Real Talk

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

How Chronic Illness Affects More Than Just Your Physical Health

The nonphysical effects of living with a chronic condition are often ignored or underestimated. We need to change that. These are nine ways that living with a chronic condition has affected my life and strategies I've found to help me cope.

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

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

From Practitioner to Patient: My Journey Navigating an RA Diagnosis

Welcome to From Practitioner to Patient, a column by Stefanie Remson about living with arthritis. Stefanie is both a nurse practitioner and a patient living with RA. She’s here to share what she has learned from her own experiences as a patient and to de-mystify the medical side of navigating arthritis through her knowledge as a nurse practitioner.

Real Talk

How I Explain My Pain to People Who Don’t “Get It”

Pain is different for everyone. The same type of pain may affect different people differently, which complicates how to talk about it with others. 

Real Talk

Self-Love and Body Image with Arthritis

Chronic conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis can affect much of your life, but they do not get to steal your confidence. You deserve to feel beautiful and celebrate the body you are in. It may not always be easy, but it is worth the work.

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

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

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

I’m in Remission from Rheumatoid Arthritis — Why Do I Feel So Guilty About It?

Finding out I was in remission from RA was a happy moment, but I felt guilty. Years later, I still haven’t completely moved away from that emotion.

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 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

How I Wear My Costume of Wellness for RA This Halloween

This Halloween season, remember to wear your costume of wellness mindfully.

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

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

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

How I’ve Coped with Chronic Illness Throwing My Life Plans Out of Orbit

Being diagnosed with a chronic condition, like MS, can throw your life plans off course. Grieving the losses and finding ways to move forward is a process.

Real Talk

Why I Share My RA Story on Social Media

I kept my rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis a secret for a long time and suffered in silence. Speaking out on social media saved me.

Real Talk

How to Rebuild Trust with Doctors After a Misdiagnosis

When it comes to living with a chronic condition, the doctor-patient relationship will be one of the most important connections you ever build.

Real Talk

The Truth About Rheumatoid Arthritis: 7 Things I Wish People Understood About My Chronic Illness

Rheumatoid arthritis is much more than just joint pain.

Real Talk

Don’t Take Away My Methotrexate! How Roe v. Wade Has Changed Vital Medication Access

Overturning Roe v. Wade has far-reaching consequences for many communities — including access to needed medication like methotrexate.

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

My Experience with the Third COVID-19 Vaccine Dose and Rheumatoid Arthritis

I was pleasantly surprised when the third dose became available and felt relieved when I received the dose with no unforeseen complications.

Real Talk

10 Realities of Living with RA That Might Surprise You

Managing a chronic condition requires so much more than just soothing your symptoms. Writer Stefanie Remson talks about how you must adjust for it in all corners of your life.

Real Talk

My Journey Through Gaslighting and Misdiagnoses with Psoriatic Arthritis

The psoriatic arthritis was there all along, but no one was seeing the full picture. I was being treated joint by joint, pain by pain, rather than as a whole person.

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

Rheumatoid Arthritis Awareness Day: A Day in My Life

Blogger and chemist, Alexis Rochester, has lived with RA for 26 years. On this Rheumatoid Arthritis Awareness Day, she shares what her current day-to-day life looks like.

Real Talk

#FreeBritney: Tabloid Fodder or Disability Rights Issue?

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

Real Talk

6 Things You Should Never Say to Someone with Arthritis

As someone who's had arthritis for 8 years, I can tell you there are some things you should never say to someone living with arthritis.

Real Talk

A Flare Does Not Mean You’ve Done Something “Wrong”

When you live with chronic pain, you can’t stop the weather, but you can learn to adjust your sails.

Real Talk

9 Mistakes People Make When Talking About Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sometimes, it’s better to say nothing at all.

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

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

What It’s Like to Receive a Rheumatoid Arthritis Diagnosis in Your 20s

Receiving a diagnosis of a chronic illness in your 20s can feel like an extremely life-limiting change, but with the right support, you'll find your way.

Real Talk

How I’ve Coped with Chronic Illness Throwing My Life Plans Out of Orbit

Being diagnosed with a chronic condition, like MS, can throw your life plans off course. Grieving the losses and finding ways to move forward is a process.

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 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

Effie Koliopoulos and Her New Book, ‘Keeping It Real with Arthritis: Stories from Around the World’

When Effie received a rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis, there were few resources that helped her understand the true realities of the condition. Her new book features 119 individual stories from people living with arthritis so that people can feel seen.

Real Talk

Working from Bed Isn’t Lazy — It’s Accessible

As a disabled person, working from bed makes it possible for me to have a job.