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I was adopted and people think it is a bless.

There are many stories about my adoption and the real one is not that pretty.
People would consider what my adopted mother did was a beautiful thing, you may think the same: and it is absolutely wrong.
My biological mother had 9 children, she was poor, I was the child number 8. She didn't go to an agency and said "I cannot raise this one", but it was my adopted mother "charitable personality" that took me away.
She was visiting that specific very poor area of the city looking for a young maid for her sister, someone who would be around 14 years old and could move to the city and live in. That person would be one of my older biological Sisters' . Instead my mother left the place with a baby who was very sick- that baby was me.
She promised my biological mother she would bring me back, she was just helping, saving me. But my biological family had to knock into her door to get me back, and they did.
Who cares about attachment, right? A baby is just a baby.
A few months later my aunt saw me at the hospital. You are wondering what my aunt was doing at the hospital, she was a teacher, not a doctor. I wonder about that too! I was there, this time very ill, and -according to my adopted mother- dying.
As an ungrateful #Adoptee I wish the left me alone. None of my biological siblings died anyway... (But the old narrative would say that happened with an older sister, it was not true,).
Again, after insisting a lot, my biological mother accepted the help of that woman, again I was taken away. The story goes that I was accepted in a private hospital, later sent to die at home because there was nothing that could be done at the hospital anymore, it was severe malnutrition.
My mother's words, I was fed like a bird, with a seringe, hour by hour, and brought to life. By then my biological.mother was asking me back. And somehow my adopted parents convinced her to give me away.
With a couple of thumb prints I was passed from one family to another, just like that!
I was taken to see them a few times over the years as a child: from the castle to the tiny house, where roads were mud. My confused, shy young me, trying to understand the two words.
I have the memory of one visit only, the memory in the fog. My adopted mother told me that one day I didn't want to go there anymore. She told me I would not talk, I would hide behind her, and even that I wouldn't leave the car. I have no memories of that.
I had nocturnal #Enuresis as a child, and as an adult. I was relentlessly bullied at school from people who had no idea I was adopted. And one of the boys commented "I can't believe she lives in that house, her mother must be the maid!" . It was a pretty big house, as I said, and I didn't belong to that world.
I didn't belong to the other world neither.
I didn't have many friends.
I perceived myself as an ugly kid, my adopted siblings (my parents had 4 biological babies, 3 older than me) were beautiful....
I had #BodyImage issues... I had suicide ideation since I can remember, the self harm started like that, just to feel how it would be ...
All that without my biological mother noticing! She didn't know I was hurting myself, I was being bullied (I was scared she would say it was my fault), and about the bedwetting? It was just too much water at bed time! You know? Every kid loves wake up wet.
Three years after my adoption my brother was adopted. I am white, like the rest of the family; my brother is black. If I suffer for "not belonging", imagine him?
Three more years and my mother for pregnant again, I was six years old: a girl, the only blond and blueyed kid in the family, just like my father.
Money changes everything...
I refused to reunite with my biological family for years, the main reason was that my adopted mother wanted to have control and credit over the reunion, she wanted on her terms. That was the reason I didn't see my biological mother in her death bed, she didn't want me to go alone! I was 29.
A few years ago, living in Canada, my biological sister found me on facebook. Then we reconnected online. Going back to Brazil wevmetvin person, I met all my siblings. My biological parents are dead. The visit was still a bit controlled by my mother, who would judge my behaviour from time to time with her eyes. By then I had so many inside jokes with my biological sister, my mother didn't like it.
All the siblings live close to each other, they get along well. They had a difficult upbring, but there is no drugs, no alcohol problem. They all work, have their own houses. They all have very good memories of a mother I didn't know.
My biggest chock was that here is one more sibling younger than me. I ask myself "why me?". Why did he get to stay.
Later my adopted mother told me she tried to adopt him too! When babies people perceive us as puppies, so cute! Just one more.... We are people!
After my youngest sister was born my mother tried to adopted an older kid from an orfanage, she was around my age, she couldn't walk well, and she was beautiful. My father said no more.
After I had my kids, living far away, my parents adopted my niece.... My adopted (black) brother was living with a woman, had 2 kids with her, left her pregnant with the second one. Suddenly they became "parents again", she is 20 now, my kids 22.
This time my mother made sure she hired a psychologist for my "sister" since young age. I wish I had some help growing up.... My mother is undiagnosed, but she tended to have mental health crisis, going to the hospital and etc.
The reason from all this writen was trying to talk about adoption with no adoptees, people still believe you are being saved, you should be grateful, you are just wrong.
The #Podcast #adopteeson has been very helpful to understand, normalize my feelings. But no one else understand the amount of feelings that I have regarding the whole thing. I still secretly wish I was not "saved", and I can't feel gratitude for that. I was saved, then abandoned at the same time, growing up lonely, sad, unhappy.
Hoping to find others #Adoptees , maybe? People who can relate, so we can go through this journey together.

