Being differently the same: The mediation of identity tensions in the sharing of illness experiences

► A secondary analysis of interviews with people affected by motor neurone disease and Parkinson's disease in the UK. ► Foregrounds the identity work involved in balancing difference and similarity in peer support. ► Metaphor is suggested as a potential avenue for further theorisation of the tension between difference and similarity. ► Draws attention to how different media are implicated in the sharing and receiving of 'experiential knowledge'. ► Recommends further research on what constitutes 'experiential knowledge' in different healthcare contexts.