When Your Body and Mind Are Both Fighting You: A Conversation on Chronic Illness & Mental Health

Join the Invisible Illness Awareness Network (IIAN) for an honest, in-depth conversation exploring the overlap between chronic illness and mental health. In this episode of our Invisibly Aware speaker series, hosts Stephanie, Morgan, and Sarah sit down with two incredible guest speakers: chronic illness advocate and mental health advocate Lyric   / thebedazzledspoon   and content creator and patient advocate Kaleigh   / chronic.kaleigh   for a candid discussion about living with invisible illness and mental health conditions. Lyric and Kaleigh open up about their personal journeys to diagnosis, including years of being dismissed, misdiagnosed, and medically gaslit, and how that experience shaped their mental health along the way. They share practical insights and lived experience with a wide range of conditions, including PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), Depersonalization-Derealization Disorder (DPDR), Vestibular Migraine, Bipolar Disorder, OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder), and POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome). Throughout the conversation, they discuss what it's really like navigating the healthcare system, education, and the workplace with both visible and invisible disabilities, the emotional toll of chronic illness, common misconceptions about mental health conditions, and the message they each wish more people, including doctors, understood about their conditions. Follow us at   / invisible_illness_network   and learn more about us at https://linktr.ee/iianetwork for more awareness content, upcoming events, and our newsletter. Disclaimer: Nothing in this video is medical advice. Everyone's experience with these conditions is different, and viewers should consult their own doctors with any health concerns. Chapters: 00:00-01:45 Introducion 01:45- 52:15 Guest Speakers 52:15- 54:42 Announcements