Explaining Chronic Illness to People Who Don’t Understand | A Chronic Voice

*Note from A Chronic Voice: Marie makes some relatable points in this post, as many who are chronically ill often have trouble explaining chronic illness and the pain they’re in. And with the way modern society is structured, we are often guilt ridden, and feel like a burden to our friends and family. It is […]

A Day in the Life of a 'POTSie' (A What??) | A Chronic Voice

*Note from A Chronic Voice: Keira is a young lady who lives with Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), a.k.a. a “POTSie”. On top of that, she has five other major chronic and mental illnesses. She also likes photography, animal behaviour and travelling, and seizes those rare good moments to enjoy these lovely hobbies. In this blog […]

The Chronic Pain Cycle & How to Break It (Top Tips From an Occupational Therapist) | A Chronic Voice

*Note from A Chronic Voice: Cynthia Hill is an occupational therapist with over 25 years of experience. She aims to help her clients – many of whom live with chronic pain or disability – regain their quality of life as best as they possibly can. She has always had a special interest in hand injuries, […]

When Autoimmune Disorder Ravages Your Face (and How That Led to My Body Dysmorphic Disorder) - Guest Post by: Julia Métraux | A Chronic Voice

*Note from A Chronic Voice: Julia is passionate about writing and contributes to various online publications. She aims to raise awareness on rare diseases and mental health, and we’re honoured to have her share her story with us here today. The stress of living with either chronic illness, permanent injury, or mental illness is one […]

How to Use the Tetris Effect to Invite Positivity Back into Your Life, Despite Chronic Illness | A Chronic Voice

What’s the Tetris Effect Got to do with Chronic Illness? Wait! Don’t stop reading – I’m definitely not about to start talk about gaming! While the Tetris effect may have started out with a phenomenon identified from heavy video game use, the Tetris effect is now used to describe instances when people devote so much […]

3 Reasons Why I Don’t Let Chronic Illness Prevent Me from Living a Normal Life | A Chronic Voice

*Note from A Chronic Voice: It’s our pleasure to have Trevor with us today. I am always on the lookout for male voices within the chronic illness community as they are rarer, yet equally as important. The male to female ratio for many chronic illnesses lean toward women. For example, nine out ten people with […]

7 Ways to Be a Better Friend to Someone with a Chronic Illness (and 3 Things You Should Never Do) | A Chronic Voice

*Note from A Chronic Voice: Erica shares some simple tips on how you can be a good friend to someone with chronic illness. It’s difficult to put yourself in their shoes, and I wouldn’t expect that of anyone. But showing some empathy is possible, and providing a listening ear is always appreciated. Most importantly of […]

Mainstream: Can You Talk to Us About ME? (There's Enough 'Normal' Health Tips to Go Around Already) | A Chronic Voice

Constantly I am inundated with article titles, statements, and ‘tips’ that tell me that the key to being healthy is a good night’s sleep. Or that exercise is essential to healthy living. Yes, these things are great for most people. But they do not work for me or ME. What is ME? Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) […]

Hey You...It's Me (M.E. Struggles & a Tribute to the Human Spirit) | www.achronicvoice.com

*Note from A Chronic Voice: Lisa does have a way with words, as she pours her heart out into this powerful piece about M.E. (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis) and her struggles with it. She is a regular contribution on this blog, and I always look forward to what she has to say. The coping strategies and knowledge […]

The Value in Seeking Out Moments of Gratitude (and How to do it) | www.achronicvoice.com

*Note from A Chronic Voice: Lisa is writing a series of guest posts on the blog on effective methods to cope with chronic illness, principles which she has applied to her own life with success. In this article, she shares how her initial skepticism (and even derision!) about using a gratitude journal turned into an […]