Everybody thinks it’s an amazing superpower, but there’s another side to it
Recently, I was sitting on a tightly packed plane as it circled up to 19,000ft. It was making loads of noise, and I could see the people around me were scared. But I felt nothing.
In 2005, I was diagnosed with Cushing’s syndrome, after years of misdiagnosis – doctors would often tell me I was just overweight. Cushing’s is a rare condition that affects one to two people in a million per year in the UK, and is caused by the body producing too much cortisol. Cortisol is a hormone that regulates a range of processes, including the stress response; if it’s not treated, it can be very serious. Symptoms can range from severe weight gain to high blood pressure.
More Stories
Revealed: Chinese researchers can access half a million UK GP records
Brisk walking linked to lower risk of heart rhythm problems, study finds
How RFK Jr’s mixed messages on vaccines are impacting scientific research – podcast