World Multiple Sclerosis Day: Overcoming Social Barriers

Since 2009, May 30 has been commemorated as World Multiple Sclerosis Day. This was an original initiative of the International Multiple Sclerosis Federation.

For each day a motto is established that guides reflection and activities accordingly. The proportion of adults affected by multiple sclerosis is not less, and its appearance at an early age is a growing concern in the medical community.

Patients with the pathology tend to social isolation due to the imposition of symptoms. It is difficult for them to contact other people and they spend more and more time inside their homes, disconnecting.

World Multiple Sclerosis Day 2020 proposes to overcome social barriers by increasing connections between the community and people with the disease. For this, the following is suggested:

• Spread outreach news about multiple sclerosis
• Establish support networks for patients, with family, neighbors and friends, focused on facilitating activities of daily life

• Take advantage of the virtual existence of social networks to maintain contact between patients and their groups of belonging

What is multiple sclerosis?

On this World Multiple Sclerosis Day, it is worth remembering what type of pathology we are facing, since its evolution is very aggressive. At its core, it is a disabling neurological disease.

Basically, multiple sclerosis is one of the many autoimmune disorders that humans can suffer from. Through antibodies that attack the body itself, the myelin covering of the nerves is destroyed and disappears in the form of plaques.

Myelin is a fatty covering that facilitates the transmission of nerve impulses between neurons. Its absence delays connectivity and manifests symptoms commensurate with the area that suffers from autoimmunity.

At first, it is common for patients with multiple sclerosis to start with a lack of strength in the lower limbs and strange sensations in the body. They may feel numb, tingly, or like a surge of electricity.

Then the tremors and incoordination become apparent. Walking is difficult with a notable loss of balance that, if accompanied by vision disorders, accelerates the seclusion process of the person, who can no longer go out to play sports, shop or visit friends.

Causes and risk factors

The organizations that study and support patients remember, on this World Multiple Sclerosis Day, that there are no clear indications of the origin of the disease. Although it is known to be autoimmune, it has not gotten to the root of the matter.

Beyond understanding that the immune system attacks the myelin sheath of the nervous system, what has been characterized are the risk factors for suffering from multiple sclerosis, among which are the following:

• Young adults: the age range most affected are people between 20 and 50 years old.
• Women: There is up to three times more chance of having multiple sclerosis in women than in men.
• Heredity: if a relative had the pathology, the risk in their children is greater, as well as it is detected more frequently among certain ethnic groups, as it happens with particular European regions.
• Tobacco: smokers add another consequence of smoking among the risks, and that of multiple sclerosis.

World Multiple Sclerosis Day against social isolation

As we said, World Multiple Sclerosis Day 2020 advocates combating the social isolation in which these patients are involved. To this we must add the depression that is usually associated with the condition, reaching almost 50% of patients.

Beyond the depressive state, protective factors of social isolation have been identified. That is, there are groups of patients with multiple sclerosis who respond better to the social consequences of symptoms, and these are people with university studies and young people.

Scientific data is essential to understand that the more remaining freedom people with multiple sclerosis have, the less depressed they will be. This will be a protection to the advance of the pathology, and a safeguard to prolong life expectancy.

Disability due to the disorder destroys the social network of individuals. They are unable to work as before, or attend the places they frequently went, and sometimes not even hold up the phone for a call.

Connect on World Multiple Sclerosis Day

The possibilities of generating social connections are increased thanks to technology, and on World Multiple Sclerosis Day they are a reminder of what we can do to help these patients. If we break down the social barriers that the disease imposes, we advance in the encounter with these people who suffer.