Awareness of psychological and emotional issues is important for patients suffering with Multiple Sclerosis. Sometimes the issues are directly related to the disease (an actual symptom) and other times they are secondary to the diagnosis, medication, or the symptoms experienced (a reaction or result of the experience). Crying, uncontrollable laughter, euphoria, anxiety, irritability, social isolation, depression, and sexual difficulties, are not uncommon complaints for MS sufferers. This is a side of Multiple Sclerosis most patients prefer not to talk about; though many worry about it regularly.
Recognizing the difference between feeling normal sadness, nervousness or anxiety can be a challenge. The indicators that signal its time to talk with a health care professional are; changes in appetite, changes in sleep patterns, depressed mood, or suicidal thoughts.
Medications (anti-anxiety or anti-depressants) and counseling (talk therapy) are effective treatment options for improving the quality of life for people affected by psychological or emotional difficulties associated with MS. Self care is another viable option. Self care includes things like spending time with family or friends, exercising or diet improvements; actions that helps to elevate your mood and alleviate negative feelings. It is important to remember though; that suicidal thoughts need immediate attention by a qualified health care provider.
Finding a local support group may help. Speaking with others who share the same struggles helps to minimize feelings of isolation or fear. It is also a great way to learn of new or existing treatments and to make some great new friends who understand better than anybody what you are going through.
You are not alone in this; reach out.
livingms 
Great blog post. Thanks! I wrote an article about how helminthic therapy helps MS sufferers about a year ago, and you may be interested to have a look at it. http://www.thetherapybook.com/knowledge/Articles/Therapy-help-for-sufferers-of-multiple-sclerosis.aspx
Thank you for your words of support and for the information. I will review the information in the link.
You consistently share important and useful information. Self-help, exercise and reaching out are such practical actions that we all have control over. It just comes down to that all-important “take the first step.” Thank you and keep up the great work.
These symptoms are not mentioned in any of the articles I have read on MS, but I experience all of them and am on antianxiety meds and antideprssants. Your articles – blog – are very useful to me. I have a blog also, but I guess I don’t do as much research and really just blog to “get things out”. Thanks for this article especially.
Its great to “get things out”, often it is all that is needed to feel better about a situation.
So true. Merry Christmas!
The very best to you and yours in this coming year!
My depression seems to be worse now that Christmas is over, but writing helps me so much. I remade the Blue Christmas song today. Check it out please if you get a chance. http://wp.me/p1Cvgh-uI
Keep writing! It’s a wonderful outlet. Christmas is a difficult time even under the best of circumstances for many people. Your not alone!
Thank you so much for this post. I just opened my blog and this is one of the very things that I had been dealing with. Deep depression. Glad to find another MS blog as well. I will follow. Here is my blog as well: http://mswithoutcrabs.wordpress.com/
Thank you! I checked out and subscribed to your blog; keep fighting the good fight, great work!