The pain you can't see: The crisis is over, but I'm still not okay

Writer: Akanji Studio & Maya Bloomberg

After a pain episode, it looks like survival. But what follows is exhaustion, soreness, and a nervous system that won’t slow down.

“You look better,”

but internally:

  • Muscles ache
  • Sleep is broken
  • Emotions are frayed
  • The fear of another crisis hovers
  • Recovery isn’t rest, it’s another battle

"I’m always torn between being polite or being honest. I look fine, so people forget. But every time I speak up to say I’m still healing, I feel like I’m asking for permission to be human." — Rizzy, Akanji Studio

Pain may end, but the nervous system stays on. When pain is severe, the body doesn’t just reset. For many warriors, the nervous system stays in high alert, wired in fight-or-flight mode. This high-alert state is amplified by medical trauma or being dismissed. The body learns to expect danger, so stress signals fire long after the pain resolves. Stress signals lead to the release of coristol & adrenaline, which can reduce blood flow & worsen pain.

When strong becomes survival mode. For many warriors, high alert becomes the baseline. The body stays wired in survival mode, always bracing for the next crisis, the next judgement, or the fear of being misunderstood or a burden. Being “strong” on the outside can hide what’s happening inside:

  • muscles never fully relax
  • sleep is interrupted
  • healing slows down

over time, this constant fight-or-flight increases pain, inflammation, and weaknes the immune system. True strength isn’t pushing through. it’s giving the body space to heal.

RECOVERY = REBUILDING TRUST

RECOVERY ISN’T JUST ABOUT taking medication & MANAGING SYMPTOMS. IT’S ABOUT REBUILDING TRUST, IN YOUR BODY, YOUR MIND, AND THE SYSTEM around YOU. That’s why this work requires both sides:

  • Lived experience that speaks the unspoken
  • Clinical insight that validates & supports it

Together, we’re creating spaces where:

  • Emotional suppression isn’t MISTAKEN FOR STRENGTH
  • TOOLS FOR REGULATING The nervous system IS INCLUDED IN THE TREATMENT
  • Recovery ADDRESSES the whole person, not just their pain score

This is what it looks like when community + care join forces.

Let’s stop expecting warriors to look fine to be believed. Let’s normalise care, not just for the crisis, but for the recovery.


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