#ChronicIllness

A growing body of evidence underscores the immense emotional, physical, and spiritual strain shouldered by caregivers—often family members—tasked with looking after loved ones with chronic illnesses such as Alzheimer’s, cancer, stroke, or Parkinson’s disease. Recent personal stories and new data shared in a July 2025 report by faith columnist Terry Pluto bring renewed attention to both the widespread challenges and silent heroics within caregiving communities, with lessons and warnings that resonate deeply in Thailand.

Emerging scientific evidence is shedding new light—literally—on the fight against autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS), Crohn’s disease, and rheumatoid arthritis. Recent reports and peer-reviewed studies suggest that exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light may offer more than mood-boosting benefits or boosted vitamin D levels. Instead, UV light could play a direct therapeutic role in taming the overactive immune responses at the heart of these debilitating illnesses, a development with significant implications for Thai patients and healthcare providers alike.

Staying fit with sensitive, easily irritated skin might sound like an Olympic challenge, but new research and expert advice show that people with eczema can still reap the rewards of exercise—if they sweat-smart. With atopic dermatitis now affecting an estimated 245 million people globally and up to 10% of Thai children according to global epidemiological data (Wikipedia: eczema), the question of how to safely integrate exercise into daily life has real consequences for personal health and quality of life across the country.

A new international research protocol is shining a spotlight on a long-neglected aspect of patient care: the sexual health, well-being, and pleasure of individuals living with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs). By proposing a sweeping review of global literature and lived experiences, this initiative aims to address both the clinical and societal fatigue around topics of intimacy for millions affected worldwide—a conversation now increasingly relevant to Thai patients and families seeking holistic chronic disease management [source: Wiley Online Library].

For 16-year-old Molly from Weymouth, every day presents a battle—one that began four years ago when she first developed long Covid. From severe fatigue and heart palpitations to fainting spells, seizures, and even allergic reactions, Molly describes her experience as “horrible”, with basic activities now requiring a wheelchair and “two good days a week, maybe three”. With dedicated NHS long Covid support for young people in Dorset shuttered, Molly is preparing to journey 300 miles to Liverpool for private treatment, illuminating a broader crisis faced by young long Covid patients and raising urgent questions about national and global responses to this lingering pandemic (BBC).

Emerging research reveals intriguing insights into the often-debilitating phenomenon known as brain fog, a symptom linked with various chronic illnesses and conditions. As COVID-19 swept the globe, the term “brain fog” gained prominence, particularly among those suffering from long COVID, with estimates suggesting that 20 to 65 percent of these individuals experience it ¹. Beyond its association with COVID, brain fog is also recognized in communities dealing with chronic illnesses such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and lupus, attracting interest and concern among healthcare professionals and patients alike.