Iris Vasconcelos

"Do you consider yourself to be a disabled person?" Unfortunately for me, I could answer this in 2 different ways: No, I don’t, because for the better part of my...

"What do you want to be when you grow up?" I've always questioned whether it's wrong to ask young kids this question. Is it possible to know the weight of...

I learned early on 3 very important lessons that I carry with me to this day, and they have helped me not only in life, but also in dealing with...

There is one particular question about narcolepsy that I would most like to be answered. In my opinion, I feel that when we speak of cataplexy, people's focus seems to...

Do you belong to an online community or support group? These days, I think it’s safe to say that it’s rare to find someone who doesn’t. The world has drastically...

Since being diagnosed with narcolepsy in 2018, my life has unfortunately been less than stable, but this experience offered me the opportunity to live in 3 different countries in the...

There’s a line I wrote in my blog “Life in Flashes,” when I first started writing, that I have begun questioning lately: “Narcolepsy isn’t just one part of my life...it...

I am not a parent. It’s important to say this, as I am extremely aware that being a parent is something that you can only understand when you become one...

All my life I’ve struggled with balance. Finding equilibrium is a battle I have fought internally for as long as I can remember. Still, despite being so familiar with this...

I’m sitting with my family, and I know they can tell it’s one of those days. It’s one of those days where my mood is sour and my energy is...

There are some experiences that leave scars that you can never heal from. There are traumas that will continue to haunt your every waking moment. Imagine if these traumas come...

It is a well-known fact that smoking cigarettes has countless negative impacts on the human body. Most of these we are aware of, such as lung cancer, cardiac disease, strokes...

I often wonder if narcolepsy is to blame for my lack of focus or if I am. We know that narcolepsy has an impact on behaviour and personality, but to...

“You look tired, is everything ok?” This is a question that most of us living with narcolepsy are probably tired of hearing - especially in the workplace. Recently I was...

There are many illnesses that are fairly visually obvious. Many chronic conditions may be difficult — or, at times, even impossible — to hide. Narcolepsy is not one of them...

Most people living with narcolepsy are well acquainted with this word: stimulants. Known under countless other names (amphetamines, methylphenidate, Ritalin, modafinil, Adderall, and more), every individual’s reaction is unpredictable, and...

Most of us living with narcolepsy are probably well acquainted with regular visits to the doctor. Unfortunately, people diagnosed with narcolepsy very often establish this relationship with the medical system...

I’ve been wondering for some time now if I’m the only one that feels as though I’m simply watching everyone else live their lives, while mine just seems to be...

Usually, when we speak about social media, it is not in a very favourable manner. Social media has impacted society in many negative ways. That much is undeniable. But as...