From the good to the downright please-don’t-do-it-again, this episode of Table Talk dives into health representation across books, TV shows, movies, and video games. Ashley, Skye, and Kat share their somewhat surprising recommendations (where you at, “Bluey” fans?) across genres and dissect what exactly makes something an incredible win for specific health communities. And yes, in case you’re worried, don’t fret — they do indeed share their opinions on the wide, problematic universe of medical dramas.

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We know, we know… for a health community, we’re making a pretty bold statement in this episode. But hear us out. This Mighty conversation between Kat, Shruti, Harrison, and Skye explores what exactly invisible illnesses are, which ones they live with — from EDS to POTS to migraine to misophonia to C-PTSD — and why, if people only paid attention, there are always visible signs that someone has an underlying condition. Whether others choose to believe it or not is another episode for another day. Come for the hot take, stay for the reminder that at the end of the day, your perception and experiences matter most.

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If the “bipolar weather” makes you want to “yeet yourself into the abyss,” this conversation about stigmatizing health language is for you. In this episode of Table Talk, Skye, Ashley, and Melissa examine their relationships with stigmatizing language — questioning the thin line between coping through humor and coming off as insensitive toward others’ lived experiences. They also share their advice for approaching potentially harmful language, especially as it becomes more common in our vernacular. The bottom line? Say what you mean, and give grace to others.

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There’s a joke somewhere about four neurodivergent people walking into a recording booth and attempting to focus on the topic at hand. In this episode, Ashley is joined by Camara, Jess, and Skye as they dive into the wide spectrum of neurodiversity, imposter syndrome in relation to identifying as neurodivergent, and how neurodivergence can often be misunderstood by the people who are meant to be the most helpful in supporting those individuals — namely doctors and educators. Additionally, find out how stacking diagnoses can feel like Pokémon evolutions (and of course, stick around to hear our favorite ones!).

This episode is made possible by Mental Health Matters. Subscribe to the newsletter here https://bit.ly/mhinbox for more conversations like this one.

Living with a health condition is expensive — and not always in the ways we think. In this important discussion led by Skye, Harrison and Shruti join and deliver some mic drops of their own. From hypomanic spending to pain-fueled shopping sprees to funding sensory sensitivities, the trio explore the tangible and emotional costs of health and disability. They suggest some tips and tools for managing and tracking your expenses, all while sifting through the following conundrum: What do you do when you need a job to pay for insurance and medical bills, but aren’t well enough to work? They don’t promise to have the answers, but they sure do deliver on the “ugh, ditto” factor.

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Let’s just go ahead and get this out of the way: “traditional” pain scales can be a little ableist, a lot subjective, and oftentimes unhelpful — and an actual barrier to care — for people who live with chronic pain. In this episode of Table Talk, Ashley is joined by Melissa, Carla, and Shruti to discuss how pain scales are an outdated practice, how they like to describe their pain to health care providers instead, and share tips to make the most of your appointments, including an introduction to the “Splat Scale” method by Mighty contributor Christina Irene. (You can learn more about that here: https://themighty.com/topic/chronic-pain/how-to-communicate-pain/)

Grief is one of the most common traumas that we all experience, and yet it looks so different for each of us. In this episode, Kat is joined by Shruti and Anthony to discuss loss of all shapes and sizes — of people, of experiences, of “what ifs” — and how it’s affected their lives. We’re asking the tough questions: Who owns collective grief? Whose grief matters most? What two-word phrase actually helps in those tough moments? (And to you, the person who is grieving, we see you. We hope you’ll find comfort in this conversation.)

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Suicide prevention starts with saying the word out loud, and in this episode of Table Talk, Skye, Shruti, and Ashley do just that. The trio vulnerably dig into their own experiences with passive and active suicidality (like how depression can affect your memory). Learn more about what it’s like to live with thoughts of dying buzzing in your brain’s background as well as what to do when the thoughts get especially loud. And in case you needed to hear it today, thinking about suicide doesn’t make you a bad or weak human — your life has meaning and you are worthy of help.

If you or a loved one needs support you can contact:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Call 988

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741-741

To Write Love on Her Arms International Resources: https://twloha.com/find-help/international-resources/

This episode is made possible by Mental Health Matters. Subscribe to the newsletter here http://bit.ly/mhinbox for more conversations like this one.

Bubbles? Gum? Tea? Essential oils? In this episode, Ashley, Camara, and Skye play a riveting round of “yes/no/meh/hard pass” when it comes to self-soothing techniques. Learn more about this DBT skill, what exactly “urge surfing” is, and try out Camara’s secret question that seemingly helps both hiccups and panic attacks. (Hint: It involves horses!)

This episode is made possible by Mental Health Matters. Subscribe to the newsletter here http://bit.ly/mhinbox for more conversations like this one.

Wellness is a societal construct. There. We said it. In this episode, Shruti, Kat, and Skye explore their personal definitions of what it means to be “well,” how chronic conditions play into their perspectives, and why wellness culture has become a toxic beast that cannot be tamed. And for all you optimists out there, listen as Shruti gently breaks Kat and Skye’s brains with her reframing of wellness and how to find joy and peace in very unwell moments. (See? We’re all about balance!)

This episode is made possible by Chronic & Mighty. Subscribe to the newsletter here https://bit.ly/spoonieinbox for more conversations like this one.