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 112K members. It has been around since 2011. It has both a forum and a live chat communication style. On the Hive Index it ranks #1 in the Chronic Conditions communities list.
Roughly 24K members have joined in the past year. Popular discussion topics include Looking For, Chronic Illness, and Illness. 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: +24K members
Growth: +27.4% / 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: 19K 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
+19K new
Past year (monthly)
- 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
- Sep: 487 members
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
+2K new
September 2026
+487 new
Themes
- Pain & Anger12 posts in the past month
- I lashed out at my GP because she was refusing treatment and I am ashamed
- can’t get past job interviews anymore with my appearance
- I’m chronically ill with no support system, and setting one boundary changed my relationship with my cousin
#112Pain & AngerI lashed out at my GP because she was refusing treatment and I am ashamed · can’t get past job interviews anymore with my appearance · I’m chronically ill with no support system, and setting one boundary changed my relationship with my cousin - Advice Requests4 posts in the past month
- Any affirmations/sayings you say to help you get through hard times?
- How do you cope when you don't have family support?
- Did anyone manage to find a dietician specialized in chronic illnesses?
#24Advice RequestsAny affirmations/sayings you say to help you get through hard times? · How do you cope when you don't have family support? · Did anyone manage to find a dietician specialized in chronic illnesses?
Topics
- Looking For19 posts in the past month#119Looking For
- Chronic Illness18 posts in the past month#218Chronic Illness
- Illness7 posts in the past month
- Did anyone manage to find a dietician specialized in chronic illnesses?
#37IllnessDid anyone manage to find a dietician specialized in chronic illnesses? - Support Group5 posts in the past month#45Support Group
- Job5 posts in the past month
- I had to give up my dream job today
- Getting a job
#55JobI had to give up my dream job today · Getting a job
Flair
- Question54 posts in the past month
- Sometimes “you're so strong” doesn't actually feel like a compliment.
- Starting a Book club for Chronic Illness folks
- What to do when everything is falling apart? Your mental and physical health, career, relationships, lovelife, and friendships?
#154QuestionSometimes “you're so strong” doesn't actually feel like a compliment. · Starting a Book club for Chronic Illness folks · What to do when everything is falling apart? Your mental and physical health, career, relationships, lovelife, and friendships? - Vent32 posts in the past month
- what's up with doctors / medical professionals putting blatantly incorrect things in our files?
- There is nothing worse than having a chronic illness and having a period at the same time.
- “Just” Ask for Accommodations
#232Ventwhat's up with doctors / medical professionals putting blatantly incorrect things in our files? · There is nothing worse than having a chronic illness and having a period at the same time. · “Just” Ask for Accommodations - Discussion32 posts in the past month
- Does anyone else get completely exhausted by the never-ending doctor appointments?
- Living with a chronic condition means getting very good at saying “I'm fine” while also knowing “fine” has approximately 47 different meanings.
- My partner left because he can’t do a life with me chronically ill
#332DiscussionDoes anyone else get completely exhausted by the never-ending doctor appointments? · Living with a chronic condition means getting very good at saying “I'm fine” while also knowing “fine” has approximately 47 different meanings. · My partner left because he can’t do a life with me chronically ill - Support wanted29 posts in the past month
- My partner is about to leave me due to my illness, even though I supported him through his.
- I don’t want it to be like this forever
- Yesterday I was told palliative is next for me
#429Support wantedMy partner is about to leave me due to my illness, even though I supported him through his. · I don’t want it to be like this forever · Yesterday I was told palliative is next for me - Rant26 posts in the past month
- I wish I was born into generational health.
- chronic illness really shows you how quickly the life you once knew can be taken away from you.
- It's hard to imagine people are NOT in physical pain all the time
#526RantI wish I was born into generational health. · chronic illness really shows you how quickly the life you once knew can be taken away from you. · It's hard to imagine people are NOT in physical pain all the time
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 9/6/2026
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 112K 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
- 18
- Views /mo (+50%)
- 18
- Visitors /mo (+125%)
- 2
- Referrals /mo
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