Real Talk

Real Talk

Expertise Isn’t Everything: Why Bedside Manner Matters

When doctors have a mix of expertise and compassionate care, it helps us feel like we’re heard — which can make us feel more empowered and involved in our treatment plans.

Real Talk

It Happened to Me: A HIPAA Violation

HIPAA should protect your health information. Here's my experience of a HIPAA violation while receiving home healthcare.

Real Talk

Why Being a ‘Good Patient’ Could Be Harmful to Your Health

Good patient syndrome can be a response to trauma. Those of us with chronic illnesses may exhibit people-pleasing behaviors to stay on doctors’ good sides, but that can ultimately endanger our health.

Real Talk

Can Aspirin Reduce Heat Sensitivity in MS?

A recent study suggested that aspirin might help people with MS avoid an exercise-related rise in temperature that can worsen symptoms. A closer look at the research, however, made me realize that I shouldn't get too excited just yet.

Real Talk

Celebrities with MS Help Raise Awareness — but Can Also Spread Misinformation

When celebrities share their MS diagnosis, it can do a lot of good. It often raises awareness, early detection, empathy, and money. But some stars also spread misinformation as they process their new reality.

Real Talk

How to Find Control When It Feels Like Your Chronic Illness Makes All the Rules

It can easily feel like chronic illness makes all the rules. Here’s how I found control.

Real Talk

Figuring Out Life with Multiple Chronic Illnesses: How I Did It

Take it from me, pacing yourself is key.

Real Talk

Unexpected Turns: Navigating the Transition from RRMS to SPMS

Just when I thought I had my relapsing-remitting MS under control, it changed to secondary progressive MS. I’ve had to learn how to manage a whole new set of symptoms and needs.

Real Talk

An MS Blood Test: Is It Possible?

MRIs often miss disease activity, and lumbar punctures are invasive. A new blood test — if approved by the FDA — could radically alter how we diagnose, monitor, treat, and predict the course of multiple sclerosis.

Real Talk

The Honest Realities of Chronic Illness We Don’t Often Discuss

Here's how I've found ways to share unspoken realities in ways that feel right for me.

Real Talk

Real-Life Hacks for Awkward Social Moments with MS

Despite the abundance of medical information available about multiple sclerosis (MS), none of it seems to include how to navigate the moments of social awkwardness that MS can cause. So, I came up with my own social hacks.

Real Talk

10 Ways to Find Support When You Live Alone with Chronic Illness

Living alone with a condition can be challenging, but there are people who want to help.

Real Talk

How Mainstream Brands Are Making Furniture Accessible for All

From beauty to fashion, industries have begun to make their products more inclusive. But what about furniture?

Real Talk

5 Ways I Prepare for a Doctor’s Appointment

Be prepared with any questions — and any new info or answers — that have arisen since your last visit, so your doctor can address all your concerns.

Real Talk

'You Don't Look Like You Have MS,' and Other Myths We Need to Debunk

Many people have expectations about what MS "should" look like, but the range of symptoms — and the invisibility of many of them — can leave us feeling misunderstood. Let's change that for MS Awareness Month.

Real Talk

How to Adapt to Life with an Incurable Condition

When we accept the painful parts of life, it can become more beautiful.

Real Talk

This Is RRMS: Michael Embraces His New Self

Michael D. opens up about his relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis and shares how socializing makes the hard days better.

Real Talk

This Is RRMS: André Takes Life Step by Step

Meet Bezzy MS community member André and read his biggest advice for anyone diagnosed with relapse-remitting multiple sclerosis.

Real Talk

5 Promises I Made to Myself and How They’ve Changed

Some promises helped, but most had to change for me to live well with rheumatoid arthritis. Here's why and what they mean to me now.

Real Talk

How to Respond to Chronic Illness Comments During the Holidays

These funny or serious responses can help combat well-intentioned yet sometimes misguided comments.

Real Talk

My Disability Parking Placard Symbolized Everything I Couldn’t Do

For a long time, I felt judged for using it with my invisible disability. Then I realized not using it was limiting me even more than my MS was doing on its own.

Real Talk

The Truth About Chronic Illness and Fatigue

Fatigue is common in those living with chronic illnesses. But this symptom is often treated as an afterthought. Here's what you should know and what might help.

Real Talk

This Is RRMS: Michelle Opens Up About Her Journey

Michelle Hahn shares her diagnosis story and what she wishes others understood about relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

Real Talk

What Twitter’s Downfall Means for Chronic Condition Communities

The chronic condition community on Twitter has changed my life. I'm worried about what will happen without it.

Real Talk

This Is RRMS: Elizabeth Turns Pain into Purpose

Bezzy MS ambassador Elizabeth shares her advocacy story with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

Real Talk

Unhidden’s Founder Talks About Creating Clothes for Every Body

Providing dignity and identity to those living with disabilities is at the core of Unhidden's mission. Learn more about this adaptive clothing brand that featured at London Fashion Week.

Real Talk

How Do You Respond to Ableist Remarks?

Ableist comments express the belief or attitude that nondisabled bodies are normal or better than disabled bodies. Ableist comments can range from subtle microaggressions to invasive questions from strangers to words that can only be categorized as slurs. Here’s how I handle them.

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

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 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

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

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

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

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

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

MS Is Bad, but It’s Not the Worst Thing That Could Happen to Me

Everyone experiences tragedy, loss, illness or other difficulties in their lives. Comparing suffering doesn't usually help — except when it does.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ask Ardra Anything: When Should I Use a Mobility Aid?

Blogger Ardra Shephard, tackles readers' questions about life with MS, and when it makes sense to use a wheelchair or other mobility devices.

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

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

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

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

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

‘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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

#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

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

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

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.

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’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

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

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

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

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 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

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

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.