Being a young adult and living with multiple sclerosis (MS) is not easy. According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, this chronic and unpredictable disease affecting the central nervous system (which includes the brain, the spinal cord, and the optic nerves) can appear in individuals ages 20 to 50. It has been known, however, to appear in children as young as two and in elderly adults as old as 75.
Living with a chronic disease like MS is not easy, especially when you’re young and you have your whole life ahead of you. Watching a loved one go through this lifelong struggle can feel just as painful sometimes.
Here are a few tips from our team at Bankers Fidelity on how young people can deal with an MS diagnosis:
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Connecting with other young people can be a great way to understand what it really means to live with MS — and it will help you feel much less alone. The initial shock of being diagnosed with MS is naturally scary, and the seriousness of MS can’t be overemphasized. That being said, the best way to cope with MS is to feel comfortable talking about it, reading about it, and understanding how it affects you (or could affect you in the future).
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Exercise may seem like an impossible feat at times, especially if you experience a lot of fatigue. It’s okay not to push yourself when your body just can’t handle it, but this doesn’t mean you should avoid exercise altogether. You might need to take frequent breaks or switch to activities that aren’t as physically demanding.
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Dating — yikes! It’s normal to feel as though you don’t belong on the dating scene, but don’t let yourself believe this. MS is not contagious, and you can still live a very happy and long life with it. Will you have some rough times? Yep. But you know what? No one is perfect and everyone needs a little support every now and then.
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You might find that you have to take it slower than your classmates when it comes to school, but being diagnosed with MS does not mean that you’ll have to forego higher education altogether. You’d be hard-pressed to find a school that isn’t willing to offer reasonable accommodations to you so that you can continue your education for as long as you wish. Many college students also find that online classes provide enough flexibility to accommodate their needs.
Here at Bankers Fidelity, we believe that it’s important to raise awareness about multiple sclerosis and to provide as much support as possible to this community. We believe it’s our job to go beyond offering short-term care insurance to our loyal customers; we want to provide you with the resources you need to live a long and healthy life. We invite you to join us in this mission: If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with MS, we want to hear your story! What tips would you give to a young person who has recently been diagnosed with MS? What information do you wish someone had told you when you began on this journey?
