Spoon Theory

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The spoon theory is a model used by some disabled people and people with chronic illness to describe their everyday living experience when their disability or illness results in a reduced amount of energy available for productive tasks. Spoons are an intangible unit of measurement used to track how much energy a person has throughout a given day. Each activity "costs" a certain number of spoons, which might not be replaced until the next day. A person who runs out of spoons loses the ability to do anything other than rest. One of the tenets of the spoon theory is that disabled or ill people must plan their activities to ensure that every day is manageable, while healthy people have a "never-ending supply of spoons" and thus never need to worry about running out.[1] Because healthy people do not feel the impact of spending spoons, they may not realize that chronically ill or disabled people's considerations include mundane tasks such as bathing and getting dressed.[2] Spoons are widely discussed within the autoimmune, disabled and other communities,[3][4] but the concept of spoons is otherwise considered a neologism.

The term spoons was coined by Christine Miserandino on her website, But You Don't Look Sick. In the article "The Spoon Theory" she recalled a conversation in which her close friend and roommate asked her a vague question about what having lupus feels like. As the two were in a diner, Miserandino spontaneously took spoons from nearby tables to use as a visual aid. She handed her friend the spoons and then asked her to describe the events of a typical day, taking a spoon away after each hypothetical activity. In this way, she demonstrated that spoons, or energy, must be rationed to avoid running out before the end of the day. Miserandino also asserted that it is possible to exceed one's daily limit, but that doing so means "borrowing" from the future, and may result in not having enough spoons the next day.[1]
Special considerations

Spoons might be replaced after a night of sleep. However, people with autoimmune diseases can also suffer from sleep disorders, and may have a particularly low supply of energy.[citation needed] Some people with invisible disabilities may not be fatigued by the disabilities themselves, but by the constant effort required to pass as non-disabled.[citation needed] Autistic people who subscribe to the spoon theory typically report that running out of spoons results in meltdowns or burnout.[citation needed]