Will I make it through this choppy water? A psychological characteristic as a predeterminant factor to coping with...

The ability to cope with major stressors and adversity in our lives is as individual as the human experience. An unpredictable disease such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS) can demand major adjustments to one's lifestyle, employment, and personal relationships. Why is it that some sail smoothly through major upheaval in all of these realms despite the acquisition of significant physical disability while others are immobilized by seemingly trivial disruptions in their routine. How can we, as health professionals, assist those who are coping in a non-adaptive manner, to identify and implement more effective strategies. Does focused counseling early in the disease promote effective coping? Existing literature reviews coping with chronic illness, detailing the tools and strategies which individuals may use to manage stressors. This paper will build on this foundation of knowledge. How well you are determines how well you cope. The emphasis will be on "premorbid" personality traits which may be critical to coping. The author will critically examine the practicality of utilizing existing assessment tools for those at differing stages of MS and offer assessment guidelines for nurses working both with newly diagnosed and well-established disease. Suggestions for counseling techniques which may promote effective coping behaviors will be offered. How an individual copes with a chronic illness such as MS has implications for that person's family, social network and society at large. Those who become overwhelmed by a disease such as MS will stop working earlier, utilize more healthcare resources, and rate themselves as having poor quality of life. Nurses and other health professionals who have regular contact with those with MS may be able to influence this scenario.