As the cultural expert on Queer Eye, Netflix’s reboot of the reality TV makeover show, Karamo Brown is the program’s unofficial therapist, working with clients to uncover their fears and insecurities and find ways to transcend them. He comes by this skill naturally having been a social worker for 10 years after his stint on the Real World, an MTV reality show that focuses on the lives of strangers living in a house together for several months. For his latest project—a partnership with Amgen and Novartis on their Know Migraine Mission campaign—Brown, who is now 40, once again leans on those skills.

In a series of videos and interviews, Brown shares his experience with migraine, a condition he’s dealt with since high school. Very few people took his attacks seriously back then, he explains, dismissing them as mere headaches. He remembers classmates not believing him or thinking he was using the headaches as an excuse to avoid taking tests. Instead of finding support, he was told to “just get over it,” a response he knows others with migraine have experienced.

His condition only worsened during the pandemic, he says, due to the stress brought on by the daily barrage of distressing news. He told himself he was staying informed, but over time he realized the constant exposure to negativity was making him feel anxious, which possibly triggered his attacks. That forced him to step back and focus on more positive things—like spreading awareness of migraine and what people can do to address it.

In speaking out, Brown wants to remove the stigma around migraine, encourage more open and honest conversations around the disease, and educate people about the condition. He also answers questions from people who experience the debilitating symptoms as well as those who want to deepen their understanding of the disorder.

It took years for him to understand the importance of a proper diagnosis and treatment and consistent self-care. He pays attention to his triggers—stress, long working hours, bright lights on sets, overstimulation—and does what he can to avoid them. He says warm showers, meditation, and stretching are part of his routine.

Galaxy Roman, a native New Yorker who lives in Miami, can relate to Brown’s message. Although she experienced disabling headaches as a kid, she never thought she needed to see a doctor let alone a headache specialist. “My family is Latino, and we didn’t have any education about this condition,” she says. “In our culture, we were told to buck up and move on. My eyeballs could feel like they were being pushed out of my skull and I would still go to work,” recalls the 40-year-old administrative assistant.

She eventually was diagnosed with migraine and got appropriate treatment. She also learned to identify habits that increased the likelihood of an attack. “I used to work out and never hydrate. And I had high blood pressure because my diet was too salty.” She now drinks water instead of soda and monitors her salt intake.

As a gay woman, she’s thrilled that Brown is sharing his story with the migraine community. “First of all, it doesn’t hurt that he’s so gorgeous. And he’s hilarious.” says Roman. “He’s also relatable, and people trust him because of the emotional work he does on Queer Eye.”

“Had my mother seen videos like Karamo’s, she would have realized she could have helped me and my brother, who also has migraine, sooner,” she says. “Now she tells people in her circle to see a headache specialist. Migraine is a silent disease so unless people speak up, you just don’t know it. Anyone talking about it provides hope and community.”

Awareness is so important, says Teshamae Monteith, MD, FAAN, associate professor of neurology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, and a headache specialist. “Migraine is the number two cause of disability in the United States,” she says. Reducing the stigma around the condition is also key. Migraine is an inherited disorder of the brain that results in hyperresponsiveness to otherwise normal perceptions such as sound and light, or even changes in physiological states, leading to an abnormal release of certain chemical signals and changes in the brain, Dr. Monteith says. “Some people are just wired to have the condition,” she says. “I always remind patients that although there are modifiable risk factors, having migraine is not their fault.” She urges anyone with migraine to reach out to their primary care physicians, migraine experts, and advocacy organizations.

Dr. Monteith counsels her patients to get adequate sleep (too much sleep can be as much of a trigger as too little sleep). She also advises them to stay hydrated, not skip meals, exercise regularly, and treat mood disorders such as anxiety and depression. It is important to manage stress, limit screen time, check for co-occurring conditions such as thyroid disease and asthma, avoid certain food triggers, and monitor hormonal changes.

On a deeper level, Dr. Monteith advises cultivating healthy relationships and good communication skills. The latter is especially important in working with employers to advocate for flexibility, when needed. She tells her patients it is important to speak up for themselves—whether at work or with friends and family. Dr. Monteith encourages people to participate in their treatment plan and find a compassionate physician they trust. But, she cautions, “you can be the perfect migraine patient and still get horrible attacks.”

Brown’s voice is a welcome addition to the migraine community, Dr. Monteith says. “It’s wonderful to hear people speak out about their experience with migraine, especially people of color who sometimes aren’t thought of as the typical demographic. As an African American man and a member of the LBGTQ+ community, he may help others deal with their own conditions.”