This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Knowledge & Support Community

Posted: **Wed Sep 05, 2007 7:32 am**

The Rocky Mountain MS Center's Summer 2007 InforMS newsletter (PDF here) has an article in it that I think would be of value to many of the ThisIsMS readers.

I frequently see postings from people who are very distraught by their diagnosis and the uncertainty of the future. They often seem to be chronically distraught. This article has some good tips like this one:

Q: To spend some time mired in anxiety and concern about the future is inevitable with MS. But, at what point does it become pathological?

A: Worry and anxiety are pathological when they are costing you more than they are gaining you.

Worry and anxiety are emotions we feel that help us do the right thing. If children go play on the highway we feel worry and anxiety so we go scoop them up.

These emotions are there to guide us. But once they are not guiding your behavior and helping you make good decisions, once they are just taking you over and making each of your days bad, then they are not cost effective. Now the question is, "What can I do to get rid of them, because they are not my helpers anymore, they're my enemies, so can I find a way out from under them?"

It's a good article worth reading if you're feelings about MS are spinning out of control.

Posted: **Wed Sep 05, 2007 9:11 am**

art,

You are right about so many people being chronically worried about the future, especially newbies.

In my opinion, the best way to cope with the disease is to ignore it as much as possible. Ignore the small stuff, concentrate on living life to the fullest.

Spend less time on the MS forums and find things to do that are enjoyable and productive.

gwa

Posted: **Wed Sep 05, 2007 10:55 am**

Spend less time on the MS forums and find things to do that are enjoyable and productive.

It’s just hard to do that when your whole life has been made up of physical things weather it’s work or sports or things that require a physical ability. I have no talents for the arts or music so it’s just really hard to find something enjoyable now that everything you use to do is gone. Just got to learn to get enjoyment out of menial things I guess. Good article though thx art

Posted: **Wed Sep 05, 2007 11:27 am**

robbie,

It is more difficult to ignore things when we get to a more limited range of things we can do. When I wrote the above, I was thinking more about the first 10 or 15 years with the disease at which point most people are not in bad shape yet.

When I was first diagnosed in 1972, there was no way for me to get info, so I just ignored the little problems and went on with my life, even though I was having attacks every three months like clockwork. It was not until much later that I had to cope on a daily basis with this disease and that my life was greatly modified.

Dwelling on a disease or other problems can be unhealthy, both mentally and physically.

gwa

Posted: **Thu Sep 06, 2007 12:13 pm**

That is a good article, but I was scrolling down and missing every other page. Page 2 (at least with my acrobat reader) is to the right of page 1 and 4 is to the right of 3, etc...

Bob

This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Knowledge & Support Community

Good Article on Emotional Responses to MS

Good Article on Emotional Responses to MS