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24 Memes That Nail What It's Like to Have a Migraine

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When I first notice signs of a migraine coming on (for me, it’s tightness in my upper neck, a faint ringing and sensitivity to overhead light), I’m overwhelmed by a feeling of dread. Not again… As if I’m expecting a natural disaster to hit, I quickly gather provisions, retreat to a safe, dark space and brace myself for the upcoming storm. My migraines usually only last a day or two, but for some they can drag on for weeks or even months.

Migraine is a serious and sometimes debilitating neurological disease that can cause a lot of really unpleasant symptoms. It’s so much more than “just a headache” and can have a huge impact on a person’s life and ability to function.

That being said, though I don’t find much of anything funny when I’m in the midst of a migraine, there are certainly some humorous aspects I laugh about on days when moving my head doesn’t hurt and looking at a computer screen is actually tolerable. From wearing dark sunglasses inside to basking in the darkness of my lair (a.k.a. bedroom), sometimes a little humor can be helpful in getting through my next flare.

If humor helps you cope as well, you may enjoy the following memes:

1. When light is the enemy:

gollum saying 'we hates the light! it burns us!'
via @Makemeaburrit0 Twitter

2. When removing your head seems like the only solution:

a polar bear holding a chainsaw with the caption 'migraine you win, the head is coming off'
via @maries.memes Instagram

3. When you work in an office with fluorescent lights:

a man's office desk transformed into a tiny house and him peeking out the door and waving
via @TheraSpecs Twitter

4. When you have to keep your technology as dim as possible:

me every night... with illustration of a girl squinting at her phone and turning the brightness down
via @the_migraine_life Instagram

5. When you see an aura and think, “…oh no“:

sees aura: migraine is coming
via quickmeme

6. When you would do almost anything to make your migraine go away:

I don't always have a migraine... but when I do I am tempted to stab myself in the temple with a spoon and scoop out part of my brain
via @bluebangtan Twitter

7. When you have extreme reactions to sensory stimuli:

when I get sensory overload in front of my family: with a black and white image of a man saying 'what you're about to watch is a nightmare'
via disabilityhealth Tumblr

8. When you want to enjoy some sunshine but have to close your blackout curtains instead:

me: go outside it's a beautiful sunny day!! my migraine: stay inside. turn off the lights. close the blinds. suffer.
via @migraine_support Instagram

9. When your migraine goes on for days and days:

mr krabs banging a cowbell and saying 'day 23, give it up for day 23'
via @jessicuhcook Twitter

10. When you’re trying to avoid your triggers but…

buzz lightyear saying 'lights... lights everywhere'
via @PainWarriorCode Twitter

11. When you stay home to avoid being triggered:

when going out triggers a flare: with daria saying 'why didn't I just stay home, where it's nice and quiet and nothing ever happens'
via disabilityhealth Tumblr

12. When you’re counting on caffeine to get you through your symptoms and lack of sleep:

my last three brain cells trying to live off this coffee and two hours of sleep
via @migraine_support Instagram

13. When you have to check in the mirror to make sure you’re not actually being stabbed:

not sure if migraine... or skull is being stabbed by knife
via @FitnessThrft Twitter

14. When friends try to offer you advice:

have you tried... yep
via @lilla9ta Instagram

15. When a migraine comes on and you retreat to your cave:

hanging out in the dark when I have a migraine like... batman and chill
via disabilityhealth Tumblr

16. When strong smells trigger a migraine:

I know the name of that perfume you're wearing... too much!!
via @Mokeyfrog Twitter

17. When your medications don’t even touch your symptoms:

yeah if you could go ahead and make migraine medicine that actually works... that'd be great
via @PainWarriorCode Twitter

18. When a migraine is so much more than head pain:

a migraine is not a 'headache.' it is a neurological exploding party in the brain that pain happens to be invited to
via @cbdisgolden Instagram

19. When people say, “yeah, I get headaches a lot too”:

what if I told you... that a migraine isn't the same thing as just a 'bad headache'
via @Reddit_Memes Twitter

20. When you go into sensory overdrive:

what it looks like: small light on a computer. what it feels like: giant lighthouse sending out light beams in all directions
via @migraine_support Instagram

21. When people just don’t get it:

when people try to compare headaches to migraines
via @migraine_support Instagram

22. When migraines have zero regard for your schedule:

minding my own business but getting a migraine anyway like... with a small goat standing on a sheep's head
via disabilityhealth Tumblr

23. When getting out of bed just isn’t possible:

in too much pain to get up and get pain medication
via @bluebangtan Twitter

24. When you finally have a migraine-free day:

migraine-free days: with a man sitting outside with a glass of champagne
via @migraine_support Instagram
Originally published: March 13, 2018
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