If you have multiple sclerosis (MS), you may look completely fine to your loved ones and colleagues.
Meanwhile, your vision may be so blurry you can’t see your computer screen clearly. Or you have trouble socializing because the entire right side of your body is numb or tingling.
“Just imagine how distracting something like that is,” says Sharon Stoll, DO, a neurologist with Yale Medicine who specializes in MS.
It’s easy to see how these changes can affect your mental health. But MS can affect your mood for a mix of reasons, including changes spurred by the disease process.
Mental health issues are treatable no matter what’s causing them. You may need medication or talk therapy. Work with your doctor to find what’s best for you.
Can MS Cause Depression?
Up to 50% of people with MS may get major depressive disorder at some point. That makes your odds of depression about three times higher than the general public.
For a long time, doctors thought depression was a common response to the stress of life with MS. But there’s growing evidence that the disease changes the brain and immune system in a way that affects how you feel and act.
“With more research, more understanding, and more treatment, we’ve realized it really is part of the disease itself,” Stoll says. “It’s more than just a reactive depression.”
Michelle Heil, 40, found out she had relapsing-remitting MS in her late 30s. She’s finishing up a 2-year treatment on a drug that targets certain white blood cells. These white blood cells play an important role in MS. So far, the lesions are limited to her brain.
Heil, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder 20 years ago, says she’s noticed and uptick in depressive symptoms lately, such as:
- Lack of motivation and energy
- Little interest in leaving the house
- Difficulty paying attention to more than one thing
- Sleep problems
- Feeling down or irritable
Along with her neurologist, Heil sees a psychiatrist and a therapist. She urges others to do the same but understands focusing on your well-being takes work.
“You don’t have a lot of energy to give when you have MS, so you put that energy toward getting through the day,” she says. “Mental health gets pushed back to the wayside.”
Unmanaged depression can make it harder to start or stick with your MS treatment. It also raises your odds of other health issues, such as:
- Inflammation and immune system problems
- Blood vessel diseases
- Heart disease
- Suicidal thoughts
- Death for any reason
Tell your doctor if you have symptoms of depression. Get medical help right away if you think you might hurt yourself.
Can MS Cause Anxiety?
Stoll compares life with MS to the stress of living through the COVID-19 pandemic: It’s unpredictable.