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.
December 02, 2021
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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.
December 02, 2021
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.
May 27, 2021
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.
January 14, 2021
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.
August 03, 2021
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.
June 12, 2020
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.
July 28, 2020
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Real Talk
I Have a Chronic Illness. Here’s Why I Hate New Year’s Resolutions
I Have a Chronic Illness. Here’s Why I Hate New Year’s Resolutions
December 15, 2020
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.
December 02, 2021
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.
February 17, 2022
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.
April 25, 2022
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.
November 11, 2020
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.
August 26, 2021
Real Talk
Why Climate Change Is an Urgent Concern for People with MS
People with multiple sclerosis often have heat sensitivity, which can worsen existing symptoms or trigger new ones. When climate change results in more hot weather, people with MS can experience health consequences.
March 21, 2021
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.
September 08, 2020
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.
September 14, 2021
Real Talk
#FreeBritney: Tabloid Fodder or Disability Rights Issue?
Britney Spears’ legal battle sheds light on ableism and guardianship abuse.
July 16, 2021
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.
December 02, 2021
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.
March 23, 2022
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.
July 31, 2021
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.
November 09, 2021
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.
March 20, 2020
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.
December 17, 2020
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.
September 29, 2021
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.
June 29, 2021
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?
July 23, 2020
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.
November 08, 2021
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.
April 15, 2021
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.
August 25, 2020
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.
August 10, 2020
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.
April 15, 2021