b'a place in the MS community that will give you support and allow you to support others, without overwhelming you? Where is your help most needed? These are some of the questions that we answer in this National MS Education and Awareness Month toolkit. Make no mistakeyour help is needed. The MS community includes people of all ages, backgrounds, and walks of life. While we may each have different circumstances and challenges to face, by coming together as one community, we can empower everyone with MS. Sincerely,The MS Focus Team Finding Your Community DEFINITION: Community - A community is a group of people connected by a common interest, goal, circumstance, practice, or identity.Do you remember feeling alone when you were rst diagnosed with MS? Its a common feeling. At that moment, you were going through something your friends and family likely couldnt understand.Perhaps,asmanypeopledo, youreachedoutinthoseearlymomentsand connected with the MS community. You might have visited a support group, joined an online discussion, or called MS Focus or another MS organization. For some people, that initial connection is all it takes to become involved. They naturally nd their place in the MS communitybuilding lasting relationships, exchanging support and information regularly, and learning about issues with which they can help. Others get the information or support they need for the moment and retreat from community connections. Often, theyd rather not think about MS until they must. Of course, theres nothing wrong with thateach person processes their diagnosis and adapts to having MS in their own way. But are there benets to staying connected to a community that they are missing? The Benets of a Community Research demonstrates that participating in a community has clear benets. Some benets come from the sense of belonging and shared experiences. Other benets are more practical, such as access to information and resources. Here are ve key benets of belonging to a community.Social supportA sense of belonging is shown to improve mental health, reduce depression and loneliness, and decrease feelings of stigma. Humans are naturally social creatures. Although the degree to which we want social interaction varies, this feeling of acceptance is a core need for each of us.Knowledgemembers of an active health community have been shown to be 2'