Anger is a natural and normal response after the MS diagnosis and symptoms. It’s important not to suppress how you feel, but it isn’t healthy to hold onto anger and let it control you.
Understanding your anger
To be able to process your anger and move forward, it can be helpful to establish why you feel the way you do and identify your triggers.
Everyone’s experience is unique. You may feel angry about:
- Unsupportive friends and family members
- The side-effects of MS treatment
- A negative experience with a doctor
- Changes to your life, such a pause in your career
- Not being able to do as much as before your diagnosis
Coping with anger
Managing anger doesn’t mean getting angry. Instead, it refers to finding strategies that work for you.
Some people find writing to be a helpful way to cope with anger. The main benefit of journaling is that it is a personal, private practice that you can approach in whatever way you like. You might simply want to write about your day before you go to bed each night or opt for more of a gratitude journal, noting down the things you are grateful for each day.
Vocalizing your anger is another healthy way to process and move past this emotion.
Examples of using your voice as an anger management strategy include:
Talking to a friend or family member about how you feel
Yelling in a private space.
You can incorporate movement into your daily routine to keep anger at bay or pick an activity you enjoy that you can turn to when you feel anger rising.
This content is provided for your general education and information only. It does not necessarily reflect Belong’s views and opinions. Belong does not endorse or support any specific product, service, or treatment.
