Selma Blair used alcohol to numb MS symptoms years before diagnosis
Selma Blair, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in 2018, is now in remission following a successful hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation. However, the Cruel Intentions actress still experiences some symptoms.
Over the weekend, her service dog, Scout, charmingly took centre stage at Vanity Fair’s Oscar after party. He attracted attention from big names in entertainment like Justin Theroux. The actress usually uses a plain black cane on red carpets, but sometime brings Scout along to events as well, assisting with balance, mobility, muscle spasms and providing emotional support.
When she first revealed her diagnosis, the Hellboy star noted she had likely been living with the disease for years. Selma has also previously admitted to using alcohol to self-medicate issues she now recognises as early symptoms in retrospect.
MS, caused by damage to the central nervous system affecting electrical signals in the brain, can affect every patient differently and presents a wide range of symptoms, according to the NHS. Some of the initial symptoms often experienced by those with MS include extreme fatigue.
Other common symptoms include vision problems such as blurriness or eye pain, numbness or tingling in various parts of the body, feeling off balance, dizziness or clumsiness, muscle cramps, spasms and stiffness. Other issues can develop, such as bladder, memory, sex or concentration problems.
These symptoms may worsen during flare-ups or relapses, then slightly improve during remission periods. However, without treatment, these symptoms generally worsen over time.
While there is no cure for MS, treatments are available depending on the type of MS diagnosed and the symptoms experienced. Some individuals may continue to lead their normal daily lives, and most live into old age, although life expectancy is slightly shorter than the general population.
In 2022, Selma revealed to British Vogue that she believes she had been unknowingly experiencing MS symptoms since she was seven years old. She remembered symptoms like losing use of her right eye, left leg and bladder during her childhood, which were often dismissed as attention-seeking behaviour.
“If you’re a boy with those symptoms, you get an MRI. If you’re a girl, you’re called ‘crazy,'” she said. In a recent conversation with Today, the 52 year old confirmed that she’s now in a much better place both mentally and physically.
She revealed: “I’m so much happier. Yes. There are setbacks and my heart breaks when life goes off the rails. I was a sad person. I wanted joy and good things but I was living a lie because I didn’t know I was sick.”
