The 5 Major Factors of Psychological Adjustment to Multiple Sclerosis By Javed Anwar

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a major cause of neurological disability in young adults. There are at least five major factors of psychological adjustment to MS.

1. The personality of the patient
The first factor of psychological adjustment to multiple sclerosis is the personality of the patient. Some patients adapt quickly to new life whereas others are trapped in the stage of disbelief and continue to be depressed for a long time after the diagnosis.

2. The quality of family support
The second factor of psychological adjustment to multiple sclerosis is the quality of support available to the patient within his family. All stakeholders should have an idea about the family dynamics before, during and after diagnosis. They should ask the following questions: Does the patient have a life together? What kind of relationship the patient has with his close relatives (children, spouse, and extended family)? The answers to these questions are important because the psychological suffering of a patient may result from tensions within his family (rejection, stigma, exclusion, indifference). Often a psychological maltreatment develops between the patient and his relatives; they feel unable to bear the daily progress of the disease.

3. The skills of social openness
The skills of social openness are the third factor of psychological adjustment to multiple sclerosis. They in fact correspond to how the patient is able to seek support and mental peace in his surroundings especially his family and friends. It helps the patient feel supported in the unhappy moments. Continuing his or her job helps the patient cope up with the new realities associated with the disease because continuing work lifts up the spirit of the patient and fills him with the feeling of productivity.

4. The quality of the relationship with the doctor
The quality of the relationship of the patient with the doctors (in the broadest sense, which also includes paramedical workers also) plays as a factor in psychological adjustment to multiple sclerosis. The patient has a high level of dependence on his doctor for psychological support as well as for the management of the disease.

5. The disease
The disease and its prognosis play an important role in the psychological adjustment of patients with multiple sclerosis. If the disease progresses slowly, the patient gets accustomed to his newly acquired disabilities gradually but if the disease has a rapid progression, the patient can not adjust and his life is compromised both physically and psychologically.

These factors play a vital role in the quality of life of the patient with multiple sclerosis. Obviously the most important factor is the personality of the patient who can adjust with the development of the disease as it progresses.

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