The Genius Life 114: Finding the Funny in Chronic Pain and Depression | Nicole Arbour
Jun 10, 2020
Nicole Arbour, comedian and creator known for viral videos, talks candidly about living with chronic pain and depression after a severe accident. She shares how diet, breathwork, movement and cold exposure shaped recovery. She also discusses reshaping comedy into honest storytelling and navigating outrage, social media harms, and rebuilding a career online.
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Disabled Twenties Turned Into Viral Bedridden Creativity
- Nicole Arbour spent most of her 20s disabled after a 2008 car accident with severe nerve damage, TMJ, broken teeth and chronic migraines.
- She created viral videos from bed and later returned to comedy by telling frank, personal stories on stage.
Switch To An AntiInflammatory Diet And Track Results
- Nicole changed to a strict alkaline-style diet (no sugar, gluten, dairy, soy; lots of leafy greens, lemons, blueberries, avocado) and credits it with reducing seven years of swelling.
- She combined diet with nerve-block injections and antioxidants to lower inflammation and improve brain recovery.
Use ShortTerm Medical Tools To Rebuild Function
- Combining temporary medical interventions with lifestyle change can enable rehabilitation: Nicole used nerve blocks to reduce pain enough to become physically active.
- She emphasizes using pills as a short bridge while rebuilding movement and function.