The emotional effects of MS often go undiagnosed. This doesn't mean there aren't ways to manage them. It's not unusual to experience depression, stress and anxiety when you have MS. Medication, talking therapies and self-help techniques can all make it easier to cope with mental health issues.
Mood changes
Worry, fear, moodiness, irritability and anxiety: normal reactions in the face of unpredictability; anyone can become irritable and anxious when faced with difficult challenges. Depression: one of the most common symptoms of MS.
Psychotic symptoms reported in MS patients include hallucinations and delusions (mostly paranoid), irritability/agitation, sleep disturbance, grandiosity, blunted affect, and rare symptoms like catatonia and transient catalepsy [45].
Communicating with friends and family can help you relate your condition to them, but there is nothing better than connecting with other people that are living with MS. There are MS Focus support groups in many communities that offer meetings. There are also support groups online if you can't make an in-person meeting.
Depression, persistent anxiety and extreme irritability are never “natural” or “normal.” Although very common in people with MS, these changes are as deserving of treatment as any of the physical symptoms of the disease. Changes in mood can be a significant source of pain and distress in and of themselves.
Study participants with MS were compared to a control group. The researchers found that people with MS were more likely to be angry (trait anger), have a higher intensity of anger (state anger), and express anger either outwardly or inwardly, as compared to the control group.
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the most common neuropsychiatric disorder seen among individuals with MS. The lifetime prevalence of MDD is approximately 25% to 50%, which is approximately 2 to 5 times more common than in the general population.
In MS, personality seems especially important, for in addition to frequent personality changes and disorders, patients have more dysfunctional personality profiles, characterized by low levels of Conscientiousness, Extraversion, and Agreeableness, and a high level of Neuroticism (Maggio et al., 2020).
Constant fatigue is common for people with MS. This tiredness can impact all aspects of life, including effective brain use and the ability to go out and partake in activities. The symptoms of MS can cause constant discomfort and disability that limit a person's ability to go about daily activities.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. Studies have shown that MS disrupts several social cognitive abilities [including empathy and theory of mind (ToM)].
Cognitive decline is recognized as a prevalent and debilitating symptom of multiple sclerosis (MS), especially deficits in episodic memory and processing speed.
Mental Health Challenges With Myasthenia Gravis. If you have a diagnosis of myasthenia gravis (MG), studies show that you have a higher risk of developing depression.
Factors that may trigger MS include: Exposure to certain viruses or bacteria: Some research suggests that being exposed to certain infections (such as Epstein-Barr virus) can trigger MS later in life. Where you live: Your environment may play a role in your risk for developing MS.
A large epidemiological study by Patten et al22 involving >10,000 MS patients in Canada found that between 2% and 4% had experienced psychotic symptoms and met the criteria for a diagnosis of psychotic disorder (including organic and nonorganic psychosis).
Disease Course of MS Is Unpredictable
A person with benign MS will have few symptoms or loss of ability after having MS for about 15 years, while most people with MS would be expected to have some degree of disability after that amount of time, particularly if their MS went untreated.
Average life span of 25 to 35 years after the diagnosis of MS is made are often stated. Some of the most common causes of death in MS patients are secondary complications resulting from immobility, chronic urinary tract infections, compromised swallowing and breathing.
Contents. You may have to adapt your daily life if you're diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), but with the right care and support many people can lead long, active and healthy lives.
Regarding the five-factor model (FFM) that deals with five core dimensions—neuroticism, extraversion, openness, conscientiousness, and agreeableness [10]—MS patients usually show high neuroticism, loss of empathy, and low agreeableness, which are distinctive features of narcissism and histrionism.
MS is a chronic disease that affects people differently. A small number of people with MS will have a mild course with little to no disability, whereas others will have a steadily worsening disease that leads to increased disability over time.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is associated with a higher prevalence of mood and psychiatric disorders, such as bipolar disorder (BD). While mania is most often associated with BD, MS can also induce manic symptoms.
The study reported above shows that bipolar disorder is common in people with MS. You can read more about bipolar disorder on the NHS Choices website where there is information about symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.
When the condition rapidly progresses, it is known as an acute form of the condition called fulminant multiple sclerosis. This condition is sometimes referred to as Marburg-type MS . This disorder causes destruction of the coating (myelin) that surrounds and protects nerve fibers (axons).