Learning to manage cognitive impairment with multiple sclerosis

Upon commencing my undergraduate studies at the University of Texas (UT) at Austin, I pursued a major in prehealth neuroscience. I had decided to pursue this degree shortly after my diagnosis of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis in 2016, during my senior year of high school.

My hope in choosing the medical field was to understand multiple sclerosis (MS) from a scientific standpoint while utilizing my personal experiences to help shape future medical practices. However, I didn’t thrive in this field, to say the least.

During my fifth semester at UT Austin, I enrolled in a course titled “Medical Terminology,” where we learned about the Latin and Greek roots of medical and scientific terms. This course relied heavily on memorization, which I’ve always struggled with. After a couple of months, I was forced to reevaluate my educational decisions because my current, rigorous path depended greatly on higher-order thinking.

I soon realized that the medical field wouldn’t be a feasible career path for me because of the cognitive impairments that have resulted from my MS.

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So what is cognition? In simple terms, cognition refers to the mental processes related to acquiring knowledge and comprehension. Many cognitive processes involve our ability to think, reason, perceive, problem-solve, remember, and judge.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cognitive impairment is characterized by issues with memory, processing and learning new information, decision-making, and concentration, and can range from mild to severe. These issues are common among people with MS, with cognitive dysfunction affecting more than half of patients.

Of the cognitive functions that can be disrupted by MS, I’ve had the most problems with my memory and information processing. More often than not, I’m unable to recall pieces of information and can’t contribute to conversations because of deficits in my cognitive processing abilities. When a lot of information is thrown my way, it becomes overwhelming because my brain can’t keep up.

Because cognitive impairment generally isn’t visible, it can become quite burdensome and mentally exhausting to explain these issues to the people around me. Engaging in discussions about my cognitive limitations can pose challenges, yet it’s essential for fostering a deeper understanding of who I am. My inability to recall a piece of information is not indicative of me not listening or caring; my brain simply works differently from most.

Managing cognitive function

Over the years, I have implemented different strategies into my daily routine to help me manage cognitive dysfunction, such as doing puzzles, reading, writing information down, and utilizing online calendars. All of these strategies are beneficial in various ways.

Puzzles and reading keep my brain active even during downtime, which has been especially important during breaks between school semesters. Writing information down on my phone or in a journal gives me something to refer back to when my memory is lacking. Lastly, using online calendars helps me plan and organize my days. The ways we manage cognitive challenges are personal and unique to each of us.

Throughout our MS journeys, we may have to reconsider different aspects of our lives, such as our careers, to accommodate changes in our health. Some of these decisions may pose deep emotional or psychological challenges, but we must remind ourselves that we shouldn’t sacrifice our well-being for the sake of others. All we can do is what we are capable of doing.

If you experience cognitive impairment with MS, do you have any strategies that help you? Please share in the comments below.

Note: Multiple Sclerosis News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Multiple Sclerosis News Today or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to multiple sclerosis.