Living with a Chronic Disease
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- Опубліковано 1 жов 2024
- A companion video to today's vlogbrothers video, which hasn't been uploaded yet (sorry, busy day) in which I talk about having a chronic, incurable, bastard of a disease (ulcerative colitis) and why I am so extremely lucky to have the support of friends and family and the internet community.
If you have IBD or want to help people who do, you can go to www.ccfa.org
"You will lose normal and you will have a new normal." I think this is the best thing he's ever said.
True dat
The description is apt...
yea uh ..
It sounds like something out of a John Green book!
This is very applicable in today’s circumstances (2020)
The worst thing is always getting told "you don't look sick" when you struggle a lot with a disease...
i find it relieving that nobody has to fret over me
Jennings Zhang I get that but I guess it makes you invalid and bad
lily smith my boyfriends mom told him I can't have lupus because the one person she met with lupus didn't have hair...cause yeah...logic
Yeah...I real with chronich shoulder paín cuz of an over use injury, I've been dealing with it for about a year and a half now (I'm 14). I have realitivly sevre tendinitis which ,earns my tendons aren't strong enough to hold my joint in place correctly. You can't tell just by looking. Of course I have ups and downs depending on tons of factors so every few months I'm in a sling for a few weeks to just help support my arm and give my tendons a break. Because its chronic pain and more severe than most cases a lot of people think I'm just playing it up and dragging out my injury for show. If you actually bothered to read this whole thing, I'm not sure y, but thx
Nunyer Byzness thank you so much. I'm so sorry about your shoulders. I wish you all the best.
Hank has IBD? I have Crohn's, and it sucks, but I can't believe I've been following someone that knows what it's like and handles it so well. Thanks Hank
+Jacob Hamblin Daryl Palumbo has Crohn's too
Seriously? That's awesome. Not that he has Crohn's, but that he doesn't let it stop him
+Jacob Hamblin i have crohn s too , and a colostomy , yep it sucks but some people handles it reaaly well
Crohns here too
My boyfriend has this also. I am the one who feeds and cooks for him to keep his big apatite fa filled
"The New Normal" should be the name of a series or documentary about people with chronic or incurable diseases or other things aimed at improving understanding and removing stigmas.
Yes please. This please.
I have just experienced a bruh moment.
Those three words are not it anymore
When I first watched this 8 years ago I didn’t have a chronic disease. I am now in the process of being diagnosed with a chronic joint/muscle pain disease and I happened across this video again. So much of it makes more sense to me now.
NOTICE HOW THE BOOKS ARE ORGANIZED BY COLOR.
that was c/katherine’s doing! :)
I couldn't stop staring at it lol
One of my neighbors had his colon removed in his 50's due to cancer. He just turned 100 this past summer, has been married 75 years, and still lives independently in his own home.
Woah :0
I thought you said married 75 times lmao. Not sure whether to be proud or concerned or what
@@SpiderWick12 Haha. No, he married his high school sweetheart, and they remained married until she died at age 101. He died several years ago at 105.
@@raymondhertz1476 Pretty good life all things considered
@@curranfrank2854 You got that right.
I've been watching your's and John's channel for around a year now and it was only when I watched you interview with Obama yesterday that I found out you had a chronic illness. Being the nosey person I am, I wanted to know what it was and when I found out it was ulcerative colitis I almost cried. My doctors and I are 90% sure I have the same and am having colonoscopy on Monday to confirm, but as selfish as it sounds, I am so so glad one of my idols has the same horrible illness that I probably do. Not because I want you to suffer, of course, but just because you are living proof that people can live fulfilling, happy lives with this disease. You have put my mind at rest slightly, so thank you so much xx
Those were very beautifully put words, Katie. Just look at life's difficulties as obstacles that make life a little more interesting. Good luck to you!
thank you so much! xx
I got the same disease. The first years will be complicated because its a very big change in your life. But then you get used to. And after that it will be better and better, i got this disease for 8 years now. If you need some advise or you just want to talk about the illness don't hesitate! Take care :)
thank you so much for your lovely comment! thankfully i've done a lot of research and kind of diagnosed myself a few months ago so i've pretty much come to terms with it, but yes, i've already noticed the changes it is making. thank again though!! x
*****
Hank Green, coining the phrase "the new normal" 8 years before the pandemic. Truly a man before his time.
I came down here to comment the same thing!
He didn't coin it. It's a known phrase, and not obscure. Maybe back then he hadn't heard it but he certainly didn't coin it in the world.
"You will lose normal and you will have a new normal." - 2020 has proven this to be incredibly correct.
A partner who sticks by you through chronic disease, without baggage or resentment, is a gift beyond measure. I am happy for you, Hank, that you've found someone who stands by you through your illness. I hope one day to find someone like that to stand by me in mine.
I watch this video every couple of weeks to remind me that illness doesn't have to ruin your life. I hope I'll get to that point too at some point.
It's nine years after you made this comment, if you still use this account, are you at that point yet?
I've just started my journey and I'm having a real hard time adjusting.
@@tabsonthecomputer8480I don't know about that person, but I will say it takes time for sure. And different people will need different amounts of timento adjust. I hope you have a support group in-person or online. It really makes a difference, even if you just lurk and listen/read. There will be a lot of tips for making life easier and also knowing there are others who understand exactly what you are going through. Good luck.
I can relate to this because the disease you have has a stigma around it. I was recently diagnosed with an incurable STD, and the hardest part of dealing with it is the stigma and shame that comes with it. I have heroes and I'm constantly reminded by the media that my disease is a joke. Having HVS-2 doesn't mean you're "dirty" or "easy". I take hygiene very seriously and have had only 3 sexual partners. I appreciate this video and you being so honest about your disease. It makes me feel better about myself.
You are not damaged goods:)
I know this is from really long ago, but I hope, three years later, it's gotten easier for you. With HSV-2, soooo many more people have it than are diagnosed, because they never show signs of it. Which yeah, that sucks.
I think more folks need to know this, so that they can ask for the HSV test when they get tested for STDs. It's not standard yet, to include it an STD panel, because so many doctors haven't caught up with the new research that shows that it's common to have it, but not show signs of it. They usually only test when someone's had their first outbreak, which, yeah, isn't that useful, in terms of prevention of giving it to someone else.
