Community Overview
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 110K 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 23K members have joined in the past year. Popular discussion topics include Chronic Illness, Looking For, and Support Group. Common discussion themes are Pain & Anger and Advice Requests. Product recommendations often mention symptom tracking app, heating pad, and mobility aid.
Community Topics
Subreddit Analysis
via GummySearchYearly: +23K members
Growth: +26.9% / year
Member 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: 17K members
2013
+33 new
2014
+27 new
2015
+166 new
2016
+401 new
2017
+744 new
2018
+2K new
2019
+4K new
2020
+13K new
2021
+15K new
2023
+28K new
2024
+14K new
2025
+16K new
2026
+17K new
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: 260 members
September 2025
+1K new
October 2025
+1K new
November 2025
+2K new
December 2025
+2K new
January 2026
+2K new
February 2026
+2K new
March 2026
+2K new
April 2026
+2K new
May 2026
+4K new
June 2026
+2K new
July 2026
+2K new
August 2026
+260 new
Themes
- Pain & Anger25 posts in the past month
- Anyone else also have zero friends left, never leave the house much etc?
- "Stop using it as an excuse"
- It hit me that this is forever.
#125Pain & AngerAnyone else also have zero friends left, never leave the house much etc? · "Stop using it as an excuse" · It hit me that this is forever. - Advice Requests24 posts in the past month
- Is having a relationship even achievable for chronically ill girls?
- My therapist doesn't believe my disability is disabling - Advice wanted
- Chronic illness symptoms worsened by menstruation?
#224Advice RequestsIs having a relationship even achievable for chronically ill girls? · My therapist doesn't believe my disability is disabling - Advice wanted · Chronic illness symptoms worsened by menstruation? - Money Talk2 posts in the past month
- I can’t afford my surgeries
- Prescription Costs
#32Money TalkI can’t afford my surgeries · Prescription Costs - Solution Requests2 posts in the past month
- Looking for suggestions for chronic nausea… I feel like I’ve tried everything
- Natural ways to reduce inflammation and flares - that have actually worked?
#42Solution RequestsLooking for suggestions for chronic nausea… I feel like I’ve tried everything · Natural ways to reduce inflammation and flares - that have actually worked? - Self-Promotion1 post in the past month
- I'm hoping to release a free mental health resource for the chronically ill community but I'd really like someone to beta read it first
#51Self-PromotionI'm hoping to release a free mental health resource for the chronically ill community but I'd really like someone to beta read it first
Topics
- Chronic Illness20 posts in the past month#120Chronic Illness
- Looking For19 posts in the past month#219Looking For
- Support Group5 posts in the past month#35Support Group
- Medications4 posts in the past month#44Medications
- Support Community4 posts in the past month#54Support Community
Flair
- Question44 posts in the past month
- My therapist doesn't believe my disability is disabling - Advice wanted
- Does anyone with serious health issues ever stop feeling like they’re “too much” to love?
- Chronic illness symptoms worsened by menstruation?
#144QuestionMy therapist doesn't believe my disability is disabling - Advice wanted · Does anyone with serious health issues ever stop feeling like they’re “too much” to love? · Chronic illness symptoms worsened by menstruation? - Support wanted36 posts in the past month
- CPS apparently thinks I don't need my mobility aids
- Family Expressing Anger About my Illness
- Anyone else bedridden?
#236Support wantedCPS apparently thinks I don't need my mobility aids · Family Expressing Anger About my Illness · Anyone else bedridden? - Vent31 posts in the past month
- Is having a relationship even achievable for chronically ill girls?
- Embarrassed/judged at the pharmacy
- Doctor's appointment
#331VentIs having a relationship even achievable for chronically ill girls? · Embarrassed/judged at the pharmacy · Doctor's appointment - Discussion27 posts in the past month
- I find it odd that smoke breaks are normalized and widely accepted but taking breaks to nap or decompress due to a chronic illness isn't
- Anyone Else Shocked by How Ableist Most People Are?
- What's the wildest "cure" someone has suggested to you?
#427DiscussionI find it odd that smoke breaks are normalized and widely accepted but taking breaks to nap or decompress due to a chronic illness isn't · Anyone Else Shocked by How Ableist Most People Are? · What's the wildest "cure" someone has suggested to you? - Rant26 posts in the past month
- Bummed - ADA Accommodation in Corporate America
- Religious hospitals…
- Feeling robbed of my life and need to vent. Don’t read if your triggered easily 💙
#526RantBummed - ADA Accommodation in Corporate America · Religious hospitals… · Feeling robbed of my life and need to vent. Don’t read if your triggered easily 💙
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?
View full analysis on GummySearchSynced 8/2/2026
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 110K 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
- 14
- Views /mo (+100%)
- 8
- Visitors /mo (+14%)
- 0
- Referrals /mo
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