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How to cope with lifelong anxiety

Anxiety is something we all have to cope with from time to time but what happens when you are struggling with consistent, lifelong anxiety?

On today's podcast episode I speak with Ben Ciesinski about how he has learned to manage his anxiety. Listen to hear Ben's story and to learn effective ways to cope.

accordingtodes.com/140-2

#Anxiety #MentalHealth #Podcast #mentalhealthpodcast #GeneralizedAnxietyDisorder

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New Episode Alert! WTF Does "Wellness" Even Mean? 🤷‍♀️

Wellness is a societal construct. There. We said it. In this episode, @chronicallymeh, @xokat, and @skyeg 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!)

Grab your headphones, your favorite beverage, and subscribe to Table Talk With The Mighty to hear more topics like this every Wednesday!

Link in the comments below to listen in!

http://bit.ly_tabletalk_08-23-23

#wellness #ChronicIllness #MentalHealth #Podcast

(edited)
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What have you learned from therapy?

If you live with chronic illness or pain of any kind, you know how challenging it can be to manage the mental health side of things. For some folks, seeing a psychotherapist is a crucial part of treating their physical health conditions. Others might not find going to therapy useful, or they might not have the resources — financial, time, energy, or otherwise — to do so.

We asked our spoonie community if they’ve ever gone to therapy to process their chronic pain or illness. While 30% of the folks who responded to the poll said that they’re currently in therapy and it helps them cope with their chronic condition, 19% said they’re in therapy but it’s not helping. Another 19% answered that they’re not currently attending therapy sessions, but are wondering if it’d help them process what they’re going through.

🧠 To learn why therapy is such an important part of Mighty staffer Skye’s migraine treatment and about the first time the interconnection between physical and mental health really sunk in for Kat, listen to episode six of Health and (un)Wellness here: open.spotify.com/episode/4m1l6upAHlaNoEa5TeLxXK

#Migraine #Podcast #ChronicPain #ChronicIllness #MentalHealth #Disability #CheckInWithMe #Spoonie #RareDisease

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My Epiphany Letter.....I Need My Life Back!

Sometimes, life with chronic illness can be overwhelming. It’s not always because of your disease either.

It’s often all the appointments, including doctors, allied health professionals, equipment trials, dealing with government departments, routine tests and procedures, etc. It can become a full-time job. Your body becomes your business, your place of work, and you can quickly feel as if you are losing all sense of illness/work/life balance.

In fact, you wake up one day and realise you no longer have a life, and each days agenda is being determined by anyone and everyone, but definitely not by you.

This was my epiphany when I woke up the other day. I had a list of upcoming events, life changing events in many regards, running through my mind.

In this podcast I share with you the epiphany moment I had, resulting in a life changing letter where I draw a line in the sand and take my life back!

www.mymedmusings.com
medicalmusings@bigpond.com

Listen to the most recent episode of my podcast: My Epiphany Letter anchor.fm/my-medical-musings/episodes/My-Epiphany-Letter-e28fabs

#Podcast #ChronicIllness #RareDisease #Epiphany #lifechange #Doctors #Lifebalance #Wellbeing #OccupationalTherapist

My Epiphany Letter by Medical Musings With Sam

Sometimes, life with chronic illness can be overwhelming. It’s not always because of your disease either. It’s often all the appointments, including doctors, allied health professionals, equipment trials, dealing with government departments, routine tests and procedures, etc. It can become a full-time job. Your body becomes your business, your place of work, and you can quickly feel as if you are losing all sense of illness/work/life balance. In fact, you wake up one day and realise you no longer have a life, and each days agenda is being determined by anyone and everyone, but definitely not by you. This was my epiphany when I woke up the other day. I had a list of upcoming events, life changing events in many regards, running through my mind. In this podcast I share with you the epiphany moment I had resulting in a life changing letter where I draw a line in the sand and take my life back! www.mymedmusings.com medicalmusings@bigpond.com
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Celebrating A Life with Chronic Illness and so Grateful for Milestones and Opportunities

I so hope you enjoy this blog post, celebrating over 4000 plays on my podcast.

In this blog post, I've included links to the top podcast episodes, which include interviews with other chronic illness warriors.

Each of their own chronic illness and disease journeys are just so inspiring and well worth listening to. The links are embedded in the blog post.

I am forever grateful for anyone listening, reading, following, liking, and commenting. You all mean the world to me.

I'm incredibly grateful to The Mighty for publishing so many of my articles since 2017 and providing me with a writing platform that encouraged me to become a published author last year.

Such blessings remind me daily that Chronic illness is a part of our lives, not all of our lives.

Love, Sam xx

Wow! I’ve Reached an Amazing Podcast Milestone.

#Podcast #Blog #author #lifestories #ChronicIllness #milestones

Wow! I’ve Reached an Amazing Podcast Milestone.

I’m so excited that my podcast, “Medical Musings with Sam,” has reached over 4000 plays.This is a huge achievement for a small podcast with a unique genre. I’m also apparent…
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Do you prefer podcasts with or without guests?