Like N. Fer. said, no one with HSV-2 is damaged goods. You're a nerdfighter, which qualifies you for the awesome-people category. :D It's just a silly little rash that happens sometimes.
no worries, it's just a rush!!
i have herpes too, and it pops out once every ~6 months when i am taking care of myself (eating good, exercise etc.. )
but.. when i am depressed and skip meals then.. it pops out right after 1-2 days.
i can only imagine that for a woman, whose reproductive organs are inside it is worse.
how are you doing (pain-wise)?
can you even see it to aply some "zovirax" (the paste the doctor gave me)?
How'd you get it then? People think you're easy and dirty because of the way they imagine it was caught
Oh darling what a burden to carry. You don't deserve it and it doesn't say anything about you other than you're bound to be more compassionate and understanding to people struggling with something. Your honesty is impressive to me. I wish you nothing but good things from now on. X
I've got endometriosis, and every time I explain "There's uterine lining outside of my uterus that really messes stuff up"... yeah... it's a very similar "oh ewwwww" reaction. I don't have nearly as bad day-to-day issues thankfully, but obviously I have the horrible days with exhaustion or cramps that I swear are caused by a blade of Mordor. The worst part hasn't actually been the illness itself, but dealing with people's reactions. I've had teachers blame me for issues caused by my disease and can't understand that the symptoms aren't a constant, but just will randomly strike. I've had people be very immature about my disease just because it has to do with the reproductive system. (Seriously, folks, get over it.) Mostly, though, I'm lucky that I got diagnosed early and have had a fantastic support system of people who get that although my disease does dictate a lot of my life, it doesn't define me.
I think it would make a lot of impact on the chronic illness community if you vlogged about this more, as you are incredibly insightful and optimistic about how hard it can be to live with such discomforts every single day as dealing with some kind of chronic illness! Your insight about a 'New Normal' is really helpful to finding acceptance about living with such difficult experiences!
Yess
+
Living with type one diabetes since I was 11 years old, I don't think I've ever related to a video more than this one. When you talked about the sick period and the diagnosis, I thought back to my three days in the hospital when I was basically being told every day how my life was going to be. It took me a long time to accept the "new normal," as you put it.
Also, when you talked about the thoughts of "how am I ever going to do this?" I related a LOT to that. People always tell me "I could never do what you do, I'm terrified of needles," but what they don't understand is that I was horribly afraid of needles before I had to have four needles stuck into me every day. Yes, I was afraid of needles, but I was afraid of dying more, and that was my only option. It doesn't matter if you want to do it or not, you just have to.
It's so refreshing to have someone you look up to so much understand. Thank you, Hank.
+Musical Laura I've had type one since I was 2 yo and I think that has actually made it easier since there was no "new normal" there was always just "normal" so I feel very lucky about that, it must be so hard to have to make such a big change
sane I've been t1d since I was ten. The new normal thing is so relatable I almost cryed
+Musical Laura often people feel worst than me for having diabetes, they are like "oops sorry", they don't get that for my is my kind of 'normal'
+Musical Laura i totally agree. Although I was born with a chronic lung disease, it caused me to develop diabetes similar to type one later on and at first it was very annoying to deal with on top of my other medication and all but you just get used to it now being normal
+Musical Laura I do too, from the same age, and I've been extremely embarrassed and insecure about having it for so long it became worse for me. people treated me like i was sick and "special" and I hated my life.. now i wish i'd had this video to support me through that. Yay for honesty and real issues..
when he said i'm getting teary while explaining his relationship with his wife. More romantic then romantic movie scenes
People never understand the lives we have to live. The new normal exists; I found it after being symptomatic for 9 years before officially being diagnosed with Systemic Lupus just over four years ago.
I'm desensitized by dressing up in clothing that looks like I've just thrown on multicoloured potato sacks, but keep me comfortable throughout the day; desensitized to the glares of onlookers who catch a 27 year old woman using a walking stick (one with a pretty nifty Sugarpill Cosmetics glitter decal); desensitized to having fatigue spells in the middle of being out on an errand.
The chronic life is not for the weak, but don't you dare call us weak when we complain about symptoms and why we can't do things some days. It's going to stick around so hard that it becomes a part of who we are. Don't ever say otherwise.
But by hell is this sort of thing going to stop us from being human.
I was just diagnosed in March of this year. This helps a lot. At least a UA-camr who understands the struggles of chronic disease.
+
What is Systemic Lupus? I feel like you'd be an authority on the subject
I was diagnosed two years ago. I'm 18 years old and it's been the most life altering thing. I've lost many of the people I confided in because I don't leave my house much anymore due to pain and fatigue mixed with a fear of the sun. I've done pretty well though, considering how young I am. And I kind of take pride in the fact that I'm still moving on despite the circumstance. It's changed me but I believe it was for the better. I'm not going to let something like this define me. I know it sounds horrible but I'm glad you're in the same boat. Not because I like that you have it. But I like that you understand. I wish you the absolute best.
Emmy Rota Systemic Lupus is an autoimmune disease that makes the immune system attack healthy tissues and organs (in short). Some people have a less threatening version that just effects the skin but there is still a lot of pain and fatigue that goes along with it (Cutaneous Lupus). Neither of these are very well known and there is no cure at the moment. Where I live (Southeast Missouri) there are no doctor's who know of the condition. So I have to travel to get to a doctor who can actually take care of me.
I can relate to this. I have had brain surgery and a side effect of this is anterograde amnesia, which is incurable.
I have difficulties making memories and I almost always forget things after I do it unless I repeat the memory for at least 5 or so minutes.
JOKE ALERT
At least I think I do, I can't remember
I came here 2 months later thinking
"I'll write a comment here about my condition"
And guess what? I forgot I had already written about it.
+TheJman0205
A little bit like .... erm what's her name again?
+TheJman0205
No it is just a slight joke on myself.
Hank this just made me love you ten times more! I have had a constant headache for three years now. When I say constant I mean constant. Doctors are puzzled so they diagnosed it as chronic facial pain. It truly has changed my life. I was in eighth grade when it started, I had to drop out of sports and school eventually in the spring. Lucky enough my grades allowed me to get a 3.5 GPA despite my two month absence. About every two months I tried school again and I just couldn't do it. The pain can get so bad that I am left shaking in the corner, my face so sensitive that I can hear and feel my blood pumping through my head.
Now I would be a sophomore. Even online schooling was too much. Now after three long years they discovered a tumor in my pituitary gland. Its an easy surgery. If all goes well then this fall I will be back in public school again.
Long story short this video is amazing and inspiring. Nerd fighters forever!
Jesus. You went through so much. Hope you’re doing better.
I really hope you're feeling better!
