Written by Ann Pietrangelo | Published on July 24, 2015Medically Reviewed by The Healthline Medical Team on July 24, 2015
When you’re going through something that your friends and family don’t understand, they don’t always know what to say. Sometimes it can feel like they’re being insensitive, uncaring, or downright rude.
When you tell people with MS or other chronic “invisible” illnesses that they don’t look sick, they may feel like you’re dismissing their illness or accusing them of faking it. You can’t tell how someone with MS feels by the way they look. Telling them that they look good is a compliment, and asking how they feel acknowledges their reality.
MS isn’t easier on the young, nor is it more likely to get better. Imagine being in the prime of your life and dealing with unpredictable neurological symptoms. The realization of having a chronic illness at a young age may be overwhelming. It’s better to simply offer your emotional and practical support.
If you don’t know the facts, it’s best not to make assumptions. If they’re open to it, ask questions. Otherwise, take a few minutes of your time to learn the basics. MS is not contagious. In MS, the immune system mistakenly attacks myelin, the protective substance that surrounds nerve fibers. Over time, this causes lesions to form in the central nervous system. What sets off that process is unclear, but it may be a combination of things. Some avenues of research include genetic predisposition, infectious agents, and environmental factors.
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