Responses to a brief online survey on the MSIF website (www.msif.org) have revealed how many of our online readers are dealing with emotional and cognitive issues, and what kinds of strategies are most often used.

Here is what we learned:
Two hundred and seventy people with MS completed the survey. The graphs shown here summarise the frequency with which respondents reported experiencing emotional and cognitive problems.

The results show quite a high frequency of problems, but most people attempt to manage these using a variety of means. The percentage of those who are trying to manage their specific problem in some active way ranges from 93 per cent to 100 per cent.

Anxiety and difficulty concentrating are being managed by 100 per cent of the people who reported experiencing these problems. Although care must be taken when interpreting survey results, especially when there is no demographic or clinical information on the respondents, this result is very encouraging.

The methods most reported for managing emotional and cognitive problems include medication, compensatory strategies and counselling.

In this group of survey respondents, emotional problems are managed more frequently with medication, followed by compensatory strategies and counselling.

Cognitive problems, on the other hand, are managed more frequently by utilising compensatory strategies, followed by medication and counselling.

The results of this survey confirm what research and experience tell us about the frequency of emotional and cognitive problems in MS. They also reinforce the belief that many people living with MS are active in attempting to manage problems that can have a negative impact on their lives.

DIAGRAMS
Percentages of survey responders
experiencing cognitive problems

Memory

Concentration

Comprehension

Expression

Attention
to
detail


Percentages of survey responders
experiencing emotional problems

Depression

Mood
Swings

Anger

Disinhibition