This needs an update :)
how are you now? i have had chronic migraine for 9 months now
“You will lose normal and you will have a new normal” hits different in 2021. 🙃
Unfortunatly I've had severe UC since I was 10. Like, honestly, for 3 years no one could definitely say whether it was Chrohns or UC. And obvously all types of IBD you pretty much have to have a bathroom on hand at all times and a change of clothes if you're off. You're totally right. You couldn't possibly count how many times you crap yourself. I couldn't even unconsciously handle the bumps in the roads on car ride, I *had* to focus on my stomach at all times. And even with that I was dragged around a lot, to faith healers. Like, I wouldn't be able to determine how long I've spent actually inside these sermons and waiting to be prayed for and stuff. That's got to be months of my life in total. Thats excluding the driving time, going all around the state, and my regular church services. Which, yeah, was shitty. Now I see how ridiculous it all was and how stressful and how that made me things even worse, but that's how I was raised and at the time that was my reality, so oh well. Outside of the pain and ridiculous discomfort I'd say the worst thing was the diet. Eating unseasoned chicken/fish, white rice, or mashed potatoes for every single meal? Not fun at all.
*But*, eventually I made the decision to have my colon removed. Really, it was easily life or death at that point since I've been dangerously anemic since the beginning. I've never been one to get all wrapped up in my problems and really soak in how shitty a situation is, I really just learn to cope and deal with things as they come, it's just how I am. And I also have been pretty open with my friends about it as well. Like it's even a running joke for me to start a story and finish it off with "Long story short... I ended up having to have my colon removed". They think it's hilarious cause they see it as horribly dramatic. And they all got that I had things I had to deal with and it's not a problem with awkwardness at all, that'd just be ridiculous. You're spot on with saying you've just got to deal with it. What's the point in wallowing in pity *and* dealing with UC? So it really wasn't that difficult of a thing to get used to, having a bag and all. I mean, it is an extremely painful operation, and that's no joke, but anyone with UC already deals with stomach pains anyways, what's another couple weeks? Although I ended up with an extremely rare complication, pyoderma gangrenosoum.(I wouldn't recommend looking it up, it's ulcers that form in your skin in muscle and directly attack nerves. For me those were like 3-4 inches deep and 5 inches wide, and right at the iliostomy site.) Honestly, the worst pain I've ver felt. But it eventually healed up after 2 years. I got to be a guinea pig and actually came up with techniques that ended up being extremely useful on my own that I passed onto my doctors who've now got actual ways to help someone out in that situation instead of saying "We've got absolutely no idea what to do.". So *something* good came out of it. But now, after the reversal was done and everything, I've been able to eat whatever I want without problem and got way more athletic than I ever could've been.
There's been some problems, but they're far and few inbetween. There's arthritis stemming directly from the UC, which I've apparently had since close to 10 it just wasn't diagnosed. But seriously having that tormenting part of me removed has drastically changed my life. The only problem I deal with directly related to that is low nutrition intake, but that's nothing really. But I honestly consider myself lucky. Even though shit stll happens, and a lot did happen, I've got a lot more good out of having that surgery.. (To be completely honest, I'd even go so far as to say that it should be atleast brought up and talked about a couple times with people with UC. Obviously it takes *a lot* to finally come to that conclusion. But man, if you feel you're able to push through it then it could change your life dramatically for the better.) It's not like it's perfect, but remarkably better. And in a way,all of it's made me feel stronger. Remembering each and every situation you encountered and you found a way to handle it, you can't help but feel better knowing that if you can put up with that like it's nearly as normal as breathing is, then what *can't* you handle?
Also, Hank, you are freaking inspiring. I truly believe anyone who hasn't dealt with this, whether witnessing a family member or having it themselves, cannot *truly* understand what all goes on. And being able to relate and seeing all that practically doesn't even phase you is remarkable. I've been able to talk to some people about it and coping and all, and they've been depressed, and that's being a couple years into it. Which I can see why, but I can't relate. I've never considered myself special with how I've just, you know, do what I do without putting much thought into anything. I could only really say is that stress really makes it worse and it's not worth the extra ontop of the hand you've been dealt, but I know that doesn't help and didn't go through that so I can't connect. It was saddening knowing this has taken a massive emotional toll on everyone I've seen in the same situation. It's really great to see someone else who is just like "It's just something that's got to be done.", and that makes me think that those others could definitely have just eventually came to the same conclusion.
I have IBS and being open with the disease is the best thing. Society needs to loose the stigma of embarrassing things because the shame of it is just detrimental with no positives.
I know this video is 10 years old, but I'm glad I found it. I've been dealing with chronic illness for the last year and I really needed to hear this
This and Molly Burkes videos taught me that pity is not always the kindness you think it is. Different kinds of lives can be good, just new, just different. Thanks Hank!
kidney tranplant guy here. people ask be how you so brave. i gave same answer as hanks. you have to do it for save your life. its common sense
My mum had her kydney removed too, she does ok
Thanks so much for this video, I can relate with having atopic dermatitis.
I hate it when people say, "Don't scratch." It's like telling someone with asthma, "Don't cough."
+Zigzag Tiger amen, same here
Omg relatable
Zigzag Tiger I know this is an old comment-- but yeah, believe it or not (as someone with asthma) yes, people do in fact say, and I quote "don't cough, it'll rough up your lungs even more." and "just breathe, take deep breaths." ...like... do you think I enjoy being unable to breathe, or what? :D
Me too buddy! Me too! Atopic dermatitis needs a lot of time resources and energy to keep it at bay. I feel you
Not saying I'm recommending anything. But it blows my mind they'd say that bc mosquito bites drive me absolutely insane. "Don't scratch" works for like 24 hours. Otherwise it's - cover (with an appropriately sized bandaid) or cool (with an icepack or some water.) Or in desperate situations, just sleep, (with assistance if needed). And so it blows my mind that like, they haven't figured it out too?
Anyway I can't imagine having something like that for so long. You have my sympathy
I have epilepsy. People don't realize how chronic a disease this is. Like, I went 10 years without a seizure and then BOOM! Seizure! So these diseases control our lives. And people don't understand.
21 years without for me. Then one day...I hope you are doing well.
I have ADHD asbergers syndrome and hyper focus disorder it does control your life and people just need to suck it up I mean it is horrible to deal with but it becomes lifestyle
redtmr 1
OWNER:swagg craft MC server
Losing your old normal and having a new normal, basically describes my struggle with an aneurysm in my brain. Even though I am recovering it still does not feel quite the same as before, but all you can do is work through it until it becomes normal again.
Get well soon!
Just...damn. I knew Hank was an awesome guy, but I never expected him to literally inspire me.
