Hi everyone,

I always appreciate the opportunity to connect with others living with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS). Recently, I spoke with someone whose experience stayed with me. Someone close to them is skeptical about MCS and doubts they have the illness.

They know they do. But being doubted creates distance where they long for closeness.

We talked about the pain of being misunderstood and not believed, and the longing to be seen. We want the people in our lives to take us at our word—even when they don’t fully understand what we’re experiencing.

Some of what they shared felt familiar from my own early experiences with MCS.

I was working as a journalist and teaching in Bangkok. The management of the building where I lived hired someone to regularly spray pesticides in the hallways and outdoor areas. Termites are a significant problem for buildings in Thailand.

What I didn’t know was that the person hired to do the spraying also had access to my rented apartment and was coming in weekly to spray there.

All I knew was that when I came home from work, I would have severe reactions. I felt a sudden wave of agitation. My mind went blank. At night, I felt sensations like an electric current in my ankles and neck. The next day, I was exhausted.

I began reacting to things all around me: fragrances, scented cleaning and laundry products, and artificial ingredients in food.

At first, I didn’t know what kind of illness I had. I didn’t have a name for what was happening to me, let alone an understanding of how to manage it.

I had so many questions. Why was I suddenly reacting to things that hadn’t bothered me before? What was happening in my body? Where could I find help? Would I get better? How could I keep working and going about my life?

Fortunately, I found a functional medicine doctor who diagnosed me with MCS. Having a name for the illness helped, but I still had so much to learn.

Then I made a friend online who had lived with MCS for years.

I’ll never forget her kindness. Across the distance, she held my hand and reassured me that I would be all right. She understood what I was describing. She believed me. She cared.

At the time, I had no one else in my life who understood.

I made sure the spraying in my apartment stopped, but I continued reacting to chemicals at the university where I taught. My work as a reporter became difficult, too. Going almost anywhere was a challenge.

Having one person who understood made a difference. That experience—and all the questions I carried—helped motivate me to start The Chemical Sensitivity Podcast. It continues to shape why I do this work.

I want people living with MCS to hear voices that recognize their experiences and explore the questions so many of us share. I want our families, friends, healthcare providers, employers, and neighbours to have opportunities to listen and learn. And I want to hear from researchers whose work can deepen understanding of the illness and improve the care we receive.

My hope is that each conversation helps light up a dark space—a place where someone has felt alone, disbelieved, or unsure where to turn.

Hearing someone describe an experience we recognize can help us feel less alone. Hearing a researcher explore a question we’ve carried for years can help us understand more. Sharing an episode may also open a conversation with someone who hasn’t understood.

I’m grateful to everyone who listens to or watches the podcast. If you’ve shared an episode with someone in your life, thank you.

We’ll take it a step at a time. One conversation at a time. But we’re not going to stop.

My hope is that you have at least one person who cares enough to listen and believe you, even if they don’t have MCS themselves.

I’m glad you’re here. If the podcast has been helpful to you, I’d love to hear from you.

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The Chemical Sensitivity Podcast is made possible thanks to generous support of the Marilyn Brachman Hoffman Foundation.

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Thank you for being part of this growing community. Please feel free to share your thoughts.

Aaron Goodman, PhD

The Chemical Sensitivity Podcast

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