October 26, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Psychological resilience found to link relapse fear, life quality in MS A patient’s ability to cope with and recover from adversity ā called psychological resilience ā was found to impact the observed relationship between fear of relapse and life quality among people withĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) in a new study. Essentially, MS patients who had…
December 6, 2022 Columns by Jamie Hughes ‘What’s the Worst That Can Happen?’: On Facing Fears With MS Well, dear readers, I finally did it. The recital Iāve been telling you about finally took place after several long delays and a good bit of scrambling, and all those singing lessons were finally put on display for a public audience. Iād like to tell you I stepped…
June 3, 2022 Columns by Jamie Hughes How I’m Making the Most of My Limited Energy as Someone With MS The last few years have been rough for a whole host of reasons, and I think itās safe to say that most of us in the United States feel utterly lost and burnt out. There’s no shortage of things to be stressed about and afraid of. I feel like…
February 11, 2021 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell My Fear of Failure Blocked Me From Both Risks and Rewards Bravado is lost in the blink of an eye. Self-doubt erodes certitude until we find that our default modus operandi is to refuse. Opportunities, happiness, possibilities, and growth seem to pass. This no-risk mentality brings no reward. Chronic illness is a breeding ground for skepticism. We live in a world…
January 28, 2021 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell To Thrive With SPMS, I’m Learning to Accept All of My Emotions Optimism is kryptonite to the fear and doubt I keep inside. I am grateful for my cheerful disposition because it allows me to maintain balance. But balance is not healing. Left alone, those feelings that I fear ultimately fester. I tend to push aside sadness or frustration. I…
October 6, 2020 Columns by Jessie Ace What No One Tells You After a Diagnosis A multiple sclerosis diagnosis is hard to process. Our body that we once knew so well suddenly feels untrustworthy. The truth is that the malfunctioning of our body is a traumatic event. We never expected it to do these things.Ā We are…
August 20, 2020 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell Sailing Beyond Fear With SPMS I grew up sailing the San Francisco Bay. My summers were spent in sailing school. My fatherās daughter, I loved being on the water. There was no place more peaceful or exhilarating. That serenity turned to turbulence one cold and foggy day. While speeding downwind, our boat broached. The…
May 8, 2020 Columns by Jamie Hughes How to Release Fear I just turned 42, and though I am wiser and stronger and more independent than I was a few decades ago, not everything is coming up roses. Some days, I feel weak and helpless. Other days, Iām overwhelmed. And thatās just part and parcel of life for every human being…
April 2, 2020 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell I’m Choosing to Let My Spirit Shine During the COVID-19 Crisis We are living in unprecedented times. Years from now, references will be made to COVID-19. Numbers of those afflicted and those we lost will live on in print. Future generations will learn how phrases such as “social distancing” and “stop the spread” originated. This pandemic will leave a…
March 31, 2020 Columns by Teresa Wright-Johnson Calm, Care, and Prayer Will Help During the Coronavirus Crisis No one needs to be reminded of the pandemic weāre in the midst of. We live it every day. The novel coronavirus has attacked with a vengeance, proving that no one is safe from its ruins. The actuality of being quarantined and the practice of social distancing have resulted…
September 26, 2019 by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell Leaving Fear Behind and Learning to Trust My eyes are closed. Both arms are in a loose āXā across my chest. I feel my heartbeat quicken as I lean back. I fall. For a moment in time, I am afraid. But before fear takes over, a dozen hands cradle me instead. A trust fall. This team-building exercise,…
July 19, 2018 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell Getting to ‘Yes’ with MS: Fear Beware! I am a self-described homebody. I enjoy social gatherings and getting out, but I always look forward to coming home. Within five minutes of pulling into the garage, I am in sweats and a T-shirt. My demeanor immediately softens. Home is familiar, and in familiarity I find safety. Sometimes, safety…
January 29, 2018 Columns by Debi Wilson Tips to Ease Anxiety, an Often Overlooked Effect of MS Since the onset of my MS, I have been acutely aware that stress and anxiety can wreak havoc on my body. Being anxious is not a comfortable feeling, whether you have a chronic illness or not. This past weekend was my husband’s celebration of life service. With his…
September 12, 2017 Columns by Teresa Wright-Johnson MS, Chronic Illness and Strength: When Courage Is Silent Courage is a recurring theme in my column. Many of us are familiar with the cowardly lion from the Wizard Of Oz. The lion itself is an animal known for its strength, beauty and valor. Thus, to think of a lion as a coward appears to be a…
May 15, 2017 Columns by Debi Wilson Fear the Future? Change the Way You Think Fear of the future will likely rear its ugly head more often than you’d like when you have multiple sclerosis or any serious chronic disease. It can be difficult to keep your mind from wandering to a very dark place. Worries about how fast your disease is progressing,…