About r/ChronicIllness
A place of support for those living with, or affected by, chronic illness. Open and welcoming to all. This subreddit is for social and community support, not medical advice. If you need help please contact mod mail with a link to the content you need help with or have questions about.
The community at a glance
r/ChronicIllness is a Subreddit for Mental Health and Chronic Conditions with roughly 111K members. It has been around since 2011. It has both a forum and a live chat communication style. On the Hive Index it ranks #2 in the Chronic Conditions communities list.
Roughly 24K members have joined in the past year. Popular discussion topics include Looking For, Chronic Illness, and Support Group. Common discussion themes are Pain & Anger. Product recommendations often mention symptom tracking app, heating pad, and mobility aid.
Community Topics
Subreddit Analysis
via GummySearchMember growth over time
All time (yearly)
- 2013: 33 members
- 2014: 27 members
- 2015: 166 members
- 2016: 401 members
- 2017: 744 members
- 2018: 2K members
- 2019: 4K members
- 2020: 13K members
- 2021: 15K members
- 2023: 28K members
- 2024: 14K members
- 2025: 16K members
- 2026: 18K members
Past year (monthly)
- Sep: 1K members
- Oct: 1K members
- Nov: 2K members
- Dec: 2K members
- Jan: 2K members
- Feb: 2K members
- Mar: 2K members
- Apr: 2K members
- May: 4K members
- Jun: 2K members
- Jul: 2K members
- Aug: 2K members
Themes
- Pain & Anger8 posts in the past month
- I am so tired of being told I have POTS
- I hate feeling broken
- I'm tired of being "brave"
#18Pain & AngerI am so tired of being told I have POTS · I hate feeling broken · I'm tired of being "brave"
Topics
- Looking For19 posts in the past month#119Looking For
- Chronic Illness17 posts in the past month#217Chronic Illness
- Support Group5 posts in the past month#35Support Group
- Support Community4 posts in the past month#44Support Community
- Friend3 posts in the past month#53Friend
Flair
- Question54 posts in the past month
- Does anyone else just… forget that other people’s bodies work?
- Anyone else navigating chronic illness without a support system?
- Is it fair that my parents treat somewhat essential stuff for my illness as needing to be earned?
#154QuestionDoes anyone else just… forget that other people’s bodies work? · Anyone else navigating chronic illness without a support system? · Is it fair that my parents treat somewhat essential stuff for my illness as needing to be earned? - Rant29 posts in the past month
- Having to pass up opportunities but can't complain about it due to privilege
- I'm so frustrated with abelists thinking I've thought myself into chronic illness.
- Annoyed at the world
#229RantHaving to pass up opportunities but can't complain about it due to privilege · I'm so frustrated with abelists thinking I've thought myself into chronic illness. · Annoyed at the world - Discussion28 posts in the past month
- Anyone else chronically ill having to take care of themselves on their own?
- I am so tired of being told I have POTS
- the United States economy is not going to accommodate disabled people with the current offshoring, automation direction we are heading
#328DiscussionAnyone else chronically ill having to take care of themselves on their own? · I am so tired of being told I have POTS · the United States economy is not going to accommodate disabled people with the current offshoring, automation direction we are heading - Support wanted26 posts in the past month
- How do you explain the experience of chronic illness to a well-meaning therapist?
- Daily nausea is ruining my life
- my only caretaker can't come with me to a surgery :(
#426Support wantedHow do you explain the experience of chronic illness to a well-meaning therapist? · Daily nausea is ruining my life · my only caretaker can't come with me to a surgery :( - Vent16 posts in the past month
- it sucks that remote jobs are going away. the job market is so bad
- Canadian healthcare is something else these days
- I thought I was getting better
#516Ventit sucks that remote jobs are going away. the job market is so bad · Canadian healthcare is something else these days · I thought I was getting better
Product recommendations
- symptom tracking app4 posts in the past month
- Can you recommend a symptom tracking system?
- Advice: symptom tracking app/recommended method?
- Recs for symptom tracking on android
#14symptom tracking appCan you recommend a symptom tracking system? · Advice: symptom tracking app/recommended method? · Recs for symptom tracking on android - heating pad3 posts in the past month
- Can someone recommend a heating pad that actually gets hot?
- Most recommended heat pad?
- Heating Pad Recs!
#23heating padCan someone recommend a heating pad that actually gets hot? · Most recommended heat pad? · Heating Pad Recs! - mobility aid3 posts in the past month
- Can you guys recommend some mobility aids for me?
- Mobility Aid Recs
- Cute mobility aid recs?
#33mobility aidCan you guys recommend some mobility aids for me? · Mobility Aid Recs · Cute mobility aid recs?
Community Reviews
Frequently asked questions
- Who is r/ChronicIllness for?
- Best for Mental Health and Chronic Conditions enthusiasts looking for a Reddit-based community with forum discussion, live chat.
- Is r/ChronicIllness free to join?
- This listing is not marked as paid-only. Access rules and any fees are decided by the community.
- How many members does r/ChronicIllness have?
- Roughly 111K members, based on figures reported by the community or its host. Member counts are approximate and change over time.
- What platform is r/ChronicIllness on?
- r/ChronicIllness runs on Reddit. Reddit communities (or "subreddits") are forum-based groups on the popular social news aggregation, web content rating, and discussion website Reddit. Reddit is commonly known as "the front page of the internet". Users submit content to the site such as links, text posts, and images, which are then voted up or down and discussed by other members. From investing Reddit communities, to professional ones, to ones just for laughs, you're likely to find a community for you on Reddit.
- What topics does r/ChronicIllness cover?
- On the Hive Index, r/ChronicIllness is organized under Mental Health, Chronic Conditions.
- How do I join r/ChronicIllness?
- You can join r/ChronicIllness by clicking this link, or pressing the "Go to community" button above.
- What are the Mental Health communities like?
- Communities for people navigating anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, loneliness, trauma, and everyday mental health challenges. Find online support groups, peer support networks, and online therapy resources. Reddit has some of the largest and most active mental health communities on the internet, with Discord servers offering real-time peer support.
Monthly Stats
- 11
- Views /mo (-21%)
- 11
- Visitors /mo (+38%)
- 0
- Referrals /mo
Similar Communities
12r/depression
Peer support for anyone struggling with a depressive disorder
r/Meditation
This community is for sharing experiences, stories and instruction relating to the practice of meditation.
r/Fibromyalgia
An optimistic but realistic support group.
r/MultipleSclerosis
Focusing on issues facing people with MS and their family and friends. Conversations about support, research, drug therapies, nutrition, exercise, and more.
r/lupus
This is a space for those Living with Lupus to Connect, Share Experiences, Build Support, and Create Community. Those who have other autoimmune conditions or loved ones of those with Lupus are welcome, with the loving reminder that this forum is for Lupus patients first. Respect our needs as much as we do our best to respect yours.
Fibromyalgia Action UK (HealthUnlocked)
An active peer support community on HealthUnlocked for people living with fibromyalgia, run in partnership with Fibromyalgia Action UK. Members share experiences, tips, and support around managing fibromyalgia.