This is real

* Home * Forum * Chat * What is it like? * FAQs * Friends and Partners * Useful Links * Contact Us *


Useful Links

Here are some useful links to sites for those with invisible illnesses. If you want a link added to the list, please send an email to webmaster@thisisreal.org.uk with your ideas or visit the forum and comment on the 'website ideas' page.


General sites for everyone.

Our Shop This shop sells products for raising awareness of invisible illnessses. There is quite a large range of different products, they are fashionable, funky, raise awareness, and they help support this site - so it is all in a good cause!!

Livejournal.com Livejournal is a fantastic site. There are communities for everyone, be it to do with interests, hobbies, illnesses or whatever. Definately worth a look!


Sites for those who suffer from ME/CFS

MEA The ME Association is one of the major organisations for ME/CFS in the UK. They are very helpful and have a lot of resources at their disposal to help sufferers. If you are in the UK and you have ME/CFS, then I would suggest joining the ME Association. They do a magasine which is sent out to members every season, and also do a welcome pack and fund raising.

AFME According to their website "Action for M.E. is the UK's leading charity dedicated to improving the lives of people with M.E. They've been at the forefront of the campaign for more research, better treatments and services since 1987, and they provide information and support to people affected by M.E." AFME is a really good resource and organisation for those with ME. Definately worth joining them if you are in the UK and have ME/CFS. They also do a welcome pack for those who join their organisation.

mecfsparents.org.uk ME/CFS Parents is a lovely friendly website providing support and information for those with ME/CFS who are parents, or are trying for a baby. They have a forum as well as a reading room, and various other useful resources. This is possibly my favourite site.

CFIDS The Chronic Fatigue and Imune Dysfunction Syndrome of America. They are a lovely group and have a huge amount of information for those in America. They do a very good welcome pack for those with ME/CFS who join their organisation - it is available in English and Spanish.

Foggy Friends describe themselves thus: "The aim of this site is to provide a fun safe place for people to seek help, support and advice, free from harassment. A place to share smiles, tears, views and treatments that have helped them live with this illness. Our friendly forum and chat room are open 24 hours a day for registered users to post messages and chat. If you feel up to it you can have more fun with our games zone and play our great games. (Great for those times of insomnia) We aim to provide something for everyone at Foggyfriends.org"


Sites for those who suffer from Asthma

Asthma UK is an independant organisation for supporting Asthma sufferers in the UK. They have a helpline, run special holidays for children and young people with Asthma, and do a lot of campaining. Their website is very friendly and has as much information as you could ask for!

AAAAI The American Academy for Allergy Asthma and Immunology is a sits for sufferers, parents of sufferers, and professionals. It has a lot of information and also has pollen counts and information for ways to deal with Allergies and Asthma.

AAFA The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. According to their website "More than 50 million Americans have allergies and 20 million have asthma. We're here to help with education, advocacy, research, publications, chapters and support groups. Get quick facts about asthma, allergies (including food allergies) and more!"

The Asthma Help Site This seems to be quite a fun site, and has a forum, up-to-date news, help and advice, and an awful lot more!


Sites for those who suffer from Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia Network This is a friendly site with a lot of information. The network has existed for 17 years, and prides itself on finding all the information and presenting it usefully.

NFA The National Fibromyalgia Association has information for sufferers, professionals and the media. It is a bright and cheerful site and has a lot of resources at its disposal.

UK Fibromyalgia is the UK site who's aim is "to bring together information and resources to make the pain more bearable, whether you are a sufferer yourself, or whether you care for a sufferer."

AFSA The American Fibromyalgia Syndrome Association Inc. is "the only charitable organization whose primary mission is to seed research in FMS and CFS. We acknowledge that patient and physician education, public awareness and advocacy are all important indgredients in aiding the lives of people with FMS and CFS."


Sites for those who suffer from Arthritis

Arthritis Foundation This is a very nice organisation. They hold events for sufferers as well as providing a lot of information and support.

ARC The Arthritis Research Campaign is dedicated to researching and finding a cure for arthritis. It has a lot of info and explains about current research.

Arthritis Care "Arthritis Care is the largest UK-wide voluntary organisation working with and for all people with arthritis. We aim to promote independence and empower people with arthritis to live positive lives as well as raise awareness of the condition."


