Author Archives: MSAA

Shorter Days, Steadier Minds: Getting Through the Darker Months with MS

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By Anita Williams

When it starts getting dark before you have finished work, the evening can feel over before it has begun. With MS, that can be even harder to deal with. Fatigue often sets in by late afternoon, and the cold can make your muscles stiffer and slower to get going. The walk you would usually take gets postponed. Going out seems like more effort. You spend more time indoors than you meant to.

The darker months can bring changes in mood, sleep, and energy, and MS can make each of those harder to manage. If you have noticed a shift, think about what has become harder and what might help.

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Shorter Days, Stronger Self-Care

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By Dr. Eva Jackson

Welcome to autumn, a season whose colors call to mind traditions, history, and memories. Even as those familiar reminders surround us, daylight hours grow shorter, causing the circadian rhythm to affect our thinking, health, and moods. When the days become shorter, some people experience a change in their moods and energy levels. Many of us were not familiar with the reason why the fall season creates a change in the mental state of some; however, science now shows us the reason why! However, as we learn, we are encouraged to develop ways to prevent the impact on our mental health when we have less daylight in the days. Here are 3 ways to protect your mental health when days get shorter.

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Ask the Expert: Numbness and Sensory Symptoms

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Featuring Barry A. Hendin, MD

MSAA’s Chief Medical Officer

Headshot of doctor Barry Hendin, chief medical officer for MSAA
Barry Hendin, MD

Question: What are the common types of pain in MS and are they treated differently?

Answer: Sensory symptoms are common in multiple sclerosis. Usually they are temporary, but sometimes they’re persistent. They may occur in the setting of a relapse or sometimes they evolve more subtly.

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Finding Balance When Life Feels Overwhelming

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By Dr. Eva Jackson

This month, the search for balance feels deeply personal. After a fall filled with family responsibilities, medical appointments, meetings, volunteer work, and the changing weather, I have often felt stretched beyond my limits. Each obligation matters, yet together they can consume my days and leave little room for me to pause, breathe, and care for myself.

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Dealing with Seasonal Pressure

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By Stacie Prada

Fall consistently brings increased obligations, stress, and fatigue for me. I notice it’s happening when I feel pressured, stressed, and frustrated. The paradox is that when I realize something needs to give, the solution always requires more work.

Colder weather, fewer hours of daylight, and cold & flu season consistently increase my multiple sclerosis symptoms. Each year, I find myself creating a new plan to adjust. By writing this, I hope to capture my thought process and make each year’s adjustment less painful.

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Unwind and Create: Find Your Calm Through Art

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Finding balance in everyday life begins with recognizing what you need and giving yourself permission to prioritize it. Between daily responsibilities and the pressure to always be productive, it can be easy to overlook the signals your body sends when you need rest or a reset. Learning to listen to your body, set boundaries, and redefine productivity can help create space for your mental health and well-being. Sometimes, being productive means taking a step back, slowing down, and doing something just for yourself. Art can be one way to find that balance, offering an opportunity to unwind, express yourself, and reconnect with what brings you joy.

Whether you enjoy painting, drawing, photography, or digital art, making art can be a chance to slow down, express yourself, and focus on something that brings you joy. That is why the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) invites members of the MS community to participate in our annual Art Showcase!

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It’s a Balancing Act…

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By Angel Blair

Let’s be honest – most of the time, it’s difficult to balance all the tasks everyday life requires. Finding time to complete a to-do list, work, and handle other daily activities can be daunting, and sometimes too much on the mind and body. We all encounter this pressure, and life just continues to dole out its expectations and duties. So how do you find that balance of taking care of yourself and completing what’s to be done?

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Ramona McCracken – MSAA’s October 2026 Artist of the Month

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MSAA features the work of many talented artists affected by multiple sclerosis as part of our annual MSAA Art Showcase. Each month we share these artists’ inspiring stories and beautiful artwork with you as our Artist of the Month. This month, we celebrate Ramona McCracken as October’s Artist of the Month.  Ramona is from Fort Collins, CO.

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Deeply Rooted  

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By Monica Proctor Wilson

Dear MS,

I began gardening five years ago, growing vegetables and fruits. Gardening is harder than I expected, but there is something about it that reminds me of who I am and how I got here. My roots formed long before you (MS), entered my life.

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