DEALING WITH THE EMOTIONAL TOLL OF LIVING WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS
After four and a half years, I still constantly deal with the emotional toll of having MS. It isn’t something that will ever go away, no matter how long you have had the disease. Having MS can have a huge impact on your life and emotions. Some days everything is great, we can hold it together and get through the day. Other days, you must stay in bed all day, or the thought of doing your daily tasks seems exhausting. Multiple sclerosis is such an unpredictable illness and that is my biggest pet peeve with having it. The unpredictability can bring on anxiety and many different feelings. People may ask you how you are feeling, and you can’t even put it into words. Or them asking you may trigger you more and make you more upset, sad, or anxious. I face days where I want to cry just simply because I have MS and will have it for the rest of my life.
Here are a few of my top New Year’s resolutions and things I want to adopt moving into the new year:
Some days the symptoms I experience will leave me angry, other days sad and for so many reasons. I may be feeling emotional because I am unable to work out at all or not as much as I may want. Day-to-day activities can leave you feeling quite a large emotional burden as well. Because you may be having a flare up or symptoms may be showing their ugly heads it can make your daily tasks even harder to accomplish. I have learned to take things one day at a time and to try my best to look for the positive in the situation, even when it feels like there isn’t one.
Below are some of my methods of facing my MS-related emotions head on:
Staying positive and having positive thoughts: This for me is so major! It is easier said than done sometimes but it’s important. Although physically I may not be feeling the best, working myself up and getting emotionally frantic will only make things worse. Keeping positive thoughts in the back of my mind always helps to calm me down. Your mindset is crucial.
Allow yourself to feel those emotions: I do allow myself grace and the ability to feel every emotion that comes up, but I do not dwell in them for too long. If I want to cry, I will cry and get it out and then figure out how to attack the task or day to the best of my ability.
Let people be there for you: Allow others (parents, spouses, children, friends and other relatives) to show up for you. Whether it be talking about how you’re feeling or helping you complete tasks you may be struggling to do, their support is necessary.
Be open about how you’re feeling emotionally: Sharing how you are feeling can be therapeutic and helpful with dealing with the feelings that having multiple sclerosis brings.
Be kind to yourself: We are all human and are allowed to experience every emotion we may feel. DO NOT ever beat yourself for having an “off day.”
Everyone is different and experiences multiple sclerosis in their own way. Some days are better than others, physically, mentally, and emotionally. There is nothing wrong with that! Take things one day at a time. Be gentle, and give yourself grace. We may bend but never break.