I'm 63. Seen a lot of "new normals". Thank you for sharing yours. I'd be proud to call you "my son".
In the context of your most recent video, this one acquires all sorts of new meanings.
This was posted 8 years ago, but I just wanted to let you know that this video is still being watched (and appreciated) now almost a decade later:)
I saw this video when it came out, and now just about a year later, I've been diagnosed with IBS. Having seen this before getting diagnosed made me feel like it wasn't the end of the world. So, thank you.
For me, the worst part of my chronic disease, aside from the symptoms, is people telling me it isn't real or I'm faking it. I'd rather them come up to me and say, "I'm not going to be accommodating of your disease because I don't like or care about you and I'm too lazy to work around you," than to have them say, "I'm not going to be accommodating of your disease because I don't think it's real or I think you're faking it."
If they tell me they just don't care, I'm like 'Okay, whatever, you're a dick.' But when they tell me it isn't real, it's insulting. It's insulting to tell me you think I'm a bad enough person to fake a chronic disease just to get out of obligations. It's insulting to tell me my pain and suffering isn't real or isn't that bad, and I'm just being a baby. Dealing with those insults is one of the hardest things about chronic disease, and I still haven't learned how to cope with it, even though I was diagnosed 7 years ago.
What is it ?
Chronic Migraines
for real ❤
Hank coined the term "new normal" before it was a trigger word for everyone! An icon, as always
I have a friend who is literally so proud that he has Chron's disease and its the first thing he'll tell you even before his name and it's so funny because he's 16 and still does it
I don't have a disease, but I have encountered alot of unwanted change in my life recently. The "new normal" you talked about really helped me put my situation into a better perspective!
I can relate. Especially when Hank was tearing up because he was so happy that he found is loyal, lovely Katherine. I'm depressed, and for the longest time, I had this friend, and he'd get so angry when I started being pessimisstic, but not angry at me. He'd be frustrated because he knew that I didn't want him to help me (I thought there was nothing he could do) and he'd just care SO MUCH, and even when I was in a terrible, cynical and sarcastic mood, he'd always try his best to make things better, and usually he was definitely not an affectionate person. I appreciated it.
It's ok hank i was tearing up when you did. I don't have a chronic illness and I this video definitely made me appreciate my life a bit more and to understand the term chronic illness a little better. I think it's good that you are getting this out there and that more people are feeling inspired to talk about their illness because it helps us all to be a little bit more accepting of people's illnesses.
I was diagnosed with a chronic illness towards the end of last year and I have recently started to embrace my "new normal." Thank you for sharing this, it makes me hopeful that I can still have the exciting and fantastic life I have always wanted.
Having been diagnosed with UC last year, I've been coming back to this video a lot to help me process this whole stupid "New Normal" business. I appreciate you putting your story out there and it's brought me a bit of hope that I'll eventually make peace with my circumstances. Thanks for keeping our spirits up!
I shattered my Knee in the process of dirt biking, and it never really healed all the way. You're entirely right and I know exactly what you mean: I can't really walk for extended amounts of time any longer, but I am still happy and grateful for what I have.
3:50 - I am no longer embarrassed about pooping in my pants. Or my shirt, now.
I remember recently watching your video on your ostomy surgery, love your content, I hope all is well for you!
I’ve been watching and re-watching this video as I go through testing to figure out what auto immune disorder I have. The other day on a video call with some friends while playing a role playing game, I said “pardon me, I have a chronic illness” and was able to walk away to the bathroom without needing to explain any further or put my needs on hold. I was able to do that because I have been watching this video and it made me feel more able to say something like that when I needed to say it, and for that I am thankful
“New Normal” hitting different in 2021. This is a great metaphor.
I am 14 now and when I was 2.5 years old I was diagnosed with Crohns Disease. After years of medication and careful watching of my doctors, I have been asymptomatic for about 10 years now. After my last colonoscopy my diagnosis was changed to Ulcerative Colitis. I am so lucky to have been diagnosed when I was so little because I don't know any other way of living other than not being able to eat certain foods and taking my meds and going the doctors quite often. However, I have had issues opening up to my friends about my colitis. They just don't understand how sometimes I leave class to go to the bathroom and don't come back. I really hope that one day I will build up the courage to explain what my life is like sometimes to them.
OMG YOU HAVE IBD? How did I not know this. Ugh I feel less alone. A UA-camr I look up to has the same struggle as me
YES. Exactly. This is me. I have had severe IBS for 5+ years now (they THINK it's IBS. That's what they're calling it right now because they aren't sure what is happening. It's possibly a pancreas/gallbladder issue). Knowing people can relate is such encouragement. I'm in University and I'm the girl-who-cant-sit-through-a-whole-class-without-getting-up because I always have to go to the bathroom. I carry extra clothes with me always just in case. Chronic diseases, especially ones that don't have visible symptoms, are especially because people look at you and think "well you look fine to me". Vacations, dinner outs, road trips, simple trips to the store - nothing is easy when you have a chronic disease! A support system is so necessary. Thanks Hank for this video.
I know that was nine years ago, but I relate to this so much. This was me in University and also at my job. It’s so refreshing to meet other people who share the same thing because it makes me feel like my new normal is normal.
when he started talking about how supportive his wife was i got so emotional
I got diagnosed a couple months after I turned 8 and I now just recently turned 17 which means here in a couple months will be the first year we’re I’ve had it longer than I haven’t and it hurts to know I won’t get better and I’ve spent hours on the floor just screaming and crying because I’ve missed out on so much and I will continue to and I’ve punched several books I got in the hospital because the characters claimed they got to live their lives I don’t even know if I’ll be able to hold a job because of it and I’m terrified and worried I’ll run out of medicine to try before I find something to make life okay I spent hours last night sobbing and asking the space around me why this had to be my one chance in life
'I don't know if anyone else uses this term, but I call it 'the new normal''
Oh, past Hank. Little did we know.
My sister has ulcerative colitis. ALS runs in our family. She got a non-fatal autoimmune diseases. That's like winning the lottery in our family. Of course, it is a chronic disorder, if one that does not automatically kill you.
I was a fairly regular kid, when I was young. About three years ago, though, I was diagnosed with cluster headaches. It was classified as episodic and was a sporadic thing, only flaring up for a few weeks every few months. At this time, they are chronic, and I take so many medications. I never thought I would be on 7 medications, multiple times a day, at 23. And like you said, it becomes the new normal. Life goes on, and, even if you are in pain, you just have to deal with it. Never means it's easy, though.
Main point, I feel what you mean.
