Chronic & Invisible Illness Support

You are not alone.

Chronic & Invisible Illness Support

You are not alone.

Chronic and “invisible” illnesses are far more common than most people realize. An estimated 133 million Americans—nearly half of all adults—live with at least one chronic condition. Many face illnesses that may not be outwardly visible to others, such as dysautonomia, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), Long COVID, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), fibromyalgia, migraines, or autoimmune conditions. These conditions can bring daily challenges and deeply affect your sense of identity, mood, and relationships.

Dealing with a chronic or invisible illness can be incredibly isolating. Others sometimes don’t understand the very real impact these conditions have—not just on your body, but on your emotional well-being and quality of life. If you have found this page, know this: you are seen, you are believed, and you do not have to manage this alone.

Understanding Chronic & Invisible Illness

Invisible illnesses are conditions that significantly impact daily life but may not be obvious to others. They can include, but are not limited to:

  • Dysautonomia & POTS: Disorders of the autonomic nervous system, causing issues like lightheadedness, fainting, rapid heart rate, and fatigue.

  • Long COVID: Persistent symptoms for weeks or months after initial COVID-19 infection, such as brain fog, fatigue, shortness of breath, and heart palpitations.

  • Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS): A group of connective tissue disorders impacting joints, skin, and blood vessels.

  • Fibromyalgia & Other Chronic Pain Conditions: Widespread pain, fatigue, and sleep disturbances.

  • Autoimmune Disorders: Such as lupus, MS, rheumatoid arthritis, and more.

  • Migraine, ME/CFS, IBS, and many others.

The CDC reports that 6 in 10 adults in the U.S. live with at least one chronic disease, and 4 in 10 live with two or more—but for many, symptoms are “invisible,” often dismissed or misunderstood.

How Living with Chronic Illness Can Affect Mental Health

  • Increased rates of depression and anxiety

  • Feelings of frustration, anger, fear, or grief

  • Guilt or shame around limits and asking for help

  • Social isolation or relationship challenges

  • Difficulty with work or school

  • Grief over changes to your life, identity, or future plans

How Therapy Can Help

You don’t have to “just cope” with invisible illness. Therapy offers a safe, nonjudgmental space to:

  • Process feelings of loss, frustration, or identity shifts

  • Manage anxiety, depression, and medical trauma

  • Set healthy boundaries with family, work, and friends

  • Adjust to life changes and find new meaning/purpose

  • Build practical coping strategies for flares & unpredictability

  • Advocate for yourself in medical, school, or work settings

  • Cultivate self-compassion and tools for resilience

Your condition may be invisible to others, but in therapy, your experience is always validated and honored.

Helpful Resources

If you’re struggling and need support right now:

  • Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 for free, 24/7 support

  • Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 988

You Deserve Compassion and Care

Living with chronic illness can be exhausting, discouraging, and lonely at times. But you don’t have to do it by yourself. Whether you are newly diagnosed, deep in the thick of your journey, or supporting a loved one, we are here and ready to work with you toward hope, resilience, and a more manageable future.