b'F e a t u r e d B o o k l e t sF e a t u r e d B o o k l e t sAre You Okay? Your Feelings MatterIndividuals with MS are at a higher risk for certain mental healthconditions,includingdepression,anxiety,andsuicidalthoughts. Less frequently, they may also experience mood swings,National MS Educationand Awareness Month personality changes, or uncontrollable laughing and crying.Because people with MS are at an increased risk, combined withthe fact that the events of the last year have worsened mental healthfor many, now is an important time to ask, Are you okay?Your Feelings Matter In this awareness kit, we will educate you about the mentalhealth-related symptoms of MS, help you to know when its wise toseek treatment, look at ways to maintain your mental well-being,and encourage you to take part in erasing the stigma of mentalhealth care in the MS community. Your feelings matter. Does MS ever make you feel invisible? Its common to feel thatway when people fail to notice, ignore, or are in denial about thechallenges you face. If your symptoms themselves are invisible, youmay be frustrated at how little people notice your experience withMS. On the other hand, if your symptoms are visible, you may ndpeople make an eort not to notice, even to the point of ignoringyou. Having MS can seem like a no-win scenario. But is it? Can youmake yourself visible?You can. The goal of the 2020 National MS Education andAwareness Month themeIm Visiblewas to help you to be seen,to be recognized for who you are and what you are, and to encourageyou to visibly show your support for the MS cause. Since 2020 wassomewhat of a lost year to many, we are encouraging you to be visible now and to use thisbooklet as a practical guide to do just that. A pdf copy of either booklet can be sent to your email, or a free physical copy can be mailedto you. Send your request to supportgroups@msfocus.org.MMSSFFooccuussiiss3355We are celebrating our 35th Anniversary at MS Focus.If we have helped you by providing aprogram or service, please tell us how.Help us celebrate by sending your thoughts toMS35@msfocus.org by November 15.2'