Real Talk

Real Talk

Am I Oversharing? 8 Tips for Navigating Social Media with a Chronic Illness

There are no perfect answers for how much to share and how much to hold back, but there are guidelines that might help you determine the right approach for you.

Real Talk

Feeling Unseen and Unheard: Is This Medical Gaslighting or Something Else?

Not feeling fully supported in healthcare settings can be common. It's important to know why you might be feeling this way — whether from medical gaslighting or from limited medical resources — and what you can do about it.

Real Talk

Headache on the Hill: Why Migraine Advocacy Is So Important

Catherine Lanser attended the annual "Headache on the Hill" advocacy event in Washington, DC. She joined other advocates to speak with representatives about how the government can better support people in the United States living with migraine.

Real Talk

What It’s Like Being Chronically Ill in the Time of Wellness

Unsolicited medical advice is exhausting — and sometimes even plain rude. The wellness industry needs to wake up to the realities of living with a chronic illness.

Real Talk

Debunking the Top 5 Migraine Myths

Migraine is a neurological condition that is often misunderstood. Here are five myths write Amy Mowbray has come across while living with migraine and why they aren't true.

Real Talk

How Living with Migraine Has Taught Me to Embrace Disappointment

Canceling plans due to migraine can be upsetting, especially when it means letting others down. Here's how one writer with chronic migraine replaced her feelings of guilt with self-compassion.

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How Fatigue Changed My Mindset as a Disability Activist

Hustle culture and the pandemic made me hit a breaking point. I was exhausted, but being an activist made me want to fight on. Now, I live by a different mantra.

Real Talk

We Need to Stop Saying “Migraines” —Here’s What to Say Instead

Migraine is a condition is often minimized and stigmatized. Language shifts that seem small can have a big impact. Removing the “s” helps recognize the complexity of migraine.

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4 Tips for Dealing with Hanger When You Live with Chronic Migraine 

“Hanger” is a term to describe the anger you may feel when you are hungry. When I find myself faced with a migraine attack and feeling hangry, here's what I do to cope.

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The Exhausting Trial and Error of Trying to Find Migraine Relief

The journey to finding a migraine management plan that works for you can be discouraging and upsetting. Here's everything I've tried so far since being diagnosed with chronic migraine.

Real Talk

Ableist Language in Pop Culture and How It Affects People with Chronic Illness

Ableism and ableist language are all too common, especially in pop culture. Learn how to recognize this language and ways to be more mindful of the words you choose.

Real Talk

9 Ways Acute Illness Is Thought Of Differently Than Chronic Illness 

Living with chronic illness has made me aware of the many ways that society views chronic illness differently than they view acute illness.

Real Talk

I Was Diagnosed with Chronic Migraine After 2 Concussions. Now I’m Finding My New Normal

After two concussions, CarmenRose Fiallo started having frequent head pain. Three years later, she was finally diagnosed with chronic migraine. She opens up about the grief that accompanies a new diagnosis and the long process of coming to terms with a new way of life.

Real Talk

Managing Migraine in the Spotlight, Kristin Chenoweth Shares Her Story

Award-winning actress and singer Kristin Chenoweth opens up about living with chronic migraine and why she believes it's important to speak up.

Real Talk

7 Things I Struggle to Do with Chronic Migraine

I've learned a lot about how to best manage my migraine symptoms over the years but there are still tasks I find challenging.

Real Talk

Creating a Space for the Migraine Community to Share Stories

The Talking Head Pain podcast is a way for me to share my story and amplify the voices of others.

Real Talk

We Need to Talk About the Way the Media Portrays Chronically Ill People

Stereotypes and stigma still outweigh authentic portrayals of people living with chronic illnesses and disabilities. We have the power to change that.

Real Talk

The Diversity of Migraine: No Two People Experience the Condition the Same

Migraine triggers and symptoms vary significantly from person to person. Migraine treatments that work for one person may not work for the next.

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How Chronic Illness Affects More Than Just Your Physical Health

The nonphysical effects of living with a chronic condition are often ignored or underestimated. We need to change that. These are nine ways that living with a chronic condition has affected my life and strategies I've found to help me cope.

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Advocating for Yourself: How to Be Taken Seriously When You Live with Migraine

Migraine is so much more than “just a bad headache.” Here‘s how I speak up when my experiences are being minimized.

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Talking with Friends About Money Can Be Awkward When Your Condition Limits How Much You Work

Being asked to chip in for food or gifts can be stressful, especially if a chronic illness restricts the hours you can work. These tips can help navigate awkward conversations with friends.

Real Talk

I Am a Gay Man with Migraine, Here’s Why I Share My Story

Many people in the LGBTQ+ and migraine communities live in pain in silence. Sharing our stories is an important step in making our experiences visible.

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The Way We Treat the Undiagnosed Needs to Change

Being undiagnosed is an under-acknowledged stage of living with chronic physical or mental symptoms.

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What the Overturning of Roe v. Wade Means for the Chronically Ill and Disabled Communities

The court’s decision affects all Americans, but disabled, chronically ill, and disadvantaged people will be disproportionately affected. They face healthcare inequities, poverty, and more.

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Migraine Sucks. So Does ADHD. Here’s How to Deal When You Have Both

Migraine sucks. So does ADHD. Here’s how to deal when you have both.

