When I was young I had an invisible friend called Johnny who liked playing football… yes I was a tomboy… I suppose, technically, since he was a construct of my mind I’ve still got him.

Do invisible friends grow up? Am I now the proud owner of a 50 year old bloke called Johnny who, due to the lack of exercise over the last 45 years is probably the size of a house by now? Anyhoo, I digress, my family would humour me and pretend that Johnny was real although not to the extent of buying him presents or giving him his own place at the table but they were happy to go along with my fantasy.
Fast forward 45 years and I now have an invisible illness. This has caused me way more problems than Johnny ever did. My illness is real, you just can’t see it which leads people to think I’m making it all up. Don’t ask me why I would want to invent an illness that causes constant pain and often keeps me from sleeping, going out or being able to cook a meal and sometimes makes me fall over and hurt myself. If I was going to invent an illness it would be pain free, have an easy to spell name and require frequent doses of chocolate… say at hourly intervals.
The main people it’s imaginary to are doctors who have tried to tell me there is nothing wrong with me, it’s all in my head or I’m just depressed. This saves money for the NHS because, once we establish, I’m not a nutter they have to do lots and lots of expensive tests… all of which come back negative by the way. After two and a half years of being told to take two paracetamol and stop worrying you’d be depressed too. I once spent a quarter of an hour while the GP went through my life at the moment, age of kids, hubby was out of work at the time, etc, etc. When I left the office I was really depressed I’d been fine until he’d pointed out how awful my life was… thanks a bundle.
Then you see a case in the paper like the line-running prat claiming disability because he could hardly walk and it makes you so mad. If you have an invisible illness, trying to claim DLA is like climbing the north face of the Eiger with only a toothpick and a length of dental floss. Unless you have bits missing or open running sores the DLA is not going to grant you any money if they can get away with it, of course, if you're making it up it's a doddle.
I have yet to try this route and, to be honest, having heard the horror stories of people’s claims, tribunals a years of frustration I am loathe to even consider it.