Real Talk

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

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

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

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

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’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

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

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

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

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

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

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

#FreeBritney: Tabloid Fodder or Disability Rights Issue?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.