Coping with chronic pain: Advice, tools and finding support

Chronic pain isn't just a physical condition—it's a life-altering experience that reshapes identity, relationships, and self-worth. One in five Canadians live with chronic pain, yet many suffer in silence due to medical dismissal, especially young people and women. In this powerful episode of Just Asking, Dr. Norman Buckley and chronic pain advocate Desmond Williams expose how systemic failures—long wait times, lack of interdisciplinary care, and inadequate medical training—leave patients stranded in a cycle of frustration and disability. The episode reveals a shocking truth: chronic pain often begins in childhood, yet children are routinely told to 'shake it off,' leading to years of untreated suffering. Desmond, who lived with undiagnosed pain for 13 years, and Genevieve Batista, who faced medical misogyny and invalidation, illustrate how the absence of a diagnosis can be as damaging as the pain itself. Yet amid the despair, there is hope: peer support networks, adaptive tools, and self-advocacy are lifelines. Natasha Trehan, a teen founder of Take a Pain Check, proves that lived experience can fuel systemic change. The episode ends with a crucial message: joy and creativity aren't luxuries—they're acts of resistance. Finding ways to adapt, pace, and access support—whether through biologics, accessibility devices, or community—can help people reclaim their lives.