A journalist says being diagnosed with lupus has ended up helping her perform better at work.

Wales Online senior video journalist Tyler Mears has revealed the surprise benefit of living with the condition, which sees the body’s immune system mistakenly attack healthy tissue in parts of the body.

Tyler, pictured, was diagnosed with the condition in 2017 at the age of 24, which led to her becoming “extremely ill” and having to take time off of work.

She has now shared her thoughts on returning to work at the Cardiff-based site to offer advice to others going through similar experiences.

In a piece for Wales Online, Tyler wrote: “Lupus, like many other auto-immune diseases or mental illnesses, is classed as an invisible illness, because – apart from the odd rash or swollen face – you can’t physically see it. So, it’s easy to worry that people might think you’re faking it or that people doubt how hard you’re trying.

“This, can stir up anxiety and horrible feelings of guilt and self-doubt; ‘What if my boss thinks I’m not trying hard enough?'; ‘What if they get fed up of me taking time off for hospital appointments?'; ‘What if I get sacked?’

“But most of the time, the only person that actually thinks like this is you. I remember when I first started back to work, I would often force myself to come into the office – even when I felt really terrible.

“I’d spend so long putting on a happy front and secretly beating myself up for feeling lousy and not performing at my best – that I was actually making myself feel worse, which in turn, was having more of a detrimental impact on my work.

“It turns out my boss and colleagues were actually more concerned about me and my wellbeing, rather than judging my performance in work. When you start to realise this, you stop beating yourself up – and you’ll find that your overall mental health and ability to perform in work gets better too.”

She went on to urge others in similar positions to “be honest” with work colleagues and bosses.

Tyler added: “My managers and colleagues have seen me in all states – from the days where I’m absolutely exhausted (and probably coming across as a bit grumpy), to the days where I’ve got mascara down my face from crying in the toilets or having a full blown panic attack in the stairwell.

“As much as I try to hide these emotions from people in work, I’ve found that being open and honest always lightens the load and makes me feel a bit better.

“When I’m crying, my colleagues give me a hug; when I’m grumpy they make me laugh; when I’m having a panic attack they’ll come for a walk and help rationalise things. And when I’m overdoing it, they tell me to go home and take a rest.

“There’s no judgement, no disappointment, no doubting my capabilities – they just care. When you start to open up like this, you’ll be surprised how those nagging feelings of guilt and self-doubt disappear.

“You should never be afraid or ashamed to say; ‘I’m not feeling 100pc today’ – you’ve been through a lot, and people will understand.”

Tyler told HTFP reaction to the piece from readers had been “positive and encouraging”.

She said: “It’s always a bit nerve-wracking writing about personal issues, especially those regarding your health. But, I’ve had so many messages of support from people – including those who are going through similar experiences with their own health. So, it’s really reassuring knowing I’m not alone.

“Like I mentioned in the article, a lot of the content I read online after being diagnosed with lupus in 2017 was negative and scary. So, I just wanted to show people that it hasn’t always got to be this way, and a chronic health diagnosis doesn’t always mean your life and your career is over.

“You’ve just got to learn how to manage your illness, be kind to yourself and never feel guilty for putting your health first.”