Sites for those who suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome

NDDIC The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. This has a page dedicated to IBS and seems very useful and well laid out.

IFFGD The International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders runs this website. IT has a lot of very good information about the condition, treatment, diagnosis, and statistics.

IBS Group "The Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Self Help Group, formed in 1987, is a patient advocate in support of those who suffer from IBS, those who are looking for support for someone who has IBS, and medical professionals who want to learn more about IBS. The IBS Self Help and Support Group is the largest on-line community for people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome."

IBS Association "Helping sufferers since 1987. A nonprofit organization dedicated to helping everyone who suffers from IBS through patient support groups, treatment, accurate information and education"

IBS Network "The mission of the IBS Network is to inform, support, and educate those with IBS and their families and carers; to improve the quality of life of those with IBS and to raise public awareness of IBS and the issues surrounding this condition."


Sites for those who suffer from Crohn's Disease

NDDIC The National Digestive Disease Information Clearinghouse. This has a page dedicated to Crohn's Disease and seems very useful and well laid out.

NACC 'The National Association for Colitis and Crohn's Disease (NACC) brings together people of all ages who have Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn's Disease, their families and the health professionals involved in their care. These two illnesses are both forms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and they affect about 1 in 400 people in the United Kingdom. We hope that you will find the information you are looking for within our website.'

CCFA 'The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America is a non-profit, volunteer-driven organization dedicated to finding the cure for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.'

Teens With Crohn's Disease website. This is run by someone who was a teenager when they were diagnosed, and the website has been designed to be a 'place to share stories and information - for teens, by teens - with Crohn's Disease, Colitis, or IBS.'

Crohns.org.uk 'This website is a resource for the management and treatment of Crohn's Disease and other Inflammatory Bowel Diseases designed to help both patients and healthcare professionals.'


Sites for those who suffer from Celiac Disease

Celiac.com 'Celiac Disease and Gluten-free Diet Support Center at Celiac.com provides important resources and information for people on gluten-free diets due to celiac disease, gluten intolerance, dermatitis herpetiformis, wheat allergy, or other health reasons. Celiac.com offers key gluten-free and wheat-free on-line resources that are helpful to anyone with special dietary needs. Our purpose is to raise celiac disease awareness, and to provide people who have it with enough information to get diagnosed and treated so that they can begin to lead more comfortable and healthy lives.'

CDF 'Celiac Disease Foundation provides support, information and assistance to people affected by Celiac Disease/Dermatitis Herpetiformis (CD/DH).'

NDDICThe National Digestive Disease Information Clearinghouse. This has a page dedicated to Celiac Disease and seems very useful and well laid out.

CSA 'CSA is a member-based, 501(c)(3) non-profit support organization dedicated to helping individuals with celiac disease (CD) and dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) and their families worldwide through information, education and research.'

CCA The Canadian Celiac Association. This page can be viewed in English and French. 'The Canadian Celiac Association is a national organization dedicated to providing services and support to persons with Celiac Disease and Dermatitis Herpetiformis through programs of Awareness, Advocacy, Education and Research.'


Sites for those who suffer from Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis Society 'The MS Society is the UK's largest charity for people affected by Multiple Sclerosis (MS) - about 85,000 people in the UK.' This is a very bright and cheerful website that is laid out in a very affective way and has a lot of useful information.

NMSS 'The mission of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society is to end the devastating effects of MS. The Society and its network of chapters nationwide promote research, educate, advocate on critical issues, and organize a wide range of programs - including support for the newly diagnosed and those living with MS over time.'

All About Multiple Sclerosis 'All About Multiple Sclerosis aims to provide accurate and comprehensive medical information about multiple sclerosis (MS) written in plain English by people living with the disease and its symptoms. It contains a detailed description of multiple sclerosis, a large archive of news stories about MS, an MS encyclopedia and a large links section containing hundreds of commented and rated links. It also has a list of famous people with multiple sclerosis and personal accounts, poems and essays by people with MS. The site receives no sponsorship from pharmaceutical or other financially interested companies and maintains absolute editorial independence.'

msfacts.org Run by the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation. 'As a predominantly service-based, non-profit organization, our primary mission is to ensure the best quality of life for those coping with MS by providing comprehensive support and educational programs. We strive to help make A Brighter Tomorrow by supporting research into its cause and cure as well as investigations of various medical and complementary treatment options. The scope of our services goes beyond that of a clearinghouse of pamphlets. Our priority is to serve with empathy, resourcefulness, and responsibility. We are here to listen, assist, and empower.'

