MS Active Source

positive living with MS

set site to small textset site to medium textset site to large text Home Bookmark and Share

Telling family and friends

It can be hard to think about telling other people about your MS, especially if you’re still getting used to the idea yourself. The important thing to remember is that you don’t need rush into it. You can take your time, and think about how you’d like people to learn about your diagnosis. You might want to think about whether you’d like to tell your relatives and friends yourself, or if you prefer for other people to pass on the information (ref nd11). 

When you tell people is entirely up to you. You may find you can carry on as normal for many years without anyone noticing that anything is wrong. Your family and friends will probably have many questions about MS and what is likely to happen to you. It might be worth learning more about the condition yourself so that you feel prepared and can explain what it is likely to mean for you. It can also help to talk things through with someone, say your partner or a close friend. That way you might be better prepared for the kinds of questions that people may have when they find out about the diagnosis.

Whatever you decide it’s worth remembering that people are usually only too happy to offer a helping hand if you need it. For example, you may need childcare when you go for a hospital appointment. Taking up offers can help others adapt to your diagnosis. It can also make you feel less stressed, which can only be good for your health.

Did you know?

MS affects about three times as many women as men.

Supported by

Biogen Idec

This website is intended for use in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Please click here for msactivesource.ie

Page last updated: 29 Jun 2009

This website is certified by Health On the Net Foundation. Click to verify. This site complies to the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here.