Spoon theory: What it is and how I use it to manage chronic illness

Illustrations by Lara Antal

In the chronic illness and disability world, there’s something called “spoon theory.” Writer Christine Miserandino started it while explaining to a friend what chronic illness feels like, and grabbed a handful of spoons to make her point.

In the theory, each spoon represents a finite unit of energy. Healthy people may have an unlimited supply of spoons, but people with chronic illnesses have to ration them just to get through the day.