Multiple Sclerosis Trust 'Our mission is to make a real difference for people with MS through the provision of information and professional education, by funding practical research and by campaigning for the improvement of MS services.'

MSRC 'The Multiple Sclerosis Resource Centre is about you, whether you have been diagnosed with MS�recently or for years, or if you are a relative, friend, carer, a professional in the field of MS or just plain interested in Multiple Sclerosis.'

MSAA The Multiple Sclerosis Association of America. 'MSAA's mission is to ease the day-to-day challenges of individuals with multiple sclerosis and their care partners. Our wide array of programs and services bring ongoing support and direct services to people with MS and their families throughout the country. MSAA also serves to promote greater understanding of multiple sclerosis and the diverse needs and challenges of people with MS.'


Sites for those who suffer from Panic Disorders and Anxiety

Anxietynetwork.com 'The anxiety disorders are the most common mental health care problems in the world today. The Anxiety Network International provides information and help for three of these major disorders: Social Anxiety, Panic and Generalised Anxiety.'

NPAD National Panic and Anxiety Disorder News. 'This site is dedicated to those people who wish to educate themselves about the disorder and find fast and permenant solutions to their anxiety condition'

Anxietypanic.comThis site seems quite good. It has many treatment ideas, as well as a news centre, pen pal list, and message board.

ADAA 'The Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote the prevention, treatment and cure of anxiety disorders and to improve the lives of all people who suffer from them.'


Sites for those who suffer from Depression

Depression Alliance 'Depression Alliance is the leading UK charity for people with depression. We work to relieve and to prevent this treatable condition by providing information, support and understanding to those who are affected by it via our publications and extensive range of services for people affected by depression. A user-focussed organisation, we have offices in England and a sister charity in Scotland.'

Depression.com 'This site offers information designed to help you get the facts and learn how to manage depression, clinically known as major depressive disorder.' The site is funded and supported by GlaxoSmithKline.

NIMH The National Institute of Mental Health.


Sites for those who suffer from Phobias

Phobialist.com This site contains a list of phobias and their definitions.

SP/SAA The Social Phobia/Social Anxiety Association.

Triumph Over Phobia This is a UK charity for heping those with phobias."Triumph Over Phobia (TOP U.K.) runs a national network of self-help groups to help people with phobia or obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) to overcome their problems using graded self-exposure. This means learning how to face up to your fears in a very gradual and structured way so that eventually the anxiety should decrease."

NIMHNational Institute for Mental Health


Sites for those who suffer from Manic Depression/Bipolar Disorder

DBSA Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance. 'Our mission: to improve the lives of people living with mood disorders.'

MDF Manic Depression Fellowship. 'The Manic Depression Fellowship works to enable people affected by manic depression to take control of their lives.'

Pendulum.org 'Manic Depression is a highly disruptive and sometimes deadly brain disorder. Since 1994, Pendulum Resources has been the web's premier consumer resource for information on Manic Depression and Bipolar Disorder.'

Bipolar.com 'This Web site includes up-to-date information about recognizing the symptoms of bipolar disorder and getting a proper diagnosis. Overall, the Web site is designed to give everyone touched by bipolar disorder, as well as their family, partners, and friends, the information and support they need to live with the illness.'


Sites for those who suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Triumph Over Phobia This is a UK charity for heping those with phobias. 'Triumph Over Phobia (TOP U.K.) runs a national network of self-help groups to help people with phobia or obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) to overcome their problems using graded self-exposure. This means learning how to face up to your fears in a very gradual and structured way so that eventually the anxiety should decrease.'

OCF 'The Obsessive-Compulsive Foundation (OCF), with more than 10,000 members, is an international not-for-profit organization composed of people with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and related disorders, their families, friends, professionals and other concerned individuals.'

NIMHNational Institute for Mental Health

OCD Online 'This web site is exclusively devoted to promoting a greater understanding of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder's (OCD) treatment and mental processes.' ADAA 'The Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote the prevention, treatment and cure of anxiety disorders and to improve the lives of all people who suffer from them.'

If you know of any other useful sites, do please let us know!!