“Sometimes we all need a little help”
When Scott Burgess was diagnosed with MS it wasn’t only his physical health that was affected, his mental health was too. He explains how counselling and medication formed vital parts of his treatment, and why you should never be afraid or embarrassed to ask for help.
My MS diagnosis came in 2018. Before this, I was regularly active with hobbies including martial arts, hillwalking and running. Whilst I was able to resume these in 2019, the time between diagnosis and returning to exercise was a struggle. I had this new, uncertain medical condition. How was this going to affect me?
My mental health plummeted. Negative thoughts were like a snowball rolling down a hill. I was having regular meltdowns, fearing for the future. I didn’t know where to turn, so I went to my doctor and explained my situation. Basically, I said: “Help.”
Getting help with mental health
My doctor directed me to counselling from my local authority’s Primary Care Mental Health Team. But I was told the waiting list could be up to 12 weeks. That was an unsettling prospect, given the mental rollercoaster I was on. However, my doctor prescribed antidepressants, which could help to smooth out the mental peaks and troughs until counselling began.
Leaving the doctor with a prescription in one hand and a phone number in the other, I wasn’t sure what would come next. At least I had done something.
Now, what do you think when you hear antidepressants and counselling? For me, I had the image of sitting on a couch talking about my childhood. I feared I would become dependent on medication. I was in a spiral of negative thinking, worrying about the very things that might reduce my worrying about MS. However, the need for action outweighed this negativity.
Antidepressants and improvements
The antidepressants were quite a low dose but it turned out to be enough. Gradually I began to feel less anxious about MS. I wasn’t having the daily waves of anxiety. The tablets were doing their job.
The 12 weeks passed until I had my first counselling appointment. I was nervous, as if going into an exam. There was no need to worry. My counsellor was friendly and understanding. She listened as I emptied my head of worries and we had our starting point.
My counsellor explained how the sessions would use Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). This is a talking therapy that can help you manage your problems by changing the way you think and behave. CBT aims to help you deal with overwhelming problems by breaking them down into smaller parts. It looks for practical ways to improve your state of mind on a daily basis.
Dealing with MS anxieties
Leaving the health centre, relief replaced the nerves. The session was nothing like I imagined. Quite the opposite, and it felt like a positive start.
Sessions took place every two weeks. Each began with an assessment of how I'd felt since the previous one. Being asked to assess my mood was sometimes difficult but it also helped me to understand that perhaps things weren’t as bleak as I feared.
Over the course of eight sessions, I learned how to deal with my MS anxieties through a number of coping strategies that I still practise today. The counselling helped me focus on the here and now. Dealing with the facts and not worrying about what might happen. It was a big change of mind-set and it stopped my mind running away with scenarios of where MS might lead. I stopped catastrophising.
Coming off my antidepressants
After the eight sessions, and in a much better frame of mind, I returned to my doctor. We agreed to taper the antidepressants. Whilst this felt a little bit like taking away a safety net, I wanted to try. After a further month, and with my return to exercise boosting my mental wellbeing, I was able to come off the medication without any negative effects.
Looking back five years, I’m so glad I took that step and asked for help. It was a tough time, full of both real and imagined challenges. Had I not done something, those first months could have been far worse.
Is an MS diagnosis bad? It certainly felt bad to me. And it changes your life. Counselling may not be the answer for everyone. But if you’re struggling to deal with diagnosis, I would encourage you to try it. Don’t let negative perceptions or a sense of embarrassment stop you. There is nothing to be ashamed of.
Dealing with an MS diagnosis and living with the condition can be difficult. Sometimes we all need a little help. Just don’t be afraid to ask.
Get support
Read about getting help with emotional support
Our MS Helpline gives emotional support to anyone affected by MS. Call 0808 800 8000 for free or email [email protected]. We’re here Monday to Friday, 9am to 7pm except bank holidays.
