Managing Somatic Symptom Disorder Inside a Multitude of Chronic Illnesses

Colby has 11 chronic illness and mental health diagnoses. These include chronic pain (currently diagnosed as fibromyalgia), PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome), asthma, IBS, eczema, PTSD, depression, anxiety, bipolar, ADHD and somatic symptom disorder. That last diagnosis might be the least well-known of Colby’s illnesses. According to psychiatry.org, “somatic symptom disorder Read more…

Living with Dissociative Identity Disorder

Gryph has been living with dissociative identity disorder (DID) since early childhood, having developed 15 distinct identities or ‘alters’. He says, “Many of my alters have been around since the age of 2, so by the time I was diagnosed, they had 20 years of life experiences under their belts.” Read more…

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Meet the Stimpunks, Supporting Neurodivergent and Disabled Individuals Directly

The Stimpunks Foundation exists for the direct support and mutual aid of neurodivergent and disabled people. Oftentimes that can look as simple as just giving people cash, as studies have shown that no strings attached financial aid is one of the most effective ways to prop up individuals in need. Read more…

Opening Up About Mental Health: Rachel Guyer-Mafune on Anxiety, Depression, ADHD and Bipolar Disorder

This week on the Major Pain podcast, Seattle based performer Rachel Guyer-Mafune discusses her history with mental health challenges, including anxiety, depression, ADHD and bipolar disorder. Although she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in freshman year of college, she is only now beginning to open up about this diagnosis publicly. Read more…

Karra Eloff on Maintaining Joyful Relationships in Spite of Chronic Illness or Chronic Pain

Karra Eloff wants to help individuals living with chronic pain or chronic illness maintain joyful relationships. She is the author of The Chronic Pain Couple: How To Be a Joyful Partner & Have a Remarkable Relationship in Spite of Chronic Pain. Her book is the result of years of research, Read more…

Years After Being Propped Up as a Bipolar Success Story, Genevieve Questions the Messaging She Was Directed To Share

As a senior in high school, Genevieve won an essay contest writing about the changes she’d like to see with the stigma surrounding bipolar disorder. This brought her to the attention of a foundation aimed at raising bipolar awareness, and at 19 years old she began touring with a state Read more…

Crohn’s Disease and Deep Vein Thrombosis Inspired Douglas To Become a Chinese Medicine Practitioner and Sex Therapist

Throughout his life, Douglas had been plagued by random episodes of fever, but they usually passed on their own and he was able to mostly ignore them. That all changed in his late 20s, when a particularly horrible fever took him to the emergency room. Doctors discovered an infection from Read more…

Maintaining Employment with a Disability: Learn if Vocational Rehabilitation is Right for You

Vocational rehabilitation (voc rehab) services are available in every city of the United States, but many qualifying individuals are unaware of this pathway towards long term employment. These services are designed to help people with diagnosed physical and intellectual disabilities, mental health challenges, and some chronic illnesses to find and Read more…

A Diagnosis from Every Category: Ankylosing Spondylitis, Vestibular Migraines, Bipolar Disorder and More

Kevin has been on a diagnostic roller coaster over the past few years. He was working in a management position at a museum when he started having trouble walking, difficulty straightening up and intense pain in his feet. He also developed uveitis in his eyes, a painful inflammatory condition that Read more…

Living with Fibromyalgia and Rheumatoid Arthritis

Kelcie’s life has been frustratingly intertwined with her chronic pain journey. She was originally diagnosed with palindromic rheumatism in her late teens, which would eventually progress into rheumatoid arthritis. In her late 20s she slowly began to experience mysterious widespread pain, accompanied by exhaustion and brain fog. Being diagnosed with Read more…