Christina Applegate Opens Up About Mental Health Struggles Following MS Diagnosis
4 days ago
By Steven McIntosh, Entertainment reporter
Actress Christina Applegate has recently shared her battle with “real depression” after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in 2021. Known for her roles in Anchorman, Married With Children, and Bad Moms, Applegate expressed her ongoing frustration with the disease.
During a candid conversation on her Messy podcast, Applegate admitted, “I don’t enjoy living. I don’t enjoy it. I don’t enjoy things anymore.” The debilitating effects of MS, where the immune system attacks the brain and spinal cord, have taken a toll on her mental health.
Describing her current state as a “real, [screw]-it-all depression,” Applegate expressed feelings of hopelessness and darkness that she hasn’t experienced in decades. Despite her reluctance, she acknowledged seeking help from a therapist as a significant step towards managing her emotional well-being.
Applegate confessed to using humor as a coping mechanism to navigate her medical diagnosis and make others feel at ease discussing the condition openly. Her decision to speak publicly about MS has been applauded, with the actress appearing on red carpets with a walking stick to raise awareness.
The Emmy Award-winning actress, known for her roles in Friends and Dead To Me, revealed that she had declined an offer to join The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills a decade ago. Multiple Sclerosis affects the nerves in the brain and spinal cord by damaging the myelin protein, disrupting signals from the brain to the rest of the body.
Common symptoms of MS include fatigue, bladder issues, balance problems, vision impairment, muscle stiffness, and spasms. Applegate’s honesty about her mental health struggles serves as a reminder of the importance of seeking support and destigmatizing conversations surrounding chronic illnesses like MS.