All the Pain We Cannot See; Giovanna Errore’s Invisible Illness | RDID; 218
They thought she was “just an anxious kid” growing up—that, other than that, there was nothing really “wrong” with her. But writer and translator Giovanna Errore was suffering in silence; trying like hell to be a functional teenager and then young adult while something was happening in her body and her mind that she didn’t understand. She was masking, feeling psychic and physical pain and, finally, a fibromyalgia diagnosis turned the key and unlocked the door, helping her heal. Chronic, unrelenting pain isn’t just a physical malady; there is a psychological component to it—the ceaseless patter of self-eroding doubt, isolation, and allowing the external doubt of your own reality to slowly become your own internal monologue.
Giovanna shares enthusiastically during our interview about her fascinating and hopeful research from her graduate work in psychological communication on chronically ill people in online communities, and why participation can increase self-determination, belonging, and satisfaction with life; perhaps that’s why she likes Recovery Diaries so much! We are, after all, our own online community of vulnerable, capable human beings telling their stories and supporting each other.
Then Giovanna reads her essay “How Severus Snape Saved My Life,” exploring how this intense, cloistered fictional character can mirror the parts of us we keep hidden. After all, Snape had something going on inside which he couldn’t share with anybody. Giovanna openly and freely talks with our host, Gabe Nathan (who thoroughly enjoyed editing Giovanna’s essay several years ago) about therapy, stigma, work, accommodations, and the challenging, but necessary, choice to stop keeping secrets.
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Conversations like the ones on this podcast can sometimes be hard, but they’re always necessary. If you or someone you know is struggling, please consider visiting wannatalkaboutit.com. If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please call, text, or chat 988.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR / EDITOR: Gabriel Nathan | DESIGN: Leah Alexandra Goldstein | SITE ORIGINATOR: Bud Clayman
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