+Haku0705 Have you ever considered trying psychedelics? I heard they can really help a lot with cluster head aches.
I have thought about it, though considering it would be potentially lethal to mix with some of my medications for other ailments, it's just not worth it, to me. Also, I should be working in a drug testing job, soon, and since it isn't legal, here, it would be a bad idea in that regard.
Which is stupid... Anyway! Yes, thank you for the info, regardless, though. :)
+Ghostride Thewhip Lithium has actually helped more than anything. I occasionally will take prednisone, but the lithium has been magical.
I was diagnosed with CH 10 months ago. Lithium works for me in combination with oxygen therapy and imitrex shots. Have you tried those? Also melatonin helps with night hits. Best of luck.
I've had chronic Cluster headaches for about fifteen years now. I've tried all those things the people below have said, the oxygen, the marijuana, Botox, and every drug that doctors can think of. The result is the same, I learn to live a new life. I have a few other problems in my brain but, like so many people suffering with this, I don't look sick and it's hard to get people to understand. All I am able to do for you is to understand.
I have a few chronic diseases, mainly pots (a form of dysautonomia) and gastroparesis (but as well as chronic anemia, morphea, scoliosis, had severe GERD and hiatal hernia but just had it surgically fixed) three years ago I was able to lead a semi normal life, then I had a slow downward spiral still going on, now I spend more than 90% of my day in bed it is difficult to deal with feeling like such a non productive member of society relying on other people to live. My conditions are very poorly controlled currently and I really really miss the quality of life I once had. I do hope I can one day regain some independence and be a contributing member of society, the fact I cannot do that now is probably the most difficult part of having chronic diseases.
One of my best friends has POTS.
She had a very hard time. And part of that is she wasn't diagnosed until 5 years after she got sick. She is now well enough to go to college. I hope things get better for you. I really think you will. Keep positive. It really does help.
I have POTS too! Mines pretty mild. I just get really nauseous, dizzy, foggy, and head-achey. I get really negative sometimes and I'm just like ugh this sucks why can't it just go away, and then I just give up on doing anything, which is stupid. But yeah, I kind of know how you feel. It was 6 years before I got diagnosed (I was in 2nd grade when I got sick and in 7th grade when diagnosed) and now I have a name for it and I know it's real, which kind of freaks me our. Yeah. Rant over. I hope you feel good most of the time :)
POTS, gastroparesis, and joint problems together are often a sign of an Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. I would suggest researching it if your doctors have not ruled it out.
Thanks, I did bring it up when I went to mayo clinic and after a thorough exam it was decided testing was not warranted for eds as I had no other signs
As a person with UC, I now have a new hero :) I've watched your videos for years on pretty much everything and never known you had UC. You're incredible dude
William Sculley erm I may sound like a paranoid freak but... I jave all (except 1) of the symptoms taht are listed on the set in the description and im a person that gets mildly freaked if I have 1😅😱 of the symptoms, basically I'm trying to say.. Please tell me I'm over reacting and I just have a stomach bug cos as I was reading the treatment I nearly cried 😂
William Sculley erm I may sound like a paranoid freak but... I have all (except 1) of the symptoms that are listed on the set in the description (for crohns ) and im a person that gets mildly freaked if I have 1😅😱 of the symptoms, basically I'm trying to say.. Please tell me I'm over reacting and I just have a stomach bug cos as I was reading the treatment I nearly cried 😂
I should point out I don't think anyone (definitely not my parents or grandparents ) have this so I would be the first. (and I don't know if it's related but one of my grandparents sister(I know it's a stretch )had stomach cancer and frankly I'm too scared to look since ignorance is bliss and all that plus she died from it)
unoriginal and unfunny username I would advise you, as I'm sure that Hank here would advise you, to see a GI doctor for a full diagnosis, because there are several diagnoses that can explain a lot of the symptoms, while you won't be aware of the signs.
Remember that a sign is empirically obtained information, like the sedimentation rate, white blood cell count, or the actual sighting of an ulcer with a scope, while symptoms are subjective and can point in many directions. This year, we Crohnies, as we refer to ourselves in my support group, have our first Olympic gold medalist. A president ran this country with this disease before the modern treatments we have now. And Hank here runs his own business that is madly successful. UC and Crohn's do not need to ruin your life. But if you let it go untreated like I did, it can kill you and lead to cancer because of the damage it causes. Find a GI doctor and get a colonoscopy.
I'd advise requesting the magnesium citrate to prep for the scope. You need less and it tastes better than golytely
unoriginal and unfunny username neither my parents nor grandparents had UC. For some reason, it has bounced from aunt to aunt. I'm the first male on my mom's side to have it.
Lived 20 years with ulcerative colitis, then came the colon cancer, which was caught early - get your colonoscopies, folks - living without a colon is better than the UC once you get used to the new normal. The pain is gone and the bathroom trips are no longer sudden emergencies. It’s much more manageable and I feel so much easier to deal with.
I feel that way about my mental illness
I do as well. Mental illness is treatable but not really curable... and no one understands it
Thank goodness I wasn't the only person thinking this
It really bothers me that people will make accommodations for people who have a chronic physical condition but will not do anything to accommodate someone's mental illness, this is especially true in the job market.
Last year, I was diagnosed with chronic migraines.My aunt used to get them due to her brain tumor, and, I've been getting them for about 3 years. They didn't want to call it "chronic" until after I had tried my 4th medicine, it hadn't helped, and, nothing showed up on any MRI. There isn't really anything I can do for them, and, they tend to just come and go as they please. Being someone very involved in music and the arts, this affects me greatly. I've had to leave classes and events because these migraines get so bad, and, it ends up making things very difficult. I also have recently become involved in theatre, and, I am very scared of how my migraines will affect me during shows. But, I have learned to work around them as much as I can, and, I hope that any other person diagnosed with anything they think will ruin their lives will learn how to work around it. Being able to work around it makes you stronger than you think.
I used to get debilitating migraines (wailing in agony and vomiting) a lot when I was younger (2 or 3 times a week), but over time they have become less and less frequent (maybe one or two good ones a year), so there's hope for you yet! Stay strong kiddo.
I'm so happy they went away for you! Thank you very much. :)
Watching this video has given me inspiration to finally take better care of my Type 1 Diabetes. I was diagnosed since I was 7, I'm 19 now. It's something I'll most likely have for the rest of my life, so, even if there is a cure down the road, why damage my body so much that I can't enjoy being cured? I would have lost eyes, legs, arms, almost everything.
