b'Life with MSYYoouurrRReellaattiioonnsshhiippwwiitthhYYoouurrsseellffAAfftteerrMMSSSSeellffeesstteeeemmppllaayyssaakkeeyyrroolleeini noouurrmmeennttaallhheeaalltthhBy Carrisa Sawyer, and Tyler Brown, Psy.D. Multiple sclerosis comes with a multitudework, and social roles at the same level or engage of changesin physical abilities, cognitivein meaningful activities that are important to functioning, social relationships, and emotionalyour identity (e.g., work or hobbies). It may be difficulties. Receiving this diagnosis typicallyhelpful to consider your lifelong journey of leads to emotional responses of frustration,adapting to MS as a grieving process, as it is anger, depression, and anxiety related to thenormal to mourn the personal losses brought uncertainty of ones prognosis and how theaboutbyMSandtooscillatebetweenthe symptoms of the disease may affect importantvarious phases of grief.relationships. Our self-interpretationOne consequence of living with MS is thatGiven that MS is a condition in which ones you may experience signicant changes withinbody attacks its own nervous system, it is the relationship with yourself, which is alsocommon for individuals to develop resentment known as your self-relationship. Each of us hastoward their bodies or themselves. This a self-relationship that is primarily inuencedresentmentmaymanifestasincreased by the lenses through which we view ourselves,negative self-talk (e.g., Im worthless, I cant as well as, how we treat ourselves. Broadlydo anything right), diminished self-worth, speaking, your self-relationship serves to helpand lack of self-care (e.g., prioritizing others you understand who you are, identify yourneeds before your own, missing medical values, set goals, and guide your behavior.appointments, etc.).It is a common experience for individualsIt is important to note that the way we whohavebeendiagnosedwithachronicspeak to ourselves has a signicant effect on medical condition, such as MS, to becomeour self-esteem, mood, behaviors, and self-confused about their personal identity andrelationship. When our inner critic takes control face challenges within their self-relationship.of our internal dialogue, we are more susceptible Many people express feeling as though theyto cognitive distortions, or thought patterns have lost the person they had been prior tothat function as negative lters through which their diagnosis, or the person they had hopedwe perceive and make interpretations about to become in the future. reality.Alterations to your sense of self may beThe physical changes to ones body that amplied if your symptoms have interferedmay accompany MS (e.g., muscle weakness, with your ability to fulll obligations in family,visual decits) often contribute to poor body msfocusmagazine.org 10'