b'even teenagers may resent having to do more Navigating desired changechoresorhelparoundthehouse.Change Avoiding emotional health issues is anothertakes time and patience. habitofteninuencedbyculturalbeliefs.Discussion can change habits Some think mood disorders such as depressionAsking for help can be hard for people or anxiety are signs of weakness. For thewith MS. Im thinking of someone who felt that person experiencing such things, they maysharing that she couldnt perform at work like feel shame and try to hide their real feelingsshe once did threatened her job and this or feel even more isolated and alone. Thisworried her. She felt people thought she wasnt pain can lead to dangerous situations suchcarrying her weight, but in truth she was so as self-medication or harmful behavior. Thefatigued she could barely get throughthe pandemic has cast a light on the emotionalday.In workingtogether, we determined distressexperiencedduringthesetryingher mobility issues sapped the strength she times and inspires eorts to reduce stigmahad and so we made a physical therapy and and educate about mental illness. Wellnessoccupational therapy plan that helped her programs to promote healthier habits arework more eciently, rest appropriately, and expanding.share her needs with a trusted supervisor. Not all habits are negative. I make my bedAccommodations and an adjusted plan of each morning because it sets the stage for ancare had a signicant eect. orderly transition to my daytime activitiesand the bed is a welcome place at days end.Communicating directly and appropriately Sleep hygiene suggests limiting screen time,can be a complex situation. Because symptoms managing uid intake before bed and nowadaysare often hidden, such as fatigue, people can it seems prudent not to watch the news beforebe misunderstood and in addition, sometimes nodding o. a lifelong habit of not complaining or sucking But even with the best sleep preparation,it up can be an issue. One gentleman hid his chronic illness can interfere. With MS, sleepconcerns about cognitive changes from family dysfunction can lead to fatigue, fatigue canand coworkers. He told me he would make a aect productivity and mood, stress can keepjoke and cover things up so no one would us awake, and physical symptoms canthink him less of a man and thought to himself interrupt sleep too. Restless leg syndrome, orhe might be losing his mind. One day in clinic even a snoring spouse can make restful sleephe casually mentioned it to me and we began impossible. a discussion about how cognitive changes Medication side-eects are important tocanberecognizedandaddressed.Some know so dosing can be timed to minimizequick calls to a local resource allowed him to interfering with rest or sleep. Sometimesenroll in a study and receive assessment and there are simple solutions, such as taking thecognitive retraining. He successfully adjusted medicine that makes you drowsy later in thea lifelong habit and way of thinking that gave day when it can become an asset at bedtime.him the freedom to get the help available. By On the other hand, a medicine that gives youdoing so, he and his wife became more of a energy is best taken early so it can peakteam in meeting each others needs and during your busy time and not late in the dayaddressing concerns. whereitmightinterfere withsleep.Being23 msfocusmagazine.org'