Sometimes I think even my own mother doesn't understand the struggle I go through everyday, especially with so many other things in the background that are affecting me negatively. I'm going to show her this video as soon as I can.
I'm Type One too, and I don't know personally know anyone else in my community that is. It's comforting to hear that we are not alone!
I have TD1 too, I agree I feel a sense of support knowing in not alone. Recently I took control of it rather than it controlling me and i feel 100 times better mentally (not so much physically hypos suck hah)
I'm type one too and I found comfort in knowing that I'm not alone at this as well
I found out 2 days ago, and now I can't have mentos or coke whenever I want without pain and annoyance, among many other things.
So I came back to watch this vid.
Same here,I've been diagnosed 5 years ago now mostly it's not that bad cuz you dan regulate these days with the pen but when you go to sleep and you get a hypo when you're sleep and you wake up around noon or later. Usualy when you've got work ,a class or anything els those suck cuz they always think somewhere in their mind: '' Whats your excuse...''
Thanks for making this video! I have IBS (secondary to a genetic condition called Ehlers-Danlos-syndrome) and I have digestive symptoms, chronic pain, and fatigue. I've never NOT had these issues so living with these conditions is normal for me. You don'd have to be able-bodied to be happy!
Man, this was so good! I also have ulcerative colitis, I was diagnosed a year ago and I have had inflammatory arthritis since I was 10 too. Those words were beatiful, you have made me cry a little. I agree with you that it's a proceses of learning, and although sometimes it's difficult we can enjoy life a lot, so let's focus on that, on doing what we love and want to do. I also think that it's important to know yourself well like you said and it's important to take care of yourself and find whats better for you and to not be ashamed of it. Well, such a great video, you are wonderful! :)
I was just diagnosed with UC nearly 2 years ago, and I still feel so excited whenever I find someone else that has it. When I was diagnosed it was rly severe, they almost did have to take my colon out and it really was terrifying. I have the luck that my main symptom while I’m in remission is just fatigue. It’s debilitating, it’s difficult, and sometimes people really misunderstand what t I mean when I say ‘I’m tired’, but people don’t find it gross, and they can kind of get it.
I totally understand what you're talking about. I've had Type 1 Diabetes for several years now, and it's become my normal life. Honestly, the super-hard thing I have to go through has nothing to do with needles in my stomach. I'm a slightly overweight girl, and often when I tell people "I have diabetes", they judge me and think it's my fault. It's not. Type 1 Diabetes is not preventable, but the only type of diabetes most people know about, Type 2, is, and has to do with eating too many carbohydrates. It's humiliating and often sad to know that there are many people in my life who don't understand that my disease is NOT MY FAULT.
Hank, you are awesome! Thanks for making this video. You make a serious topic both funny and uplifting.
This is a fantastic video and helped me out a ton. I was diagnosed with MS a few years ago and pretty much stopped living my life. This has definitely given me inspiration to manage my condition better and discover what my "new normal" is.
Thanks for the video and I wish you the best in managing your condition!
Touched how grateful you are for your wife, and how candid you were with this whole situation. You're great man.
I've been living with Crohn's Disease over 16-years now, and can't thank you enough for speaking out about this. I know this is an old video, but I feel compelled to comment after reading your interview re-cap on Medium. Since I was very young, I always wanted a free and creative life and career, and when I found out that I was going to be tied down by a debilitating chronic illness, I became very cynical and much of that had to do with knowing immediately that I would be controlled by the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries. It was disturbing that privatized insurance decided my fate in terms of coverage, and that I suddenly became such liability to them due to a "pre-existing condition," as if I chose that for myself... I knew at 13-years old, my life was going to be very different. I was going to be very different, and I was going to have to work very hard to be an artist or an entrepreneur like I wanted. I get emotional every time I think about how far we have come. I had to bend over backwards for so many years, paying exorbitant amounts to keep insurance between permanent jobs and freelance projects, but I made it work. It was my "new normal," and now this "new new normal" due to the Affordable Act, is even better. I no longer carry the fear of opportunity. I also find that being honest and open about my disease helps so much, and I'm grateful for many supportive people in my life that understand my situation. Thanks for hugging our President!
I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis at 18 years old, and this video is very inspiring for me this year in January. I was looking for people who have IBD like me, thank you for talking about your Ulcerative Colitis.
For those who don't know, intestinal pain can often feel basically like you have a knife in your gut. It pops up at random, it's uncontrollable, and it can last for any amount of time. The most disturbing part is that it moves. It's like a knife migrating around in your abdomen. When you know someone with a condition of this sort, congratulate them, because they have hidden a lot of pain from you on the basis of "you can't do anything about it, so I'd rather you not worry about it".
It makes me somehow happy to read this. I'm suffering from crohn's disease and was diagnosted a year ago. It was a hard time and I talked to a lot of people who suffered from the same disease. One woman told me she has sometimes this nearly unbearable pain but she smiles and walks like nothing is happening. And only her friends sometimes can see, that she has pain, but she can work with it.
I didn't believed her but today I can say: I know that feeling and I can do that too.
It is something you learn to live with and it is okay.
Oh man yes yes YES!! I don't think, even after all I've gone through with crohns, that no one really knows the pain! I've even been in the ER with a flare and the doctor dismissed me because I was still able to smile. What he didn't know is I was smiling the day I went in the ER and had a hole in my intestines. Smiled and laughing with the nurses putting the tube in my nose getting me ready for surgery. I wasn't smiling and laughing the whole time but I was able to smile and say hello and the occasional smile to be polite. It's how I am. I cover my pain with smiling and acting as if things are ok. I'm learning to stop doing that and show more rather than hide it
I teared up watching this. Just wanted to say I'm really glad you posted this video.
hank my friend , not only youre one of the most knowledgable people on youtube , but you are most definitely an awesome and brave character
so hats off to you man
I have chronic nausea ...almost 24 hours a day.... Needless to say I throw up ALOT. Ya it's as fun as it sounds.... Although cannabis works extremely well for this... It makes me feel 100% better with no trace of nausea.... But I have a hard time finding it where I live.... Damn you politicians.
wOW, man.. You really helped me here.
I'll not go into details, I'm not there yet. But thanks for 'the new normal'.. I have a feeling that's going to help.
That's cool to hear... Hope life's awesome enough for you :)
It's starting to feel that way again, thanks very much. UA-cam comments usually isn't such a warm place :) Glad to see it can be.
It takes more acceptance than I think I'm capable of and I am still getting there.
I'm even thinking about vlogging about it some day, hoping to inspire someone like Hank did with me.
