Christina Applegate says body changes from MS became the hardest part of her diagnosis

Christina Applegate has spent years speaking openly about life with multiple sclerosis, but in her new memoir she reveals that one unexpected side effect affected her more deeply than the disease itself: the emotional toll of changes to her body.

The Emmy-winning actress, known for roles in Married… with Children and Dead to Me, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in 2021. Since then, she has used her platform to raise awareness about the neurological disease and the complex physical and emotional challenges that come with it.

In her memoir You With the Sad Eyes, Applegate writes candidly about how the condition disrupted a long-standing struggle with body image. While MS can bring symptoms such as fatigue, numbness, difficulty walking, and vision problems, the actress says the changes to her weight and muscle mass were sometimes harder for her to process.

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the protective layer around nerves, disrupting communication between the brain and the rest of the body. According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms vary widely and may include weakness, balance issues, and mobility problems.

A struggle beyond the diagnosis

Applegate explains that treatments used to manage MS symptoms, including steroid infusions, triggered rapid physical changes that felt overwhelming.

She writes that the shift in her body brought back feelings of body dysmorphia, something she had worked for years to manage. For someone who once felt a strong sense of control over her health and appearance, the sudden changes were deeply unsettling.

At one point, she avoided mirrors entirely.

“I didn’t look in the mirror for a year,” she recounts in the book, describing how difficult it was to see her body transform in ways she couldn’t control.

Her experience reflects a broader challenge faced by many people with chronic illness. Health experts note that long-term conditions often affect mental health and self-image as much as physical health. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society estimates that nearly one million people in the United States live with MS, and many report psychological impacts alongside physical symptoms.

Research highlighted by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society shows that depression, anxiety, and body-image struggles are common among patients coping with the unpredictable nature of the disease.

Weight loss and muscle loss

In the memoir, Applegate describes how severe digestive problems eventually forced her onto a strict clear-liquid diet. Over several months, she lost more than 50 pounds.

While the weight loss might appear positive from the outside, she says it came with a frightening side effect: severe muscle loss.

Without muscle strength, she worries about falls and injuries.

“It’s dangerous to be walking around with zero muscles on my body,” she explains, noting that weak muscles leave bones more vulnerable if she falls.

This physical fragility is common among people living with MS, especially when mobility becomes limited. According to the Cleveland Clinic, muscle weakness and balance problems can increase the risk of falls and fractures in patients.

Finding a healthier mindset

Despite the challenges, Applegate says she has worked to rebuild a healthier relationship with food and her body.

She acknowledges that the critical inner voice tied to body image still appears from time to time. But today, she feels more determined than ever not to let it take control.

By sharing these personal struggles publicly, Applegate hopes to shed light on the emotional side of living with chronic illness, something that often goes unnoticed behind the physical symptoms.

Her story is a reminder that illnesses like MS do not just affect the body. They reshape daily life, identity, and the way people see themselves.

And for many patients, those internal battles can be just as difficult as the disease itself.