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“I don’t want to know if I have MS” – How one woman faced her fear of a definitive diagnosis

Betty began seeing Dan for Quick Counseling because she was anxious and depressed over a possible multiple sclerosis diagnosis. Her primary care doctor had referred her to a major medical center, but Betty could not force herself to make the necessary appointments to determine whether her physical symptoms were signs of MS.

“I don’t want to know if I have MS,” she told Dan at her first appointment. “I won’t be able to deal with it if I do have it, so it’s better not to know.” Dan told Betty that he understood her fears. He then suggested that they use a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy tool to help her evaluate the pros and cons of getting an official diagnosis.

Fear of the unknown

With Dan’s help, Betty listed all the drawbacks and benefits of getting a diagnosis. As she looked over her list, Betty said, “I guess there are some good reasons to get a diagnosis. But I’m still really scared of what’s going to happen.” This is natural, since fear of the unknown can be more devastating than reality. Dan reassured her that he could teach her ways to reduce her fears, and that he’d be there to support her if she in fact did have MS.

During the two weeks leading up to her medical evaluation, Dan helped Betty pinpoint the negative thoughts that were triggering her fears about a positive diagnosis. Once her fears were out in the open (I’ll be housebound. I’ll be completely unable to pursue the things I love to do.), Dan used several Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques to reduce their power over Betty.

Challenging the negative thoughts

As Betty learned to challenge each negative thought with a new thought that was more positive and realistic (There’s no way to know how quickly MS might progress. I might go into remission. Even if I can’t do everything I love, I’d probably still be able to do many things for quite a while.), her anxiety began to lift. By the time she went for her evaluation, Betty felt much more confident about her ability to handle whatever lay ahead.

March 25, 2009 | Filed Under anxiety, cognitive behavioral therapy, fear 

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One Response to ““I don’t want to know if I have MS” – How one woman faced her fear of a definitive diagnosis”

  1. Laurel Marshfield on April 6th, 2009

    What a wonderful way to alleviate one of the most debilitating aspects of any condition, and most especially a potential condition, by changing the emotional “climate” someone lives within, often for a very long time.

    Congratulations to Dan and Sylvia for offering their much-needed Counseling and Coaching services online, and reaching out to a whole new community of people.

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