r/ChronicIllness

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 114K 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 25K members have joined in the past year. Popular discussion topics include Looking For, Chronic Illness, and Illness. Product recommendations often mention symptom tracking app, heating pad, and mobility aid.

On Reddit
Established 2011
114K Members

Subreddit Analysis

via GummySearch
Yearly: +25K members
Growth: +28.0% / 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: 21K members

Past year (monthly)

  • 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: 2K members
  • Oct: 384 members

Topics

  • Looking For
    19 posts in the past month
    #1
    Looking For
    19
  • Chronic Illness
    18 posts in the past month
    #2
    Chronic Illness
    18
  • Illness
    7 posts in the past month
    #3
    Illness
    7
  • Support Group
    5 posts in the past month
    #4
    Support Group
    5
  • Job
    5 posts in the past month
    #5
    Job
    5

Flair

  • Question
    33 posts in the past month
    1. Opinions on Savella?
    2. How did you know you have ME/CFS?
    3. Course
    #1
    Question
    Opinions on Savella? · How did you know you have ME/CFS? · Course
    33
  • Discussion
    17 posts in the past month
    1. anybody else got an illness that nobody knows about?
    2. Why do people make you feel worthless just because they don’t understand your chronic illness?
    3. 6 months Status Migraine - Out of Ideas
    #2
    Discussion
    anybody else got an illness that nobody knows about? · Why do people make you feel worthless just because they don’t understand your chronic illness? · 6 months Status Migraine - Out of Ideas
    17
  • Support wanted
    9 posts in the past month
    1. Everything is ruined and I don’t know how to move on
    2. Parents' idea of success
    3. Constant pulled muscles, etc
    #3
    Support wanted
    Everything is ruined and I don’t know how to move on · Parents' idea of success · Constant pulled muscles, etc
    9
  • Vent
    8 posts in the past month
    1. What is the point of the clinic writing letters to my GP if my GP doesn't read them when he needs the information in them?
    2. Recently diagnosed with ME and in need of support
    3. Thought I made a friend but he doesn't understand
    #4
    Vent
    What is the point of the clinic writing letters to my GP if my GP doesn't read them when he needs the information in them? · Recently diagnosed with ME and in need of support · Thought I made a friend but he doesn't understand
    8
  • Rant
    6 posts in the past month
    1. [24f] Ménière’s disease
    2. Kinda bored of hospitals now
    3. [ Removed by moderator ]
    #5
    Rant
    [24f] Ménière’s disease · Kinda bored of hospitals now · [ Removed by moderator ]
    6

Product recommendations

  • symptom tracking app
    4 posts in the past month
    1. Can you recommend a symptom tracking system?
    2. Advice: symptom tracking app/recommended method?
    3. Recs for symptom tracking on android
    #1
    symptom tracking app
    Can you recommend a symptom tracking system? · Advice: symptom tracking app/recommended method? · Recs for symptom tracking on android
    4
  • heating pad
    3 posts in the past month
    1. Can someone recommend a heating pad that actually gets hot?
    2. Most recommended heat pad?
    3. Heating Pad Recs!
    #2
    heating pad
    Can someone recommend a heating pad that actually gets hot? · Most recommended heat pad? · Heating Pad Recs!
    3
  • mobility aid
    3 posts in the past month
    1. Can you guys recommend some mobility aids for me?
    2. Mobility Aid Recs
    3. Cute mobility aid recs?
    #3
    mobility aid
    Can you guys recommend some mobility aids for me? · Mobility Aid Recs · Cute mobility aid recs?
    3

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 114K 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.