Here’s a hot take: some of the best podcast episodes have no guests at all. (Did you nod? Shrug? Throw something because you vehemently disagree?) I’d love to hear your thoughts on this: Does having guests on certain episodes of podcasts make you want to listen or does it encourage you to skip?

🎙️ P.S. The latest guest-less episode of Health & (un)Wellness dropped this week!

🍎 Listen on Apple Podcasts:

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/health-and-un-wellness/id1689263942

🎧 Listen on Spotify:

open.spotify.com/episode/6qQMhSoyEFxvS3iTLcfHDg

#Migraine #mightywithmigraine #Podcast #DistractMe #ChronicPain #ChronicIllness #Fibromyalgia #EDS

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‎Health and (un)Wellness: Migraine: The Relationship Third Wheel on Apple Podcasts

‎Show Health and (un)Wellness, Ep Migraine: The Relationship Third Wheel - Jul 17, 2023
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New Podcast Episode! Monday, 7/17

The fourth episode of "Health and (un)Wellness: Mighty With Migraine" releases on Monday, July 17.

Let's hit pause for a moment. Missed previous episodes? They're available on your favorite podcast platform right now: podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/health-and-unwellness

Here's a little about the episode:

Ah migraine, the most annoying third wheel of all time. It’s a universal truth that migraine affects our relationships in ways both good and bad. In this episode, Kat and Skye get honest about dating — just wait until you hear about Skye’s experiment with dating apps — as well as their connections with family and friends. If you sometimes (read: always) feel like a burden to the people you care about, this one’s for you.

RSVP to be among the first to hear the episode live:

#Podcast #Migraine #chronicmigraine #ChronicPain #ChronicIllness #MightyEvents #Relationships

Health and (un)Wellness • A podcast on Spotify for Podcasters

Live with a health condition or three? So do we. Brought to you by The Mighty, Health & (un)Wellness is a podcast created for and hosted by people who truly get it. Join us for vulnerable deep dives into different mental and physical illnesses. We’ll be sharing lived experiences, knowledge from health care professionals, and patient advocates who, well or unwell, get what it’s like to live with bodies and minds that move through the world a little differently. No matter how you’re feeling today, we’ll travel to meet you — just as you are. Because we’re here for you in sickness & in health.
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What Would You Like To Do For The Rest of Your Life Despite Chronic Illness?

I'm so aware reading articles and blog posts can be tiring and time consuming, especially when living with chronic illness.

I've been writing for #TheMighty for over 6 years, blogging for 8 years and had my first book published in 2022.

I love that usually when my writing is published in any form, I get feedback from some readers that it was just what they needed to read.

Sometimes that might be feedback from one person who was in a place where they needed someone to really understand what they were going through. Sometimes the posts reaonate with 100's if not 100 000's of people. I really never know what the response will be, it's so hit and miss.

My aim with my writing and patient advocacy activities has always been to reach at least one person in their hour of need. That makes it all worthwhile.

With this blog post, I'd really like to encourage you to read it if the following applies to you:

1. You feel chronic illness has taken everything from you and it's all you can think about or,

2. You feel like you are at the point where you want to do more with your life, despite chronic illness but need some help or,

3. You just feel stuck and are not sure how to move forward or what you might be capable of doing.

This post is available on my blog and on my Podcast if listening, rather than reading, is easier for you.

Both links are below.

Above all, thank you to everyone who does take the time to read and give me feedback. I appreciate it so much.

Sam đź’š

What Would You Like To Do For The Rest of Your Life?

Listen to the most recent episode of my podcast: What Would You Like To Do For The Rest of Your Life, Despite Chronic Illness? anchor.fm/my-medical-musings/episodes/What-Would-You-Like-To...

#Podcast #PatientAdvocates #Blog #Plans #RareDisease #Arthritis #AutoimmuneDisease #Writing #Support

What Would You Like To Do For The Rest of Your Life, Despite Chronic Illness? by Medical Musings With Sam

When we live with chronic illness, the concept of continuous improvement seems almost ridiculous doesn’t it. But is it? Our lives, while significantly impacted by our diseases, don’t need to be completely dictated by them. We can make changes which will catapult us into a new future. We can see our new circumstances as a time of opportunity, rather than a time of retreat and despair.
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Our new podcast releases soon, be the first to listen!

The inaugural season of Health & (un)Wellness — Mighty With Migraine — kicks off with this well-rounded primer on the common yet disabling neurological disease. Meet hosts, Kat and Skye, as they explore some foundational migraine vocab and rant about barometric pressure changes. Come for the brain-bending info, stay for the laughs!

The episode releases Monday, June 5!

#Migraine #Podcast #chronicmigraine #acutemigraine #episodicmigraine #ChronicPain #virtualevents #ChronicIllness

New Podcast Episode: Migraine 101 | The Mighty

Virtual Event - Sign up to be notified when episode 1 of our new podcast series drops!
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