New England MS Branch

18/10/2026

This is one of the main reasons our branch exists. If you know anyone with MS, please encourage them to take advantage of support groups. It is a safe place to connect with and share with people who understand what living with MS is about.

Living with MS can take an emotional toll. Caring for your mental health matters.

Stress, anxiety, and depression are common for people with multiple sclerosis. That’s partly because MS can affect parts of the brain that regulate emotions, and partly because of the challenges of living with a chronic illness.

The good news is there are ways to support your emotional well-being:
• build a support network of family, friends, and others with MS
• try stress-management tools like journaling or mindfulness
• stay active in ways that work for your body
• talk with a therapist or your care team

Our infographic shares simple strategies for supporting mental health with MS.

It’s OK to struggle. If you’re feeling persistently down, anxious, or overwhelmed, reach out for help. Mental health care is an important part of MS care.

Our guide offers practical ways to support mental health while living with MS.

Take a closer look: https://bit.ly/4jn3Brj

18/10/2026

No one knows how or why they got MS. It is hard enough to live with without having the incorrect and unreasonable burden of blame as well.

Someone Told Me My MS Was My Fault… 💔 Here’s What Everyone Needs to Understand.

Living with MS is hard enough without being blamed for it. No one chooses to have multiple sclerosis, and no one deserves judgment for their diagnosis.

People living with MS need compassion, understanding, and support — not blame. 🤍

18/10/2026

Some advice about understanding disease modifying therapies for MS which is a big part of living with MS nowadays. Hope it helps.

Starting an MS treatment won’t undo existing disability. A neurologist explains why it still matters.

Aaron Boster, MD, is an MS neurologist and founder of the Boster Center for Multiple Sclerosis in Columbus, Ohio. In this video, he explains why understanding what disease-modifying therapies can and can’t do is key to successful MS care.

Setting realistic expectations, he says, is essential.

He uses a memorable comparison: MS disease-modifying therapies are like birth control against a future event. If you already have three kids and start birth control, you still have three kids. Birth control prevents an unplanned future event.

In the same way, if you’ve already developed disability from MS, starting a DMT won’t make that disability go away. You’re taking it to help prevent future damage.

Understanding that, Dr. Boster says, sets the stage for a successful relationship between patient and doctor.

This perspective can help:
• keep you motivated with treatment, even if symptoms don’t improve
• make sense of what “working” really means
• guide conversations about goals with your care team

If you’ve felt discouraged that treatment hasn’t reversed your symptoms, his explanation may offer a helpful reframe.

Watch Dr. Boster explain how to set realistic expectations for MS treatment.

Find out more: https://bit.ly/4hNEA7u

14/10/2026

Monitoring cognition is an important part of multiple sclerosis care, but cognitive test results don’t always tell the whole story. A new study of 396 people living with MS explored how pain affects cognitive performance and perceived cognitive difficulties. The findings showed that pain did not directly affect cognitive test results, but pain, anxiety, depression and fatigue were linked to how people perceived their cognitive difficulties. These findings highlight the importance of considering other symptoms when assessing cognition in MS, helping clinicians build a more complete picture of a person's cognitive health and the challenges they experience in everyday life.

14/10/2026

Everyone is unique, as an MS sufferer and as a human being.

“I know someone with MS and they…” If you live with MS, you’ve probably heard that one more times than you can count.

Columnist Benjamin Hofmeister has been diving into podcasts lately, and one on cognitive bias got him thinking about multiple sclerosis. Cognitive bias is a flawed way of thinking shaped by preconceived notions, and it can seriously affect how we take in information. In the world of chronic illness, Ben believes it’s more common than we realize.

He sees it in three places.

Healthcare providers. Ben has been lucky with his neurologists, but even highly trained clinicians can fall into bias. The most common forms he’s noticed: sticking to the textbook answer no matter what, and assuming every patient with MS is the same. The fix, he says, is ongoing education, including listening to the experiences of patients, families, and caregivers.

People without MS. Those comparisons to “someone they know” miss a key point. MS is not a one-size-fits-all disease, and one person’s experience says little about anyone else’s.

Himself. Ben knows quite a bit about MS and has met many people living with it. But in the end, he admits, the only MS he really knows is his own. Recognizing that helps him stay open to other people’s experiences, instead of measuring them against his.

Awareness of bias doesn’t make it disappear, but it’s a good first step toward better conversations about MS, whether you’re in a doctor’s office or chatting with a friend.

If you’ve ever felt your MS was misunderstood because of someone else’s assumptions, Ben’s column will probably ring true. It’s a thoughtful, often funny look at why every MS experience deserves to be taken on its own terms.

Link in the first comment.

14/10/2026

This National Carers Week, we want to say thank you.

To the partners, parents, family members, friends and carers who provide support every day, often quietly and without recognition, your care makes a real difference.

We're grateful for everything you do.

👇Know an incredible carer? Leave a message of thanks in the comments and help us celebrate the carers who make a difference every day.

14/10/2026

Sometimes it's the smallest changes that have the biggest impact.

Occupational Therapists can help make everyday tasks easier through practical strategies, equipment recommendations and solutions tailored to your individual needs.

The goal is simple: helping you maintain independence and confidence in daily life.

Learn more about Occupational Therapy at MS Plus: https://www.msplus.org.au/support-services/allied-health-services/occupational-therapy

14/10/2026

Carers are an important part of the lives of those with MS. Big hugs and thank you to all of yours.

14/10/2026

Some hopefully helpful tips about exercising.

Exercise can help with MS symptoms, even if you have trouble walking or use a wheelchair.

Multiple sclerosis can affect your strength and mobility. Symptoms like numbness, tingling, fatigue, pain, and vision problems can make exercise feel daunting. But the right exercise program can help you manage MS symptoms.

The benefits of staying active with MS may include:
• improved mobility
• better balance
• less fatigue
• a boost in mood
• relief from anxiety and depression

And exercise doesn’t have to mean intense workouts. Even if walking is hard, there are exercises you can do sitting in a chair or lying in bed.

Our guide covers:

Benefits of exercise. How movement can support your body and mind.

Suggested exercises. Options for different abilities, from walking and swimming to seated exercises and stretching.

Safety tips. Ways to stay safe while you move.

Overcoming challenges. Strategies for working around fatigue, heat sensitivity, and other barriers.

Before starting a new routine, talk with your healthcare provider. A physical therapist can help you find exercises that fit your needs and show you how to modify them as your symptoms change.

A few tips to get started:
• start slowly and build gradually
• choose activities you enjoy
• exercise during cooler times of day
• rest when you need to

Finding what works for your body is what matters most. Movement in any form counts.

Our guide offers practical information on staying strong with MS through exercise.

Get the details: https://bit.ly/47SSVcU

02/10/2026

Mental health is so very important to us all. Hope this can help some of you.

Mental health is just as important as physical health when living with MS. 💙

Anxiety and depression are common concerns for people affected by MS, but support and practical strategies can make a difference.

Our partner, the Menzies Institute for Medical Research, offers a free online course, Mental Health and MS, exploring the connection between MS and mental health through expert insights, practical tools, and lived experience perspectives.

Designed for people living with MS, family members, carers and health professionals, the course can be completed at your own pace, wherever and whenever it suits you.

👉 Enrol now: https://ms.mooc.utas.edu.au/i/mhp