BeWell Blog
Beyond Visibility: Reframing Wellness Through the Prism of Disability Pride
Disability Pride Month is in July, and visibility is vital, but I just can't stop thinking about something more. What if we're not just asking to be included in wellness conversations—what if we're actually pioneering them? After decades of navigating...
How to Advocate for Yourself in the Medical System – Lessons from the Rare Disease Community
The first time a doctor told me "it's probably just constipation/gas," I nodded and went home, thinking they must be right. A few doctors and many years later, I finally got my Crohn's diagnosis at the age of 17. That...
Why Rare Disease Awareness Matters: How It Benefits the Whole Chronic Illness Community
I'll never forget the day my doctor finally put a name to what was happening to my body. After years of being told it was "just constipation/gas" or "all in my head," having a diagnosis – even not a rare...
From Strength to Vulnerability: How to Open Up About Chronic Illness as a Man
Written by: Benjamin Ruehrdanz Society tells men to be stoic, to push aside pain and not to talk about their problems. Ultimately, regardless of gender, difficulties in talking about your condition come down to a practice in vulnerability. Hiding your...
Understanding Medical Gaslighting: What It Is and How to Respond
Written by: Amanda Phillips If you have lived with any type of chronic illness for any amount of time, there is a good chance that at one point or another, you felt your symptoms were not taken seriously by a...