if you’re navigating chronic illness, you probably know firsthand how deeply your mental health can be affected by your physical health. struggling with both isn’t easy—and you’re definitely not alone.

but in order to support and improve our mental health, we first need to understand why it may be suffering in the first place. what’s happening biologically, psychologically, and even socially that can make chronic illness feel so mentally overwhelming?

in this episode, i’m combining my own experience with chronic illness with my degree in psychology to break down the many factors that can contribute to worsening mental health. from nervous system stress to grief, isolation, and identity shifts, there’s often a lot influencing how you feel that you may not even realize.

awareness is the first step toward healing—and understanding what you’re carrying can help you move through it with more compassion for yourself.

topics (with timestamps):

00:00 life updates & your anonymous question!!

03:59 chronic illness, mental health, & self-validation

08:04 a psychology model for understanding mental health

11:12 how chronic illness affects our biology

15:36 the psychology behind chronic illness

23:31 relationship dynamics & chronic illness

29:19 sociocultural impacts on chronic illness

34:12 final thoughts & a preview of next week’s ep!!

mentioned resources:

⚡️silly lily foundation

⚡️multipath model

⚡️stress + the nervous system

⚡️psychological strain of chronic illness

⚡️health disparities in the u.s.

⚡️chronic illness + financial burden

⚡️ep.2: coping with chronic illness in your 20s

⚡️ep.3: no one warns you how lonely chronic pain is

⚡️ep.4: the invisible mental load behind chronic illness

connect with me:

🪫⁠tiktok⁠

🪫⁠instagram⁠

🪫⁠youtube⁠

🪫email me

🪫⁠anonymous form (share your story!)⁠

🪫⁠guest application (be on the pod!)⁠

a little note: if you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review— it helps more people find the show!

disclaimer: the information shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. the host is not a licensed medical professional.

always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, supplements, medications, or health routines.

today is the day: i’m finally sharing my full journey with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS).

in this episode, i break down everything—from what i believe triggered it, to the strange early symptom that stumped every doctor, to the long road to getting diagnosed. i also open up about the emotional side of living with a chronic condition like this.

whether you think you might have POTS, have already been diagnosed, or care about someone who has it, i hope this episode helps you feel more informed—and less alone.

living with POTS can feel incredibly niche and isolating. my goal with this episode is to make that experience a little more understood🤍

topics (with timestamps):

00:56 a huge misconception about POTS

07:51 what triggered my POTS

12:13 non-epileptic seizures

18:20 my POTS symptoms

20:31 getting misdiagnosed

23:33 POTS testing + diagnosis

26:47 the emotional side of dr’s appointments

28:42 what it felt like getting diagnosed

32:10 my current medical mystery

connect with me:

🪫⁠tiktok⁠

🪫⁠instagram⁠

🪫⁠youtube⁠

🪫email me!

🪫⁠anonymous form (share your story!)⁠

🪫⁠guest application (be on the pod!)⁠

a little note: if you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review— it helps more people find the show!

disclaimer: the information shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. the host is not a licensed medical professional.

always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, supplements, medications, or health routines.

we talk about the physical symptoms of chronic illness– but what about the mental ones? so many of us are dealing with invisible illnesses, and the emotional & mental effects of our conditions can go equally unnoticed.

in my fourth ever podcast episode (yay!), i’m talking all about the mental load of chronic illness. managing chronic illness can be a balancing act: you’re always having to balance your self-care against your social life, your hobbies against your symptom flares, and your actual passions & interests against the chronic condition that’s taking up mental space 24/7.

so how do we balance it all without burning out?! that’s exactly the question i’m trying to answer in this episode– along with reading a bunch of your super insightful chronic illness comments!

there’s no doubt that there is a significant mental burden that comes with being chronically ill. my hope is that this episode validates you in your feelings & reminds you that you’re not alone💗

topics (with timestamps):

00:00 intro

01:13 the biggest shift in my chronic illness journey

06:49 balancing relationships with chronic illness

11:58 mental isolation & chronic illness

14:18 secret stressors behind low symptom days

17:06 how chronic illness can affect identity & personality

20:50 most common emotions triggered by chronic illness

25:36 creative ways to cope when your illness has you down

mentioned resources:

⚡️mental drain tiktok

connect with me:

🪫⁠tiktok⁠

🪫⁠instagram⁠

🪫⁠youtube⁠

🪫email me!

