‘It’s been a tough road’: Christina Applegate diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis

Christina Applegate, the actor known for her roles in films like Anchorman and Bad Moms, announced on Twitter overnight that she had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

“A few months ago I was diagnosed with MS. It’s been a strange journey,” wrote the 49-year-old. “It’s been a tough road. But as we all know, the road keeps going. Unless some asshole blocks it.”

Multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune disease, occurs when the immune system begins to attack the sheath that protects nerve fibers, making it difficult for the brain to communicate with the rest of the body. More than 9,000 people are living with Multiple Sclerosis in Ireland, according to statistics.

Hi friends. A few months ago I was diagnosed with MS. It’s been a strange journey. But I have been so supported by people that I know who also have this condition. It’s been a tough road. But as we all know, the road keeps going. Unless some asshole blocks it.

— christina applegate (@1capplegate) August 10, 2021

The exact cause of MS is unknown, and cases can range from mild to severe.

Applegate asked for privacy “as I go through this thing.”

“As one of my friends that has MS said, ‘we wake up and take the indicated action’. And that’s what I do,” the actress wrote.

This isn’t the first health hurdle for the actress, having previously spoken about her 2008 battle with breast cancer after which she had a double mastectomy as well as her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed.

“I cry at least once a day about it because it’s hard to overlook it when you’re standing there in the mirror. When you look down, it’s the first thing you see… So you’re reminded constantly of this thing, this cancer thing that you had,” Applegate told the Oprah Winfrey Show in 2008.

Fellow actress Selma Blair tweeted her support as she has the same condition and has been open and honest about the toll it has taken – and how she has had to adapt her life around it.