Skip to navigation MENU Navigation National Multiple Sclerosis Society Search Relationships MS enriches relationships and brings people closer together. Damian (left) DIAGNOSED IN 2015 IN THIS ARTICLE Deciding to disclose …or not Keeping balance in your relationship Parenting when you have MS Caring for someone else (and yourself!) Momentum Articles Other Resources WATCH NOW Dating and MS Learn strategies for navigating the dating world after a diagnosis of MS. Overview Important relationships take effort and energy and come in many different forms—intimate, parenting, sibling, friendships, collegial, etc. Figuring out how to make room for MS in your personal and professional relationships without giving it more time, attention, and energy than it really needs is key. Deciding to disclose …or not Telling others about your MS may be the first thing you want to do — or the last. No two people feel exactly the same about disclosing their MS to others. Keeping in mind that once the information is out there, you can’t take it back, the key is figuring out when disclosure is in your best interest and when it is not. Keeping balance in your relationship When one person in a couple is affected by MS, the other person lives with it as well. To keep your relationship healthy and balanced, it’s important to make sure that both of you stay on the giving and receiving end of the relationship, in spite of whatever changes MS may bring. Learn how to manage MS as team and enhance your communication and intimacy. Parenting when you have MS Women and men with MS can be successful parents of happy, healthy children. Learn the up-to-date findings about the impact of MS on conception, pregnancy, delivery and breastfeeding, and the impact of childbearing on MS. Kids tend to worry when they know something’s up — even if Mom or Dad has no visible symptoms. Read more about parenting (including video), get some hints about how and when to begin talking about MS with your children. Caring for someone else (and yourself!) Caring for someone with a chronic illness like MS can be deeply satisfying. Spouses and partners, family, and friends can be drawn more closely together by their shared concerns and collaborative efforts. But caregiving (.pdf) can also be physically and emotionally exhausting, particularly for the primary caregiver. Remember that your own health and well-being is essential to your ability to care for someone else. Read more about carepartners and access resources. Find an MS care provider The National MS Society’s Partners in MS Care program connects you to local health care providers and medical facilities that have demonstrated exceptional care, knowledge and expertise in treating patients with MS. All partners, whether they are a neurologist or social worker, have a strong relationship with the Society and connect their patients to the information, resources and support they need to live their best lives with MS. Find a Partner in MS Care. Momentum Articles When Men Get MS The Friend Zone Grandparenting with MS What Can We Do? – Finding ways for family and friends to provide help and support Other Resources Tips for People with MS and Their Partners – Planning for the Future Telelearning Recording American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy – find a marriage and family therapist SHARE Share 23 FIND AN MS CARE PROVIDER The Partners in MS Care program recognizes and supports quality MS care. Find a provider Discover More Here are a few related topics that may interest you Find Support LEARN MORE MS & Pregnancy: Kara's Story Part 2 (video) WATCH VIDEO MS & Pregnancy: Kara's Story Part 1 (video) WATCH VIDEO Online MS Communities LEARN MORE Previous Next The National MS Society is Here to Help NEED MORE INFORMATION? We Are Here Our MS Navigators help identify solutions and provide access to the resources you are looking for. Call 1-800-344-4867 or contact us online. Contact Us NEWLY DIAGNOSED If you or somone close to you has recently been diagnosed, access our MS information and resources. Start Here Colophon STAY INFORMED JOIN US What Is MS? 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