Lonely
I first started showing MS symptoms 35 years ago, which is one of the ways that helped to diagnose me 20 years ago. I never have had an abundance of friends but always a few good close friends but in the last 10 years especially they've all fallen away. I can't go walking around shopping, sight seeing or just getting together in crowds tends to make me nervous and give me a migraine, so that leaves me at home alone most all the time. Except on Sundays I go to church and doctor appointments. That's been my worst part of MS. Not being able to go out and keep or make friends.
Hi,
!
First off, my apologies on the delayed response!
I think many people don't realize just how lonely living with a chronic condition like MS can be. Doctors are so busy dealing with the symptoms that they may forget to mention how isolating MS can be. People who don't have it won't ever truly understand what it is to love with MS. But. People with MS know about loneliness. We have many, many stories, comments, and articles on the topic of loneliness, so please know you are not alone in this! Social media can help with loneliness, but it can also make it worse, when you feel like you're missing out (ie -- friends posting great vacation pics or having fun at a concert together). I wanted to share a couple of pieces on loneliness with you and I hope they are helpful for you -- https://multiplesclerosis.net/living-with-ms/what-fatigue and -- https://multiplesclerosis.net/living-with-ms/the-loneliness-of-ms. I know we can't replace having in-person interactions, but this community and others like it do offer some community when you're feeling isolated.
I know sharing a couple of articles won't magically make your lonely days any easier, but I hope it helps to know that people here understand what you have gone through and know how hard it can be.
Best, Erin, MultipleSclerosis.net Team Member.
