Speak Up: Becoming Your Own Best Advocate in the Face of Dismissal

In this powerful follow-up to last week’s conversation on advocacy, Mikey takes a deeper dive into one of the hardest — and most important — parts of navigating chronic illness and rare disease: learning how to advocate for yourself.

Whether you’ve been dismissed by a doctor, questioned by strangers online, or left second-guessing your own symptoms, this episode is for you. Mikey shares raw, personal experiences of being gaslit by medical professionals, invalidated online, and underestimated because of his age and diagnosis — and how he’s learned to take back control, speak up, and own his truth.

This isn’t just about standing your ground in a doctor’s office — it’s about reclaiming your story, setting boundaries, and knowing that your lived experience matters. Mikey offers honest insight into what self-advocacy really looks like, including practical tools for navigating appointments, dealing with trolls, protecting your peace, and bouncing back when the world makes you feel invisible.

If you've ever felt silenced, overwhelmed, or unheard — this episode will remind you that you're not alone, your voice is powerful, and you do deserve to be taken seriously.

This is a reminder that self-advocacy isn't selfish — it’s survival. And it starts with believing that you are worth fighting for.