Friends & Family

You know how difficult it was for you to hear the news that you had MS and just because it isn't actually physically affecting your family and friends this doesn't mean they won't feel some similar emotions. They may be shocked and worried about your diagnosis and what it means. They will want to do as much as they can to help you and this can often be too much. This is where communication is key. Only you can tell them how you feel so try to be honest and let them know when you feel over powered and when you need their help.

"I don't often tell people as soon as I meet them that I have MS. Otherwise that's the only thing people see, they define me by the condition."

Telling people you have MS can be a daunting prospect. But there are ways of making it easier. Unfortunately there is some ignorance and a lack of awareness about the condition and you should be prepared for the eventuality that people will be frightened because they haven't come into contact with MS before.

Ultimately, you can't expect other people to understand MS if they have never had personal contact with it. People have preconceived ideas such as; if you have MS you will definitely end up in a wheelchair or that it's fatal. Talking to them openly about your MS will help them see how having MS affects you, rather than frightening them with a label they don't understand.

Telling them what form of MS you have, what the symptoms are right now, how you are affected daily and what you can and can't do will give them a better understanding of MS and make them see the person behind the condition.

Use the navigation on the left to read some hints on how to handle breaking the news to your family and friends.