"Have You Tried..? Understanding Chronic Pain" Publication
Purpose
The purpose of this publication is to educate people about chronic pain illnesses as well as provide information, support, and validation for those who need it.
I want someone to be able to look up information about chronic illnesses and this comes up as a source written by someone, as well as a community, who struggles themselves instead of just medical professionals who have only read about it and can’t fully understand what it’s like.
I want the audience to feel comfortable while they’re reading rather than feeling like a science statistic while being acknowledged about how hard it is. I want the readers who have chronic pain to feel their experiences be recognized.
Creation
To create this work, I sourced different medical articles about the different topics covered. These were through reputable medical sites and give accurate descriptions of the illnesses. This provided the medical side.
I also reached out to chronic pain support groups to create a more personal feel as well. I asked for their thoughts on what they personally experience. I also looked for material showing their feelings, including poetry.
To relate the publication to the audience, as the author, I also wrote my own story dealing with chronic pain. The audience will be more receptive is they are aware the person who made the piece understands.
gh
