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PEOPLE
Bullied Teen Left Unable to Walk After Stress Causes Paralysis: ‘This Was a Genuine Illness’
A neurologist shared the case of a 15-year-old who lost the ability to walk after being body shamed at school
By Cara Lynn Shultz Published on August 30, 2025 11:00AM EDT
A young girl’s anxiety over being body shamed at school caused her to be paralyzed in what her doctor called a “genuine illness.”
A 15-year-old “bright student and talented debater” visited Dr. Sudhir Kumar, a neurologist with Apollo Hospitals in Hyderabad, India, who shares intriguing cases on social media.
In a post on X, Dr. Kumar explained that a month before coming to his office, Riya (a pseudonym) “suddenly developed pain and weakness in her legs.” She began to walk with a limp and, within two weeks, couldn't walk at all, and needed a wheelchair.
Blood tests, brain and spinal scans all “came back normal." Before putting their daughter through any further tests, her parents sought out Dr. Kumar for a second opinion.
During the consultation, he said, Riya tested positive for “Hoover’s sign." It's a neurological test that requires a patient to lift a weak leg. If they press down on the other leg, it means the paralysis is not physical.
The test, he said, was “pointing to a non-organic weakness” — and noted that Riya “seemed to conceal a deeper burden.”
Dr. Kumar explained that when he spoke to Riya, she “revealed that she had been the target of relentless body shaming at school. Her classmates mocked her weight and her spectacles. At first, she ignored them, but the taunts grew crueler.”
He explained that when Riya told her parents, they advised her to “stay strong. But it was unbearable. “The pain she had bottled up had finally found expression — not in words, but in her body," Dr. Kumar said.
She was diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND). It’s a condition that changes the way brain networks function, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. “In children, risk factors can include family problems, bullying, perceived peer pressure, and abuse.”
The disorder famously afflicted Devi (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan), the main character in Never Have I Ever, who lost the ability to walk after the trauma of her father’s death.
In Riya's case, said Dr. Kumar, “psychological distress manifests as neurological symptoms; in this case, paraparesis (leg weakness).”
“I explained this to her parents gently, assuring them that this was a genuine illness, not ‘pretending’ or ‘acting,’ ” and treatment would include both mental health therapy, and physical therapy, Dr. Kumar said.
Her teachers were involved in her recovery, and “Riya improved steadily. Within three weeks, she was walking confidently.”
The bullying ceased, he explained, adding that she began teaching her classmates how to paint. Riya was also invited to join her school’s basketball team — six months later, she helped them win a championship.
“Watching her transformation from a wheelchair-bound teenager to a champion athlete was deeply moving. The glow on her face, and the pride in her parents’ eyes, reminded me why being a doctor is such a privilege,” Dr. Kumar wrote, adding that her case holds lessons for "junior doctors.”
“Listen beyond the symptoms,” he advised. “Sometimes, the key to diagnosis lies in the unspoken story.”
And as for her FND, he emphasized, “functional disorders are real – They are not ‘faking.’ The suffering is genuine.” And, he wrote, “never underestimate empathy – For many patients, kindness and validation are as therapeutic as medicines.”
PEOPLE
Man Tells Girlfriend She Isn't 'Wife Material' Because She Doesn't Cook Like His Mom
By Meredith Wilshere Published on August 31, 2025 10:00AM EDT
Nothing beats mom’s cooking, according to one man, at least.
In a recent Reddit post, a 27-year-old woman revealed that her 29-year-old boyfriend made a snide remark about her cooking while she was making dinner.
"It wasn’t anything fancy, just pasta with homemade sauce, salad, garlic bread," she writes. "Halfway through the meal he says, 'This is good, but you’ll never be wife material until you can cook like my mom.' ”
The woman "literally froze" and asked her boyfriend what he meant, only for him to double down, replying, “Well, she cooks everything from scratch, three courses, homemade dessert, it’s just... different.”
The woman told her boyfriend that it was “rude” to compare her to his mom and “if he wanted her food, he should go eat at her place.” Her boyfriend, however, flipped it back on her.
"Now he’s mad, saying I 'overreacted' and that he was just being 'honest about standards,'” she writes.
The woman feels "disrespected," and turned to Reddit to ask if she was "overreacting for thinking that was completely inappropriate to say to someone you supposedly love."
People in the comments section were quick to side with the poster, noting that her boyfriend has set impossible standards.
“You have a momma's boy here who had impossibly high standards you will never meet, because they are designed to make sure you never meet them,” one person wrote.
Another person pointed out that the woman's boyfriend may have no intentions of marrying her.
“He showed what he thinks of you: a placeholder. You are not wife material," another chimed in. "I would pack my stuff and leave him to find someone just like his mum. This gives you the opportunity to find a real partner who loves you for who you are! Not overreacting, but end this relationship now."
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