Hi, ! I'm so sorry you're feeling this way. I know that many of our community members struggle with guilt and feeling like a burden to their loved ones. And, I hope my words resonate with you -- YOU are not a burden. Your MS may be a burden, but not YOU. You didn't ask for MS and you didn't do anything to cause it, so you shouldn't have to bear the guilt of the impact MS is having on your body.
I know that's easier said than done. You absolutely cannot help what MS is doing to your body. Would you blame a cancer patient for not being able to keep up like they used to and relying on friends and family on occasion? Would you blame a child in a wheelchair for not being able to go up a set of stairs and requiring assistance? I know my examples are a bit extreme, but it's about the same. And sometimes flipping our own arguments like that kind of puts things into perspective. We would most likely not treat others or talk to others they way we do to ourselves.
Also, I wanted to share this piece on the topic of MS and guilt, as I thought you might find it relatable -- https://multiplesclerosis.net/living-with-ms/release-guilt. You're definitely not the only person here dealing with guilt! But, I hope you are able to work on letting that guilt go.
Best, Erin, MultipleSclerosis.net Team Member.