Although most television shows that included COVID-19 in their storylines imagined the pandemic to be over by now, the disease is still around, mutating and spreading as a more insidious infection. As many people imagine that life has gone back to normal, others are dealing with long-term lingering effects, in a wide variety of conditions put under the label Long Covid. This has been one of the most widespread changes in health conditions in the world, as many people realize that the infection left behind potentially lifelong effects.
According to the CDC, 6 out of 10 adults in the US have at least one chronic condition – and that number is on the rise. Though Long Covid is still new, it may be a comfort to those suffering from it to know that there are other populations that understand the appearance of symptoms that don’t go away. A critical way to learn about these chronically ill populations is through documentaries, the best of which were explicitly made to raise awareness and help those suffering feel less alone.
7 Trust Me, I’m Sick
Stream on the Trust Me, I’m Sick Facebook Page
This five-episode docuseries, available on Facebook, follows members of the HIV, Lupus, Diabetes, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), and kidney disease communities. Each episode is structured around the ways healthy people tend to approach those with chronic illnesses and looks into the challenges inherent to invisible disabilities. The participants approach their conditions intersectionally, sharing their stories to help others feel less alone and reinforce the importance of including the chronically ill when considering good disability representation.
As the Suffering In Silence website says, “It was crucial that Trust Me, I’m Sick was made for the community, by the community.” Because the members of the production team all have personal experience with chronic illness, Trust Me, I’m Sick comes across as a departure from the usual “inspiration porn” that serves as most illnesses’ only forms of representation.
6 Under Our Skin
Stream on YouTube
This documentary looks at both the medical and social sides of Lyme Disease, with a special emphasis on the medical neglect patients face when they exhibit symptoms of chronic Lyme Disease. The CDC acknowledges the severity of this problem, stating that while 30,000 cases are reported annually, the number of people contracting the disease is likely closer to 476,000. The documentary itself admits to being a real-life horror story.
Under Our Skin, which is available on YouTube, has been the recipient of multiple film awards, including being named the Best Documentary by Health & Medical Media Awards. The film’s sequel proves that documentaries can make a significant impact on the medical field, and while its argument may be controversial, many patients with chronic Lyme Disease took to IMDb to praise the newfound visibility.
5 Gaga: Five Foot Two
Stream on Netflix
Sometimes the most important thing for those suffering from chronic illnesses is knowing that they aren’t alone, and Gaga: Five Foot Two provides that sense of community and visibility for those with fibromyalgia. The condition causes potentially debilitating pain and continues to be downplayed by the medical community, particularly because it is so much more common in women than men.
Though the documentary focuses on Lady Gaga’s life as a whole, her experiences with fibromyalgia are some of the most authentic. Gaga’s fans who share her diagnosis have applauded the film (per Vogue) for taking the time to highlight the suffering that so often comes with fibromyalgia.
4 Blood Sugar Rising
Stream on the PBS Website
Despite the CDC showing that over 11% of Americans have Diabetes and 38% have Prediabetes, it is one of the most stigmatized chronic diseases, since it’s often understood as being the consequence of personal failings. Blood Sugar Rising specifically addresses this stigma, with the intention of bringing out the humanity and individuality of diabetics and highlighting the importance of treating the disease as an epidemic.
This PBS documentary makes a strong argument that socioeconomic factors have a major impact on who contracts Diabetes and how well they can manage it. Though the current state of Diabetes in the United States is dire, the documentary has a hopeful perspective, showing the many developments that can help prevent and manage the disease. Blood Sugar Rising does an excellent job balancing the need to take Diabetes seriously with the need to treat diabetics humanely.
3 Of Two Minds
Stream on Prime Video
There are unfortunately many TV shows and movies that inaccurately represent mental illness, and Bipolar Disorder tends to be one of the most stigmatized versions of this. To counter those versions, Of Two Minds follows individuals with Bipolar Disorder to show the way it impacts all of their lives differently. Each subject is open with how their mental health has impacted their jobs, social lives, and physical health, and their stories force viewers to understand the way social expectations can make an already difficult condition much harder.
According to the National Association of Mental Illness, “Of Two Minds is one of the best (if not the best documentary) I have ever seen on mental illness.” The documentary feels extremely personal, which may be due to co-director Lisa Klein’s family history with the disorder. Rather than focusing on just the medical jargon of Bipolar Disorder, Klein and co-director Doug Blush focus on emotions – both those the disorder manifests and the ones that form in reaction to the potentially embarrassing situations their condition puts them in. Of Two Minds is a one-of-a-kind take on an all-too-frequently scorned topic.
2 Unrest
Stream on Netflix
This documentary by Jennifer Brea focuses on her experiences with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, a condition that causes profound fatigue, among other life-altering symptoms, which gets worse due to mental or physical exertion. Statistics show that the condition is incredibly serious, with 75% of those affected unable to work, and 25% home or bed-bound. Brea records her own life as she attempts to adapt to the changes in her medical condition, search for solutions, convince doctors that there is something wrong with her, and fight for more research on the condition.
Unrest won a U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award For Editing at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, as well as other local and international film awards. This condition, sometimes also called Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, has no other representation except for two episodes of The Golden Girls. The documentary is both validating for patients and educational for those outside of the M.E. community and does a lot of work bringing this unknown illness into the spotlight.
1 A Teachable Moment
Stream on YouTube
Although many people think of strokes as one-time issues, they frequently cause life-long impacts. According to the CDC, nearly 800,000 people in the US have strokes annually, and 1/4 of these are in people who have had previous strokes. A Teachable Moment, which is available on YouTube, follows four stroke survivors as they attempt to recover from their strokes, interspersing information about what strokes are, how they can be treated, and what recovery means throughout the survivors narratives.
The production company partnered with the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association to make this film, and the heartfelt dedication to the project shows. A Teachable Moment does an impressive job communicating information while also fostering empathy for the featured survivors. Many people have misconceptions about who is affected by strokes, so the combination of medical professionals and those personally impacted works to reveal the truth.
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