We recently released a new video on social media highlighting a frustrating, but deeply familiar experience for people with chronic illness: symptomsplaining. The term captures what happens when a patient’s very real, often debilitating symptoms are minimized, second-guessed, or reinterpreted by others, whether by medical professionals, employers, or even well-meaning loved ones. For those living with ME/CFS and other chronic conditions, this isn’t an occasional annoyance; it’s a recurring barrier to care, validation, and support.

Symptomsplaining is more than a communication problem. It shapes how seriously patients are treated, how quickly they receive appropriate care, and how safe they feel describing their own bodies. When symptoms are repeatedly reframed as exaggerations, anxiety, or misunderstandings, patients are placed in the exhausting position of having to defend their lived reality. That dynamic carries real consequences, from delayed diagnoses to psychological distress.

Through this video, we hope to give language to an experience many patients immediately recognize but rarely see acknowledged. Awareness is a critical first step toward change. When we listen to patients, we move closer to a healthcare culture grounded in respect.