It’s Never “Just a Migraine”

As someone who lives with migraines, nothing is more infuriating than when someone says, “It’s just a migraine.”

For many of my migraines, I can go about my day by taking a pharmacy’s worth of prescribed painkillers, anti-sickness medications and other drugs.

But when I actually have to take time off school or work, or cancel plans, the pain is unbearable.

I’ve found that people just don’t understand what a migraine is and how bad one can be.

Migraines don’t just affect your head; they affect your whole body, including your digestive system.

Imagine feeling so sick to your stomach that you can’t bear to take the medications you need because the vomiting that follows only makes the pain worse.

Imagine… every time you move your head, the world spins, everything merges as one and your entire perception of the world becomes a blur.

I don’t blame people for saying, “It’s just a migraine.”

But if you only take away one lesson, please let it be this:

If someone comes to you saying they have a migraine, please don’t belittle them by saying it’s “just a migraine.”

Please say, “I understand you’re in pain, and I’m here for you.”