How to stop being embarrassed by having chronic migraine?

I’ve had chronic migraine for about 10 years now. They were episodic for most of my life, but I was able to have a successful career, a family, active social life, and travel. Somewhere in my early forties, they started getting worse, and now I’m pretty much fully disabled. I have been to multiple neurologists and other specialists, and tried and failed just about every preventive medication and treatment on the planet. I continue to try to get better, but I’m stuck. I would rather not do the have you tried dance. Please take my word that I have tried, and no, it didn’t work, even though it worked for you and your cousin’s best friend 😉

Here’s the thing - I just can’t stop feeling embarrassed that I am this sick. It’s humiliating that I have no control over my body and my life. I can’t work, can’t show up for important events, and for the last 5 days, I haven’t been able to do anything but hide in bed. I feel like a failure. I know that this is a serious neurological disorder and it’s not my fault. But I can’t stop feeling like, if I tried hard enough, or were tough enough or smart enough, I could beat these stupid migraines. I am racked by guilt and shame. No amount of therapy seems to beat this out of me. Rationally, I am all about radical acceptance and all that. But when I get into a really bad place like now, I just get swallowed up in embarrassment. What does everyone else do? Is it just me?

Posted Sep 5, 2026, 3:47 PM UTC

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