Life is pretty awesome, though, isn't it? Someone told me to hold my breath until I really, really, couldn't anymore. Really try it that one... Warning: it hurts a lot, but it makes you appreciate each next breath in totally new ways for quite a while.
+Hjalmar Snoep It's probably not the best idea that we're generally all raised to assume that perfect health is the norm and we all get to work with it to aspire to be and have what we desire... but in all reality, if we were to get inside everyone else's heads and bodies, we'd realise that just about everyone around us has "failed" to reach that norm, with their psoriasis, heart defects, arthritis, developmental or personality disorders, cancers... some might seem less serious than others but what if that person with the bit of skin flaking was raised to want and value a modelling career, or that marathon runner or dancer finds their toes to be inflamed and arthritic one morning, never to be able to fully weight-bare again, not to the point to really command any sympathy, but to destroy their chance of succeeding in ways they were once able to and aspired to. Life can be really shitty, and being raised to expect to be perfect specimens is unrealistic and cause so much distress when shit goes wrong, you know? I personally grew up wanting to be a professional musician and artist, I can't really expect my knuckles to allow that from day to day now, but I can still focus on writing and arranging music and playing drums, and I've enjoyed developing a scribbly kinda' drawing style (I love using 'bic' biros - a brand of fairly ball point pens) but I can't expect to get up and write beautifully and illustrate in fine detail before playing a set of complex guitar pieces to a potentially appreciative audience, so I need to let that go... (then there's a ton of fatigue and mental fog and mood instability, but that also helps me restrain myself, I guess, to staying putt and reading up lots or absorbing UA-cam videos etc on things I'm studying!) Compared to cancer patients or regular psychotics, I'm not doing so bad at all... it's not fair to undermine people's situations by always saying others have it worse though, so let's not do that - it does still suck that we have shit to deal with which we'd rather not have to ;)
I'm sorry things have gotten shit in your world, buddy... but they're challenges, we're not dead yet, and sometimes having restrictions can help us be more focused and decisive in moving forward and getting things done which we'd otherwise have not been forced to consider as options :)
...and yeah, it IS nice to hear from pleasant strangers, isn't it? I'm not saying that as some kind of narcissist, patting my own back, but to maybe pass on the inspiration I've received to yourself or others, to consider how we can cheer people up by simply being nice (and not even having to be a daft hippy about it) ;)
Only do it if you're absolutely sincere and mean it though; fake sincerity and well wishes can just make people further doubt their fellow beings and future acquaintances... so we should share all the kind feels which we have enough energy to follow up on and justify :)
yeah, I'm a taker, sorry about that ;)
Hope things pick up for you, in ways you may not have yet even considered possible or likely... I'm Drew btw, have an awesome daaay!
(that's a cool exercise btw, the breathing thing... I might give it a go!)
+DrewKF Hi Drew, feels like meeting a bit. So this is a handshake.
I'm happy to discover I'm not the only novelist on youtube.
I think you might even be worse than me when it comes to long messages :) And I have had some whoppers, where I was a bit ashamed to press "answer". You make some excellent points, btw.
Made me think a bit. Is it nurture? It might be nature. The expectance of a 'perfect' situation in health beauty or otherwise might just be comparing real life to platonic ideals that arise naturally from real life with the abstraction. Have you ever seen averaged faces? They always seem beautiful and healthy. Maybe it's just the way our minds work and not anybody's fault. (Not even the parents, or society today.. )
Enough philosophy, I need to say this: YOU ARE NOT A TAKER (you may have been joking, never know with the semicolon parenthesis. I'm a really daft, old hippy, who's not up to speed with your 'newfangled' smileys. My daughter laughs at me for not saying 'emoticons'..
But things seem to be picking up for me incredibly well, lately. So I am considering having an awesome day any day now. Maybe tomorrow. A day not procrastinated is a day not lived.
Anyway.. I got the breathing exercise from the Reality Slap, how to find fullfillment when life hurts.. which would be totally hippy, if the author wasn't an Aussie and quite down to earth.. I know I said somebody said it to me, but I was a bit ashamed of reading a book with such a title. But I recommend it to everybody. It's ACT.. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. It helped me, but I warn you, you might need tissues.
Thanks for the pick-me-up, Drew, I'll try paying it forward the first chance I get, when I feel energetic and authentic enough.
I'd love to hear some of your music. You heard some of mine.. I dabble a bit. I'll go have a look at your stuff.
"You do it because you have to" YES! I get asked that often ...what else can I do? You seem like a cool dude Hank, I came from Kati's channel. Looking forward to your future videos : )
Wow, just stumbled across this and it could not have come at a better time. I have an autoimmune disease that has been crippling to my life for the past two years. It leaves me bed ridden with joint pain some days, I suffer with chronic fatigue and a terrible bowel condition wrapped up with it too. I am on countless medications and weekly self-injections. Today was my injection day, a day I dread every week. It has caused depression and anxiety to an extent I didn't think was possible. It is my new normal, my whole life and future has been changed by it. Today was a bad day, a day spent in tears wishing I was better already. So thank you for this, even if you don't see this comment. From the bottom of my heart thank you. This was just what I needed. I wrote down so much of what so you said so I can read it back and pull myself out of this place. Thank you Hank.
rachelsophiexoxo how are you doing now?
Can you make more videos about this?
I just got diagnosed with crohn's a few days ago. Watching this video made me smile and laugh a lot. I'm just so glad to have a diagnoses after eight months of symptoms. It means I can go and try to manage my life now in the best way that I can.
Having developed a chronic illness in the past few years, this video means a lot more to me now than it did when I first watched it. Thanks for the real talk and encouragement, Hank.
Hank's face turned a little red when he was talking about embarrassment. Absolutely adorable.
Someone in my crohns and colitis support group just told me that Hank Green has UC and it made me like you ten times more. I have crohns and finding others with IBD is so valuable.
I'm surprised I don't see any comments relating to chronic mental illness, because a lot of these things apply. I have type I bipolar disorder and can totally relate to the stages (being sick and not knowing why, the weight of a probably permanent diagnosis, and then adjusting to the new normal). I've watched this video four times and it's always really helpful.
"The new normal" I like that term.
You have an excellent mentality on these types of issues, and you are an example to people who have to deal with these problems. I truly believe that technology and advances in medicine will certainly eliminate many of the diseases we consider incurable today. While I certainly know less than you about current research into this disease, from a general perspective, there is a lot of hope, especially for you, being so young. Keep up the positive attitude, not because you need encouragement, but because you inspire others with your optimism!
How do you manage to always be so amazing, say the right things and know what is the right thing to do??
