Depression and Multiple Sclerosis

Depression and multiple sclerosis can go hand in hand. Sometimes when I feel sad what I'm really feeling is fatigue. You know how after a lot of caffeine you feel "up" and ready to take on the world? Multiple sclerosis fatigue is like the inverse of that. It helps to tell myself "it's just the fatigue talking, making things seem more gloomy than they really are".

It is so important to have a passion in life and not focus on the illness. Having a passion infuses you with positive energy that, at best, helps you be healthy. At the very least, it distracts you from your illness.

Though you may need to rely on others for help, it feels good to maintain some kind of independence. Work toward doing what you can and strengthening what is weak. This gives you a sense of accomplishment as well as goals to work toward.

There were some dark days during which I was dependent on others for everything. This instilled in me a commitment to pursue regaining my strength, and when it came to physical therapy, I was ready to hit the ground running! Mentally, that is. It's all in how you frame things in your mind. You have a new full-time job : being strong and healthy.

A good antidepressant is a godsend. It helps you become more open to solutions and the lighter side of things. It helps to smooth over those frayed edges that lie exposed, waiting to be treaded upon by the world.

Humor is a cornerstone of living well. Laugh until it hurts. Laugh because it hurts! Life provides endless sources of hilarility. And if aspects of your own illness can be funny, you can take back a little ownership. If you can take back a little ownership, it's easier to hold your head a little higher.

It can be healing to have a good cry. For a time I had one every other day. Put a time limit on it, though. Every pity party needs a curfew. Tonight I cry. Tomorrow I live and find something new to laugh at.

Since MS can feel like an anchor, we need dreams because they are like kites. If you think of a spectrum, on the low end we are feeling awful, in the middle we have feeling just okay, and on the high end we have our deepest desires. To counteract the anchor effects, you need infusions of something glorious on a regular basis. Here's the truth: your dreams aren't superfluous anymore; they're your only hope. So put back into your life that which makes your heart sing. A faithful practice of doing so will lift your spirits and put your disease in its proper perspective. It's not who you are or what your life revolves around; it's just a spectator to your unstoppable life.