Table Talk With The Mighty

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Do you find planners overwhelming, helpful, or “meh”? In this episode, Ashley, Camara, Skye, and Jess dive into the all-or-nothing thinking that can accompany using planners. They share their best intentions, their fears of (not) following through, the pandemic’s impact on their usage of planners, as well as the features they — as well as our Mighty community — look for. Plus, find out which spicy event Skye scheduled in her planner once! This episode is made possible by Mental Health Matters. Subscribe to the newsletter here bit.ly/mhinbox for more conversations like this one.

“Take a break,” they said. “It’s good for you,” they said. When you live with a health condition, it’s not always that easy! After a bit of a hiatus (we’re happy to be back!), this episode features a conversation between Ashley, Camara, Kat, and Skye as they get real and share tips about the guilt, necessity, and freedom that comes with taking an intentional time out. This episode is made possible by Chronic and Mighty. Subscribe to the newsletter here bit.ly/spoonieinbox for more conversations like this one.

In honor of Migraine & Headache Awareness Month, five Mighty staffers who live with migraine — Kat, Skye, Alexandria, Anjana, and Jess — trade their top tips for managing the disease (TL;DR: don’t be a jerk to yourself!) as well as how they get their self-care on post-flare. Will there be a discussion about fries? We’re only human. This episode is made possible by Mighty With Migraine. Subscribe to the newsletter here https://bit.ly/migraineinbox for more conversations like this one.

Gather ’round people-pleasers. Camara, Carla, Skye, and Kat do a little self-reflection on whether people-pleasing is a harmful or helpful personality trait. (Spoiler alert: It can actually be both!) Learn more about how our health causes us to overcompensate, and how we’re doing the #InnerWork to separate the inherent selfishness and selflessness of this behavior. This episode is made possible by Mental Health Matters. Subscribe to the newsletter here bit.ly/mhinbox for more conversations like this one.

Are you a remote worker who can't wait to leave the house? Or an office worker who wishes they could spend their 9-5 in their own space without a grueling commute? In this episode, Skye, Camara, and Harrison duke out their preferences while sharing how each option helps (or hurts) their mental health. This episode is made possible by Mental Health Matters. Subscribe to the newsletter here bit.ly/mhinbox for more conversations like this one.

Who doesn’t love a bit of rage cleaning? We sure do! Whether you get angry often or try to avoid the emotion at all costs, this week’s episode has a little something for everyone seeing red. Ashley, Carla, Camara, and Skye explore the powerful grip anxiety-fueled anger can have on us, the difference between cooling up vs. cooling down, and Ashley shares an A+ tip about standing like a plant under the sun.

Calling all therapy meme lovers! In this episode, Camara, Skye, and Kat explore the highs and lows of using humor as a coping mechanism. From healing to harmful, tune in to find out when funny becomes… not so funny for people who live with health conditions. This episode is made possible by Mental Health Matters. Subscribe to the newsletter here bit.ly/mhinbox for more conversations like this one.

In a society that’s wired for productivity, it’s impossible to avoid the dreaded question, “BuT wHaT dO yOu DoOoOo?” In this week’s episode, Skye, Ashley, and Kat take a funemployment deep dive into why health conditions complicate that question and what we’d like our mother’s favorite cousin to ask instead. This episode is made possible by Rare Weekly. Subscribe to the newsletter here https://bit.ly/rareinbox for more conversations like this one.

“What’s something you often fake?” Kat asked our Mighty community and chatted about the responses — and our personal experiences with faking it — alongside Ashley and Skye in this week’s episode. TL;DR: From laughter to pain levels to emotional responses, we’re pretty much faking it all! This episode is made possible by Mental Health Matters. Subscribe to the newsletter here https://bit.ly/mhinbox for more conversations like this one.

Clean your house, they said. It’ll be fun, they said. This week Kat, Skye, Ashley, and Carla buck the outdated — and frankly, ableist — concept of cleaning at a regular cadence. Tune in to learn how simple hacks like “don’t put it down, put it away” help them accommodate their various health conditions and disabilities. Subscribe to the newsletter here bit.ly/rareinbox for more conversations like this one.