You thought me chemistry, Biology, Psychology and now Philosophy, but most of all you teach me how to be a better human being. Thank you!
Hey Hank,
I've known you've had IBD for a long time but have never commented on your channel, though I've watched vlogbrothers videos for a long long time. I don't even know if you'll see this since you get so many comments. Anyway - just wanted to say thanks for talking about this topic. My channel (and website) is all about IBD. I only have 5k subscribers so it's nice that you can get the word out to more people than I can. Though my website does get over 21k visitors a month which I know is nothing in comparison but I'm proud of it. :) Sorry to hear about what your dog is going through right now. Thinking about you and your family.
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Thanks, Hank. I’ve lived with chronic conditions my whole life, but it took the last ten years for either more research to be done, or for me to stop being in denial about them. Today I got diagnosed with a big one. I don’t have to treat myself alone anymore. It’s such a relief. Others take me seriously, and now I take me more seriously, which is a healthier way to live with chronic disease. And thanks for the poop talk, from someone who also doesn’t schedule anything in the mornings.
I only just found out that you have UC, so do I, I'm 14 and had it for three years, I'm going through a rough patch (I generally do in the Winter) I've had a stressful week, and I just sat and cried, because finally someone understands! I do all those things especially carrying extra underwear, you just have too, there's no option aha. Thank you! I wish you well :) xx
just when I thought I couldn't love Hank any more...
I'm so happy that someone excepts you for your condition. Unfortunately, men seem to be less empathetic about a woman with colon problems. I'm kind of jealous that you can poop freely though. I have the opposite problem. The one thing that is good about my condition is that, being a vegetarian, I don't have to worry about accidentally farting in public anymore. I use to blame it on my pug.
cleardaze I know exactly what you mean on both counts: having the opposite problem and people (yeah, especially men) being less sympathetic about a woman with this sort of condition. I feel ya.
We should start a support group.
As someone who has suffered from depression, anxiety, PTSD, and insomnia for years... and has also been dealing with chronic, unexplained chest pain for over a year... this helped me so much. My friend sent it to me and said she (chronic joint pain sufferer) watched it when she was really struggling with her illness.
It really is just a new normal. You learn to cope. You have to. Sometimes, though, it's really nice when the people around you can accommodate you a little bit and help you cope with it.
Thank you Hank!
I was born with chronic pain, il never be able to drive, to hike, to walk to the bathroom on a bad day. Perhaps it's different if you can remember a time without this kind of burden but after 20 years I just can't bring myself to hope anymore. My body just fails me and it prevents me from working 90 percent of jobs and I don't even have a way to prove this curse exists so the welfare options non existent. I'm quite good with computers and make what I can like that but companies don't want to hire a kid with no resume. Trust me I've applied to every place within 50 miles. I'm tired of living like this, my social skills are terrible due to me forced to stay home for my entire life and its hard not to feel like a failure at life or like the lazy bum people think of me as.
Elias hope you’re okay, I relate to this so much. Has anything changed?
I've had a chronic illness since birth too, and yes it is VERY different than having been diagnosed later in life. You start off at a loss compared to everyone else and feel like you will never belong. I was born missing the anterior lobe of my pituitary gland which has left me with all sorts of complications. It's difficult to learn to be around other children when you just can't keep up with then physically. I ended up spending more time with adults instead. The result is living with a life long label that people presume that you choose to be a certain way...in other words, choosing to be antisocial when really what you need is someone to just stay and go a bit slower at your own pace, instead of your being a burden holding then back from having fun. This where I've been so thankful for the internet because it's a tool I can use to connect with others, and hopefully share the person who I really do choose to be.
I am going to try "excuse me, I have a chronic disease" to exit the room. That's great.
Thanks, Hank. I have degenerative disc disease in my back and osteoarthritis in both legs. I had to give up my teaching position almost 5 years ago because of the constant pain and limited mobility that I live with now. I am on more medications than most junkies, it seems and I am often depressed and embarrassed by it. Your video made me feel better and has given me a new way of identifying it: My new normal. I hope you have had more good days than bad in the years since you recorded this video.
This video is one of the greatest things i've ever seen.
I think it might be good to mention that you are still allowed to be upset about it, when you are missing out on things or you cant do certain things (with friends etc) you are allowed to be upset, it can suck so much especially if people are not willing to accommodate you (which 8m sorry to say will happen more then you think) it can be so horrible at times and you are allowed to be upset about it you dont have to pretend that everything is fine or that it dosent effect you, just felt like that is important to remember
From a person with several chronic diseases
I have mild-moderate IBS due to severe PTSD and I've always been incredibly embarrassed so thank you for sharing
I was just diagnosed with Crohn's which sucks, but I was all happy learning, actually, because I now know what's wrong. I've been struggling with digestive problems since I was about 9, but my family couldn't afford for exploratory surgeries or anything. I recently was put on a state health care, and they recently told me that I was no longer being covered, so that's fun! Hopefully, I'll get covered again so I can actually start treatment soon...
I have moderate scoliosis, i know its not a chronic disease and more of a disability but still feels relevant, i have to do an hour of specific exercises every day and so hopefully this means i wont have to have spinal fusion surgery cos that is pretty scary but i still dont know at this point if thats going to happen or not, and i also have depression, and i just wanted to say how much this video helped, so thank you hank and im glad you have someone as supportive as katherine
Does mental illnesses count as a "chronic" illness?
Yes.
If depends on the illness, some people suffer from one depressive episode, and then never again. For others the depressions becomes chronic. Bipolar disorder is a chronic one, though it can be treated with the right medications today. Some people suffer one psychotic episode, and then never again, but for others they beomes chronic and may be a part of their schizophrenia diagnosis. Some people have suffered their whole adult life from an eating disorder - but that doesn't qualify it as a chronic illness. There's also chronic insomnia.
***** Mental illness and physical illness are both equal in the realness and difficulty. Don't undermine either. Just because YOU haven't experienced mental illness doesn't give you the right to claim that they aren't real. That's just self obsessed and opressive. Don't trivialize either.
***** Having hallucinations is not a BELIEF. Mental illness can destroy any ability you have to work and do everything else you need to. It can give you so much anxiety you can't even go outside your flat. It's not a BELIEF. It's not something you choose. Nobody would choose that. Just because we still understand very little about it (just as we do with everything else brain related) doesn't make it less real.
Emma Lindvall And, I'm not saying that my problems are worse than yours just because I've had a psychiatrist giving me a official diagnosis. And also, I'm pretty sure I haven't said so either.