How to Use Health Struggles in Character Arcs

Part of the series “How to write a book from start to finish”

By J.E. Nickerson | Wise Thinkers Help Desk 

Real people struggle with their health—emotionally, physically, and mentally. So should your characters.

Writing health struggles into your character arcs isn’t just about drama or sympathy. It’s about truth. It’s about growth through pain, resilience, and how challenges shape who we become.

Here’s how to use health struggles to build deeper, more authentic character arcs:

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1. Make It Personal, Not Just Plot

Avoid using illness or injury as a simple plot device. Instead, ask:

How does this health challenge shape your character’s identity?

Does it break their confidence, force them to slow down, teach them to listen more deeply, or strip away their illusions of control?

Let it matter on a soul level.

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2. Show the Ripple Effect

Health issues don’t exist in a vacuum. They affect relationships, work, self-image, and purpose. A character with chronic pain might pull away from people. A cancer diagnosis might bring estranged siblings back together.

Use these struggles to add texture to relationships and choices.

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3. Let Them Resist It

Realistic characters don’t always accept pain gracefully. Nobody does. The steps of grief should be evident in the character arch. Denial, shame, stubbornness, and fear are all natural reactions. Show their fight against the struggle, not just their journey through it. While this isn’t always explored, acceptance is rarely easy for anyone facing health symptoms. If your character has a terminal diagnosis, simply showing them accepting it and going off into the sunset is not going to have the same emotional resonance as exploring the inner monologue of the character. Showing how they think and feel about the diagnosis is a much stronger way of depicting health issues. While you do not want the character to be overly morose, showing the tole that sickness takes on a character’s freedom and life will help to connect the audience to the story. 

Growth isn’t linear—and readers relate to that

When it comes to illness, growth in characters should happen gradually. A person won’t simply wake up one day and feel completely resolved about their diagnosis or physical pain. There will be ups and downs, moments of clarity followed by relapse or despair. They might come to terms with one aspect of their illness, yet continue to struggle with others.

One powerful example of this is found in the series House. Dr. Gregory House is a brilliant diagnostician, capable of solving the most puzzling medical mysteries. But his personal life is deeply affected by his opioid addiction—a result of chronic pain following surgery. Over the course of the series, we see him vacillate between moments of insight and self-destruction. His arc illustrates the painful reality of living with addiction, unrelenting physical suffering, and the pressure to function in a high-stakes environment. What makes his story compelling is the way his personal health challenges bleed into his professional relationships and ethical choices.

Another strong example is E.R., which follows a group of doctors working in a high-pressure emergency room. Beyond the chaos of the hospital setting, the series explores how health struggles—both their patients’ and their own—impact their emotional well-being. Whether dealing with grief, trauma, or chronic illness, the characters are often forced to reckon with their own limitations, humanity, and capacity for resilience.

These shows remind us that illness doesn’t just affect the body—it reshapes identity, tests relationships, and challenges the human spirit. Writing it into your fiction with honesty and care can create unforgettable character arcs.

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4. Make It Transformational

A powerful arc shows who the character was, and who they become. Series and movies that show what it’s like to be healthy, then have abilities and choices severely limited through illness touches on basic themes of freedom, autonomy and independence. A strong example of this is the film Beaches. This movie follows the evolving friendship between two women—Hillary and CC. Hillary begins the story as confident, independent, and in control of her life. But as her health declines, we see her forced to confront vulnerability and dependence in ways she never anticipated. Her illness doesn’t just impact her physically—it reshapes her identity, deepens her relationships, and reveals new emotional layers. The film beautifully illustrates how health struggles can shift a character’s arc from self-sufficiency to surrender, while still honoring their strength.

Maybe the health battle humbles them. Maybe it teaches them to receive help. Maybe it leads to a redefined sense of purpose.

Their external recovery (or lack thereof) should mirror some kind of internal reckoning.

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5. Avoid Stereotypes

Don’t reduce your character to a diagnosis. They are more than their symptoms. People are more than the sum of their illness and its side effects. The film David’s Mother, starring Kirstie Alley, offers a compelling reminder that people are not defined solely by their illness. David, a young boy with autism, is more than the challenges he presents—he’s a complete person with value, presence, and emotional depth. His mother, though fiercely protective, struggles to see him beyond his condition, until others begin to recognize and affirm his humanity. The story powerfully reinforces the idea that characters with health or mental challenges should be written with the same nuance, dignity, and individuality as any other character. Illness may be part of their journey, but it should never erase their wholeness. Research real stories. Listen. Avoid clichés like “the brave sufferer” or “magical recovery.” Let your characters be messy, complex, and real.

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Final Thought:

Health struggles in fiction—when done well—can do something powerful:

They can make readers feel seen.

Whether you’re writing a warrior healing from trauma, a teen managing anxiety, or a single mom facing a chronic illness, you’re telling a story that matters.

Because in fiction, just like in life—wounds are often where the light gets in.

To continue learning how to make a character’s health the central struggle in a story, read the article When the Body Becomes the Barrier: Writing Health as a Hidden Villain

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📚 And if you’re new here, I’m J.E. Nickerson — faith based author and inspirational storyteller. You can check out my books here or follow me on YouTube for more inspiration and encouragement on this writing life.