She describes the two-way street between pain and mental health: “They are so interconnected, if your mental health is deteriorating and you’re not looking after that, the pain and fatigue can cause a cyclic effect.”
Alysha talks about validation and the importance of having “…your own voice in your own treatment from whatever age you start at…feeling, making sure they feel involved, making sure they feel heard.”
“I think validation’s really important…the validation of you’ve got chronic pain…whether they’re visible or not…just acknowledging that patient, that person is going through this and experiencing these things going what your experiences are real, they’re real to you and that’s what we should be looking at.”
Hear why sharing her experience with other young people experiencing pain and advocating for their care, is so important to Alysha. “For me, my future’s always been about helping others. It’s always been about sharing my experiences.”