One of my friends on the Emerging Leaders’ Board of the Southern California Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society told me that she believes that people with Type A personalities are more likely to get multiple sclerosis (ms) than those who do not have Type A personalities. People with Type A personalities are generally stress-filled, high strung, perfectionists, worriers, and high achievers. Having a Type A personality can actually lead to certain health issues, such as heart disease, anxiety, and depression. I don’t know if it’s the case that people with Type A personalities are more likely to have or get ms, but I do know that I definitely have a Type A personality and I now have ms.
I am generally always stressed, anxious and worried; I actually probably suffer from high functioning anxiety in general, and those with ms have an increased risk for anxiety separately. So, that’s like a double whammy for me. However, I am not sure which came first—the ms or the anxiety. I do notice my anxiety more now than I did in the past prior to my diagnosis though, but I don’t know if that’s just because I am more sensitive to my feelings, emotions and symptoms now or I really did not have anxiety until ms. I do find that a little hard to believe though, because my whole life, I have always liked to repeatedly re-watch shows and movies I have seen before. I have read that people who like to do this generally do suffer from anxiety and re-watching things is comforting for those with anxiety because you already know what is going to happen next. There aren’t any surprises, and people with stress and anxiety do not like surprises.
The reason people with ms end up having anxiety is because ms is so unpredictable. It makes planning and preparing for the effects of one’s ms impossible, and that causes the stress and anxiety people with ms suffer from on a daily basis. A lot of people worry about making plans or doing too much in one day, because you don’t know if you are going to have a flare or just be too fatigued to be able to do everything you set out to do.
Because of this, I am always trying to and basically have to find ways to control my anxiety and stress so that it does not overtake me and my life. So, when I start feeling really anxious or stressed, I try to make a list of the things that are bothering me, stressing me out or need to get done. Putting things into a list helps me manage what really needs to be done then and what I can wait on. It also helps me really figure out what is bothering me, and this makes me feel more in control. When you are more in control, the anxiety and stress subside a little bit.
If this list mechanism doesn’t work, I take a 15-minute break and do some deep breathing every 30 seconds for 5 or so minutes or until I feel calm. This helps me get back down to earth and calm myself down. If all else fails, another option to help control my anxiety and stress is to talk to somebody about what is bothering me, giving me anxiety, or causing me stress. Talking things through generally always helps, and it doesn’t need to be an actual therapist. Talking to your family, friends or someone you trust and love about your stress and anxiety can relieve a lot of it. Then, you aren’t carrying it all on your own.
It should be noted though that, obviously, everyone’s anxiety is different and thus, is managed differently. But these solutions have helped me manage my life and get through the day. I hope these possible solutions help you as well if you are suffering from stress or anxiety.
Here’s to being well preserved.
Always,
Taylor