🪫⁠anonymous form (share your story!)⁠

🪫⁠guest application (be on the pod!)⁠

a little note: if you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review—it helps more people find the show!

disclaimer: the information shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. the host is not a licensed medical professional.

always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, supplements, medications, or health routines.

living with chronic pain is surprisingly common– and yet why do we feel so alone?

in this episode, we’re talking about why living with chronic pain can be such an isolating experience. from navigating my own symptoms with hypermobile ehlers-danlos syndrome to the emotional weight of not being fully understood, i’m opening up about the parts of chronic pain that people don’t always see.

we get into why getting diagnosed can feel unexpectedly lonely (and what the research says about it), plus the realities of living with chronic pain in your 20s– when your life doesn’t look the way you thought it would. i also talk about what it’s like to manage chronic pain alongside chronic illness, and how it can impact your relationships, social life, and sense of identity.

toward the end, i share three gentle, realistic ways to support your mental health when you’re in pain– especially on the days that feel the hardest.

if you’ve ever felt alone in your pain, this episode is for you. your experience is real, and you deserve support 🤍

topics (with timestamps):

00:21 my symptoms hypermobile ehlers-danlos syndrome

03:24 how chronic pain can be an isolating experience

07:50 why getting diagnosed can feel lonely (& what the research says)

12:17 the realities of living with chronic pain in your 20s

14:13 having chronic pain along with chronic illness

18:52 how chronic pain affects your social life & identity

20:17 three ways to help your mental health when you’re in pain

mentioned resources:

⚡️cdc research

⚡️chronic pain study

⚡️women & chronic pain

⚡️people of color & chronic pain

⚡️mental health resources

connect with me:

🪫⁠tiktok⁠

🪫⁠instagram⁠

🪫⁠youtube⁠

🪫email me!

🪫⁠anonymous form (share your story!)⁠

🪫⁠guest application (be on the pod!)⁠

a little note: if you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review—it helps more people find the show!

disclaimer: the information shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. the host is not a licensed medical professional.

always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, supplements, medications, or health routines.

your 20s are supposed to be the “best years of your life”… so what happens when you’re navigating chronic illness at the same time?🪫

in this episode, i’m talking about parts of being chronically ill in your 20s that no one really prepares you for. i open up about comparing myself to other people, balancing my relationships and my chronic illnesses, dealing with anxiety, and being intentional with my (limited) energy.

plus, i give my take on setting goals and making timelines when your body is unpredictable— and the self-love mindset that’s helped me navigate my diagnoses🤍

if you’re chronically ill in your 20s, this episode is for you. you’re not behind and you’re not alone.

topics (with timestamps):

00:00 intro

01:24 symptom flares & feeling misunderstood

05:48 being chronically ill in your 20s

07:56 finding your identity & comparing yourself to others

10:27 relationships: being intentional & dealing with anxiety

21:44 setting goals & making timelines

25:18 my self-love mindset

26:37 outro

connect with me:

🪫⁠tiktok⁠

🪫⁠instagram⁠

🪫⁠youtube⁠

🪫⁠anonymous form (share your story!)⁠

🪫⁠guest application (be on the pod!)⁠

a little note: if you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review—it helps more people find the show!

disclaimer: the information shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. the host is not a licensed medical professional.

always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, supplements, medications, or health routines.

this is officially the very first episode of the low battery club 🪫

how did i go from traveling the country after college… to navigating chronic illnesses, multiple surgeries, and moving back home?

in this episode, i share my story—how my health journey unfolded, how i was diagnosed with POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome) and hEDS (hypermobile ehlers-danlos syndrome), and how everything led me to create this podcast.

if you’re dealing with chronic illness or pain in your 20s—you’re not alone. this space is for you 🤍

topics (with timestamps):
00:00 intro
00:47 early symptoms of POTS & hEDS
14:40 getting diagnosed with POTS
21:29 recent surgery & health updates
22:37 why i started this podcast
24:24 what’s the low battery club?
29:21 outro

connect with me:

🪫tiktok

🪫instagram

🪫youtube

🪫anonymous form (share your story!)

🪫guest application (be on the pod!)

a little note:
if you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review—it helps more people find the show!

disclaimer:
the information shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. the host is not a licensed medical professional.

always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, supplements, medications, or health routines.