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You Don’t Know the Full Story: Judging Me for How I Manage My Health Doesn’t Help

The intersection of racism and ableism makes navigating my chronic health conditions feel impossible.

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My Journey to Becoming a Chronic Illness Advocate on Social Media

Writer Nia G. discusses her journey to becoming a social media advocate after her chronic illness diagnoses.

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5 Lessons from the Pandemic That Promote Inclusivity

We can continue to learn from the pandemic and encourage inclusivity in our everyday practices.

Real Talk

What I’ve Learned About Self-Advocacy When Living with a Chronic Condition

When living with a chronic condition or disability, finding and using your voice is a must.

Real Talk

Recognizing Signs of Medical Trauma When You Live with a Chronic Condition

Medical trauma is real but sometimes it can be hard to recognize. If you live with a chronic condition it is especially important to be aware of how traumatic medical scenarios can have lasting effects. If you have experienced medical trauma, it is important to know you are not alone.

Real Talk

5 Things I Wish People Knew About Migraine

While I’ve lived with migraine since my early teens, I haven't always understood the complexity of it. Here are five things I wish people understood about living with migraine.

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My Migraine Isn’t ‘Just a Headache,’ and My Experience of COVID-19 Wasn’t ‘Just a Bad Cold’

I found similarities between how people respond to migraine and COVID-19. It’s important to remember how our language affects others.

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Why Do I Always Feel Like I’m Exaggerating My Chronic Migraine Symptoms?

It's time to stop searching for validation from others and find it within myself.

Real Talk

7 Things I Wish People Would Stop Saying About Migraine… And What to Say Instead

Migraine is stigmatized and so misunderstood. Sometimes, even well-meaning advice can be hurtful.

Real Talk

We Need to Talk About Ableism and COVID-19

The issues that disabled and chronic condition communities face as a result of the pandemic are being ignored too easily.

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How I’m Making Peace with the Never-Ending Pandemic

Those of us living with a chronic condition are used to navigating an unknown future.

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Sex, Communication, and Chronic Pain

How the kink community helped me confront unsafe patterns and foster empowering sexual connections.

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What I Learned About Chronic Illness Coaches While Seeking Support for a New Diagnosis

Being diagnosed with Crohn’s disease left me feeling overwhelmed and alone. It was challenging to find the social and emotional support I needed.

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Medical Gaslighting Is Real, and It May Have Happened to You

A patient’s word should be believed. You shouldn't need to fight to advocate for your health when you're feeling your worst.

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How Virtual Care Has Changed My Chronic Illness Treatment

The option of virtual care used to be a dream for managing my chronic illness. It took a pandemic for that dream to come true.

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Living with Undiagnosed Chronic Pain Is Hard, But Please Don’t Give Up

When you live with undiagnosed pain, self-advocacy, hope, and resilience are key.

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I Have a Chronic Condition. Here’s Why I Hate New Year’s Resolutions

The unpredictability of living with a chronic condition can make it hard to stick with your plans. One writer shares why this year, she's saving herself the pressure and avoiding unrealistic resolutions.

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Having a Chronic Illness Helped Me Prepare for the Uncertainty of the Pandemic

Managing ulcerative colitis means accepting the unpredictability of life. That skill has become invaluable during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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How Living with Chronic Illness Has Helped Improve My Relationship with My Body

Whether you live with a chronic illness or not, living in a body is a complex experience.

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The Mental Toll of Disability Is Inflating — We Have to Do Something

The weight of living in a world that doesn’t consider disabled people’s needs is piling on. Something has to change.

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How I’ve Coped with Chronic Illness Throwing My Life Plans Out of Orbit

Being diagnosed with a chronic condition, like MS, can throw your life plans off course. Grieving the losses and finding ways to move forward is a process.

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A Flare Does Not Mean You’ve Done Something “Wrong”

When you live with chronic pain, you can’t stop the weather, but you can learn to adjust your sails.

Real Talk

6 Things I Wish People Understood About Migraine

The common frustration for those with migraine disorders is that we live with an invisible illness.

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Why I Advocate: Alexes’ Migraine Story

Alexes Griffin helps unite the Migraine Healthline community while offering friendship, hope, and support.

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How I Face the Stigma of Living with Migraine as a Man

Chronic migraine disproportionately affects women, occurring 3 times more than in men.

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My Journey Through Infertility and Pregnancy with Chronic Migraine

Living with chronic vestibular migraine has taught me that I’m so much stronger than I ever thought I could be.

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My Experience with the COVID-19 Vaccine and Chronic Migraine

My fears about the vaccine triggering a migraine attack didn't come true, and I can't wait to hug my parents again soon.

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What I’ve Learned By Being Open About Migraine in Public

Choosing to be unapologetically open about my life with migraine has helped me connect with others, prioritize my own health, and show up as my whole self.

Real Talk

Oppression as a Migraine Trigger: Navigating Chronic Illness in a Fat, Brown, Queer, Immigrant Woman’s Body

Here's how I navigate chronic illness in a fat, brown, queer, immigrant woman's body.

Real Talk

Working from Bed Isn’t Lazy — It’s Accessible

As a disabled person, working from bed makes it possible for me to have a job.

Real Talk

How I Balance Advocacy and Privacy Living with a Chronic Condition

Some days, sharing about my life with MS feels useful and authentic. Other times, I'd rather keep the details to myself.