I haven't heard a new album from my favorite artist. I live because my friends and I were in the middle of a two part episode of Hell's Kitchen. I live because I haven't finished my expensive chocolate I bought as a treat. I live because I want to know how my book ends. Live for ANY reason. 5/5

- Live for any reason. Live for big things if you can - I live for my niece who would miss me terribly, and my family and fiance of course. But sometimes I live for littler things. I live for my cat, who would not know where I went. I live to see a movie that isn't out yet. I live because ... 4/

- Do not be afraid to give dangerous objects to others for safekeeping. Recently I asked my fiance to hide my pills, just in case. I also use exacto knives for art and sometimes they need to be hidden. This is ok. Ask someone trustworthy to take your things, for a little while. 3/

- Have a crisis plan. If a hotline isn't your jam, have a predetermined plan of what to do if your Bad Thoughts get too big. Mine is something like: call my sister; make my fiance stay with me so I don't do anything I'll regret; listen to music that calms me; watch cartoons that make me laugh 2/

And that may be healthy. But if someone you know seems overly comfortable with suicide or death, please check in with them. Make sure they are being treated by a professional and they are safe. Tell them you care about them and hope they can stick around because you want them here, in the world. 4/4

Please DO NOT, like one psychiatrist I know, be comforted that they "seem less upset" because they're not crying anymore. To be unafraid of suicide is to be closer to it.

There are some exceptions - if, after treatment, you make peace with your suicidality you can learn to coexist with it... 3/

I have been closest to suicide when death, particularly the desire for death, no longer scares me. When it seems something I am resigned to, comfortable with, and unfazed by. If you know someone who seems to feel that wanting to end things is just their new normal, this is (probably) a red flag. 2/

For complex patients, support for SSDI/private disability applications, and physician training on disability and chronic illness management and sensitivity would be a good start.

Public health needs more attention for disabled and chronically ill people. We are consistently ignored and mistreated in a slower and subtler but equally degrading and dangerous version of RFKJ's eugenic policies. Better pain management policies, ADA compliance, patient advocates, case managers ...

Universal healthcare, likely single payer. I've worked in insurance (cust. svc. - I'm not evil) I've seen how much waste our system has. Failing that, all politicians should be on mandatory public insurance. Let them see how great it is. (I also think they should make min. wage but that's off topic)

By barometric pressure changes (i.e. weather shifts) so an unstable climate directly equals more pain and less function for me. It's a fairly commonly documented trigger in others with migraines, too. It's one factor in my moving out of Massachusetts (the New England weather jokes are true).

I say go on and publish when it's ready! The recent weather is still fresh in everyone's mind and the heat wave continues on the US East Coast.

Also THANK YOU for this. Nondisabled people never think of climate change as a disability issue and it very much is. My migraines are very much impacted...

Oh and don't ask me why I didn't get treated by my college medical center cause they were a joke. They couldn't figure out how to treat an ear infection. I know because I got one and they couldn't treat it. They also lied to me about what was necessary for disability accommodations.

Almost anyone with chronic illness will tell you that you have to rest, or your body will make you. Sooner or later. Those who won't tell you this need to hear it. And when you do push too hard, most likely you'll have to rest longer than you would have if you hadn't overextended yourself at all.5/5

While resting, I was forbidden to feel guilty because that defeats the point.

There were a few times I broke the rules - I worked after 9 on tech week leading up to my dance performance, for example. I was able to do so without completely losing it. My reserves of rest kept me mostly stable. 4/

The point is it was intense and I knew if I was going to complete our required undergrad thesis to their standard I needed a rest plan.

To this day I am convinced I only made it through that last year because I rested at least 2 hours for every 1 hour of work, and I stopped all work by 9pm. 3/

All of my conditions were likely made worse by stress. And my college was DEMANDING. Acceptance rate was high, graduation rate was low. That was especially true for students who were disabled, female, trans, or of color. A lot of my friends were bullied out either by students, the admin, or both. 2/

Come to our appointments and fight for us. Heck, just drive us so we know someone supportive will be there afterwards. (Maybe that's just me...) Offer to do the paperwork or call the insurance company.

Think of it as mutual aid. A lot of it won't cost you a thing. 4/4