Disease Overview - Myasthenia gravis is a chronic autoimmune disorder affecting 1 in 5,000 people, causing muscle weakness and limited control [3] - The illness is hard to diagnose, taking months or years due to its reliance on subjective feelings of muscle weakness rather than external signs [6][7] Personal Experience - The speaker experienced initial symptoms at age 14, including muscle weakness and loss of control, eventually diagnosed as myasthenia gravis [1][2][3] - The speaker underwent a thymectomy to remove the thymus, an organ that misdiagnosed connections between nerves and muscles, leading to the immune system attacking those connections [11][12][14] - Post-diagnosis, the speaker faced challenges in explaining the invisible illness to others, leading to feelings of isolation and self-doubt [16][17][19][20] Coping and Empowerment - The turning point came when the speaker realized her strength in battling the illness at a young age, leading to increased engagement in activities [22][23][24] - The speaker aims to establish a nonprofit organization to support young individuals grappling with invisible illnesses [25] - The speaker emphasizes embracing personal battles to realize inner strength and live life to the fullest [23][27]

Psoriasis Prevalence and Impact - Approximately 3% of the US population, translating to about 8 million people, experience psoriasis [4] - Psoriasis is a systemic condition associated with other conditions such as arthritis, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes [5] - 60% of psoriasis patients experience depression or anxiety [9] - Psoriasis patients are twice as likely to experience suicidal thoughts compared to people with chronic illnesses and the general population [10] - 10% of psoriasis patients demonstrated a desire to be dead in a survey [10] Factors Influencing Psoriasis - Genetics play a role, with a 10% chance of developing psoriasis if one parent has it, rising to 50% if both parents have it [6][7] - Stress is a significant environmental factor, with a case control study showing that 68% of psoriasis patients experienced a stressful incident before flare-ups [8] Social Perception and Stigma - Studies indicate that one in four people have never heard of psoriasis [14] - A study with 198 participants showed that 23% thought psoriasis was contagious, 342% did not want to shake hands, 454% did not want to eat food cooked by them, and 15% refused to sit next to them [15] Treatment and Management - Advanced treatments like biologics can help relieve psoriasis, but are often expensive [21][22] Societal Actions - Society can help by educating themselves, advocating for affordable healthcare, and practicing kindness [21][22][23]