phenomenon. Let’s call it “doers block”: when we want (or have) to do something but we just can’t get it done.

Like writers with a block, we often beat ourselves up over the things we can’t do. We feel like we should be able to do them, as other people can do them so easily. At other times, we’ve even done them ourselves. But for some reason, no matter how much we want to and how hard we try, we just can’t do them now.

We stare at piles of dirty laundry waiting to be washed, empty refrigerators, and sinks full of dirty dishes. We lament the events we’re unable to attend, hoping friends and family will forgive us for missing their special moments, even when we don’t fully forgive ourselves.

We dread the fatigue that makes a simple shower exhausting. We curse the shortness of breath that makes the walk down a supermarket aisle overwhelming. We recoil from the shooting pain that keeps us on the couch, unable to move without wincing in agony.

Fortunately, we’re not helpless — or hopeless. We can follow the writer’s example and find strategies to break through this block, too.

Breaking through

We can look for inspiration and ideas by reading blogs and watching videos featuring life hacks for people with chronic illnesses. We can turn to the online sarcoidosis community for answers to our questions and support via forums, webinars, and podcasts. What we need to do most is forgive ourselves, accept our limitations, and work with what we’ve got.

I know, easier said than done.

It may be helpful to take ourselves out of the moment. We can find something else to do, whether that’s another item on our to-do list or a mindless distraction from it. We can break the activity down into smaller, more manageable tasks or find another way to meet the need, like a laundry or grocery delivery service.

What’s so frustrating with a disease as unpredictable as sarcoidosis is that our symptoms — and our abilities — fluctuate. One day we can do something, and the next we can’t. Often the difference isn’t even day to day, but hour to hour, or even minute to minute. While that is extremely distressing when we’re in those “can’t” moments, it can be comforting as well, because we know that the “can” moments may return just as quickly.

All writers experience block, and in those moments, we feel like we may never write again. We question ourselves, our talent, and even our life choices. But just as I am writing now, I have faith that I will be able to be active once again. Of course, we still have to consider the reality of our limitations, but it is our patience, acceptance, and adaptability that make us all resilient warriors.

Note: Sarcoidosis News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Sarcoidosis News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to sarcoidosis.