Real Talk

Real Talk

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.

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.

Real Talk

Ask Ardra Anything: Why My New Year’s Resolutions Have Nothing to Do with MS

Health is only one component of happiness. I choose to focus my goals on things I can control.

Real Talk

The Importance of Advocacy When You Live With MS

MS advocacy is about all of us working toward a common goal. And there are so many ways, large and small, to participate.

Real Talk

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.

Real Talk

I Have MS and I’m a Man. Here’s Why That Matters

Society expects men to just "tough it out," but that's not a helpful approach for physical or emotional pain associated with multiple sclerosis.

Real Talk

MS Representation in Pop Culture: What’s Wrong (and Right)

Even when their portrayal is imperfect, characters in TV, film, and books who live with MS raise awareness and give hope to real people living with the disease.

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

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

Why Summer Is the Season of Envy When You Have MS

Living with MS often means watching from the sidelines as others go about their lives. Sometimes that leads to envy. Here's how to overcome it.

Real Talk

8 Reasons Getting a Puppy Is One of the Best Things I’ve Done for My MS

Multiple sclerosis can suck some of the fun out of life, but dogs are pure joy.

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.

Real Talk

This Treatment Helped Me Walk Again with MS

The results weren't permanent, but I'll cherish the memory of regaining my mobility.

Real Talk

#FreeBritney: Tabloid Fodder or Disability Rights Issue?

Britney Spears’ legal battle sheds light on ableism and guardianship abuse.

Real Talk

Hiding an MS Diagnosis Is Way Too Common — Something Has to Change

Fear of discrimination and stigma causes a third of people to hide their MS diagnosis.

Real Talk

My MS Diagnosis Sent Me Down a Rabbit Hole of Miracle ‘Cure-Alls’

Modern-day purveyors of false hope are the snake oil merchants of old.

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

10 Outrageous Things People Have Actually Said to Me About My Chronic Illness

People with MS and other chronic illnesses hear outrageous comments like these all the time.

Real Talk

What I Want to Say When You Ask How I’m Doing with MS

"How are you?" is a simple question, but it can be hard to answer truthfully when you're in pain.

Real Talk

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.

Real Talk

Why I Advocate: Elizabeth’s MS Story

The Bezzy MS community gave her something she never had — connections with other people with MS.

Real Talk

Why I Choose Positivity in the Face of Chronic Illness

My mantra, 'living a positive life while chronically ill,' feels more necessary now than it ever has.

Real Talk

How I Am Redefining What ‘Sick’ Looks Like for Black Women Living with Multiple Sclerosis

In everything I read after my MS diagnosis, Black women seemed to have been erased from the narrative.

Real Talk

MS Research Has Been Ignoring the Black Community. It’s Time That Changed

Wouldn’t it be great to know which treatments worked best for all of us living with MS?

Real Talk

Dear Able-Bodied Folks: Your COVID-19 Fear Is My Year-Round Reality

As COVID-19 invades our communities, able-bodied people are experiencing the same kind of fear that millions of people who live with compromised immune systems face all the time.

Real Talk

Ask Ardra Anything: Does Having MS Mean I Have to Give Up Looking Good?

Even on days when you feel weak or fatigued from MS, you can still look and feel great by using these shortcuts and hacks.

Real Talk

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.

Real Talk

This Is What It’s Like Being a Teacher with MS During the Pandemic

COVID-19 is not only a physical danger, but it’s also made the negative parts of being a teacher seem even worse.

Real Talk

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

10 Things I Wish I Knew When I Was Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis

From mental health and relationship challenges to finding the best treatment options, there's so much I wish I knew 20 years ago.

Real Talk

Getting the Bacon: Reflections on Life with MS During the Pandemic

Micah Love shares reflections on life with multiple sclerosis during the COVID-19 pandemic, plus National MS Society resources that can help.

Real Talk

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.

Real Talk

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.

Real Talk

‘Introducing, Selma Blair’ Hits Close to Home for the MS Community

At times, watching the documentary felt like tempting fate or touching the void of an unwanted future.

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

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

What I Wish I’d Known When I Was First Diagnosed with MS

If I'd been given a more complete picture of what to expect — the good and the bad — I'd have made different decisions.

Real Talk

Worth a Shot? Why I Decided to Stop Taking DMTs for My Progressive MS

It’s such a fraught, personal decision. But after more than two decades of failed treatments, my neurologist agreed they were no longer helping me.

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

An Open Letter to the Partner Who Lives This MS Life Alongside Me

We promised to love each other in sickness and in health. Then MS came along.

Real Talk

The Way We Treat the Undiagnosed Needs to Change

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

Real Talk

We Need to Talk More About Pain in MS

If we don't address it, pain can take a heavy toll on our lives.

Real Talk

How I Stopped Running — Because of MS and From MS

I've learned to grieve the loss of my physical abilities and attributes, and in the process have found so much more.

Real Talk

How I Overcame Compulsive Shopping to Cope with My Body Image

MS changed how I felt about my body. Buying clothes and makeup helped — until it didn't.

Real Talk

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

5 Things I Wish People Understood About Multiple Sclerosis

It would make life a lot easier if a few things about MS became common knowledge.

Real Talk

What I’d Tell Someone with a New MS Diagnosis

If you've just been diagnosed with MS, you may be feeling overwhelmed, confused, or alone. Here are some nuggets of wisdom to help you get through it.

Real Talk

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.

Real Talk

Why I Advocate: Wendy’s MS Story

As an ambassador for the Bezzy MS community, Wendy Lerch offers the peer support she wishes she had when she was first diagnosed.

Real Talk

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.

Real Talk

8 Things That Aren’t Helpful to Say to Someone with MS — and What to Say Instead

People often mean well, but words can harm. Instead of replies that sting and trivialize suffering, here's what to say when a friend or loved one tells you about their multiple sclerosis.

Real Talk

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.