Selma Blair continues to shed light on what it's like to live with multiple sclerosis after being diagnosed with the chronic disease last year. The 46-year-old actress recently sat down with Good Morning America's Robin Roberts for her first interview since her diagnosis. Selma, whose speech has been affected by spasmodic dysphonia, said, "It is interesting to put it out there — to be here and say, this is what my particular case looks like right now." Selma had previously been dismissed by doctors after experiencing early symptoms, and they had credited her exhaustion to the fact that she was a single mother to her now 7-year-old son. Selma said she began self-medicating and drinking when she wasn't with her son to deal with the pain. (Selma celebrated two years of sobriety in June 2018.) "I was ashamed, and I was doing the best I could," she said. "I was really struggling with, how am I going to be get by in life?" "I was giving it everything to seem normal." When she finally was diagnosed with the disease, which affects the central nervous system, Selma expressed feeling relieved. "I cried. I had tears. They weren't tears of panic — they were tears of knowing I now had to give in to a body that had loss of control," she said. "There was some relief in that, 'cause ever since my son was born, I was in an MS flare-up and didn't know. I was giving it everything to seem normal." Selma described sharing her diagnosis with her son, who had already noticed the effects of the MS, as "not at all" difficult. "I always want him to feel safe, never responsible for me," she said. His initial reaction was of course concern for his mom and whether the disease could kill her. Selma told her son, "No, we never know what kills us, Arthur, but this is not the doctor telling me I'm dying." Years before her long-awaited diagnosis, Selma shared, she had actually reached out to fellow actor Michael J. Fox, who has been a leading advocate in finding a cure for Parkinson's disease since being diagnosed in 1991. (Much like MS, Parkinson's is a disease of the central nervous system and it affects motor functions.) "He really helped me. Plus, I was like, I have Michael J. Fox's email now. I'm pretty cool," she joked. The two have continued to communicate, and Selma said Michael gives her hope. Selma is feeling especially hopeful after her doctor said that within a year she could have 90 percent of her abilities back. In the meantime, however, Selma will continue to share her story. In fact, Selma recently attended the annual Vanity Fair's Oscars party and was overcome with emotion as she walked down the red carpet with the help of a cane and a friend. Of the Good Morning America interview, Selma revealed, "I was a little scared of talking." She added, "Even my neurologist said this will bring a lot of awareness because no one has the energy to talk when they're in a flare-up, but I do, because I love a camera!"<doc-sep>Selma Blair is sharing more details about her struggles with multiple sclerosis, including her emotional reaction to her diagnosis. Blair opened up about her struggles with MS in an interview with Robin Roberts on Good Morning America on Tuesday. It aired just days after she rocked a custom cane during her triumphant return to the red carpet at the Vanity Fair Oscar party. The disease's impact can be seen and heard in the interview, affecting even the way the actress speaks. She told Roberts she has spasmodic dysphonia, which causes spasms in the larynx, or voice box, brought on by her primary disease. MS is a progressive neurological disease which attacks the coating of nerve cells, causing sensations of numbness, tingling or burning as well as balance issues, vision problems and other symptoms.<doc-sep>Actress Selma Blair speaks to The Talk about the ways in which James Toback threatened her into silence over his abuse. CREDIT: The Talk Actress Selma Blair speaks to The Talk about the ways in which James Toback threatened her into silence over his abuse. CREDIT: The Talk... Selma Blair is allowing everyone to hear her voice for the first time since announcing her multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis last October. MS is a potentially disabling disease of the brain and spinal cord, according to the Mayo Clinic. On Tuesday, Blair, 46, appeared on Good Morning America in an “exacerbation” of MS — resulting in spasmodic dysphonia, a condition that alters her voice. “I am very happy to be able to put out what being in the middle of an aggressive form of multiple sclerosis is like,” the Legally Blonde actress told interviewer Robin Roberts. “It’s interesting to put it out there, to be here to say, ‘This is what my particular case looks like right now,’” she said. Blair, who suffers from an aggressive form of the condition, is doing well these days and even continues to work. She’s got a new Netflix show, Another Life, and hit the red carpet of the Vanity Fair Oscar party on Sunday night with the help of a cane. For years, Blair knew something wasn’t right but didn’t get the answers she needed until last summer. “Ever since my son was born, I was in an MS flare-up and didn’t know, and I was giving it everything to seem normal,” she recalled. Her son, Arthur, whom she shares with ex Jason Bleick, is now 7. “And I was self-medicating when he wasn’t with me,” she said. “I was drinking. I was in pain. I wasn’t always drinking, but there were times when I couldn’t take it.” Blair faced tiring days. She said simple tasks like driving her son to school would leave her fatigued, forcing her to pull over to nap before making it back home. “I was ashamed and I was doing the best I could and I was a great mother, but it was killing me,” the actress said. “And so when I got the diagnoses, I cried some relief. Like, ‘Oh, good, I’ll be able to do something.’” She also cried because she “had to give in to a body that had loss of control.” Speaking with Arthur about her health, he seemed to take the news well. “And he almost cried and said, ‘Will it kill you?’” she recalled. “And I said, ‘No. I mean, we never know what kills us, Arthur. But this is not the doctor telling me I’m dying.’ And he was like, ‘Oh, OK,’ and that was it.” At the time of her diagnosis, her doctor said in a year’s time she could have 90 per cent of her abilities back. “Let’s meet again in a year and see if I’m better. If I’m not, and I can still have a conversation, that’s good enough.” Blair admitted she was “a little scared” of sitting down for the interview given how the MS flare-up had affected her speech. “My neurologist said, ‘No, this will bring a lot of awareness, because nobody has the energy to talk when they’re in a flare-up. But I do, because I love a camera!” Roberts was moved to “tears of joy” after the interview plated — and fans everywhere are applauding Blair for her bravery: Just renewed my @SelmaBlair fan card for another 20 yrs. Addressing a commonly misunderstood diagnosis with such measured responses, all while keeping viewers at home laughing with her. “No one has the energy to talk when they’re in flare up. But I do — because I love a camera!” pic.twitter.com/PorGjwBG76 — omri (@Omri_Rawrlan) February 26, 2019 My mum had MS, it’s a shitty disease but the strength radiating from Selma Blair is inspiring to watch https://t.co/kH8nwdJkgx — Chris (@chrisw0440) February 26, 2019 This is the most powerful thing I've seen in a long time. We are stronger than #MS! She said it took so much for her to be there, so I hope she knows how big of a moment this is for us in the MS and #chronicillness communities. #SelmaBlair pic.twitter.com/Rt6jhvl0WP — Fªunª (@msfaunaa) February 25, 2019 Love her SO MUCH! “I love a camera” so lovely and brave and an inspiration to anyone with MS or any other health issue and fearless to talk about it in such a high profile way. Bravo 👏 — Theresa B., Texas Tee formerly known as a Ninja (@TBoisseauATX) February 26, 2019 Selma's honesty & fearlessness makes me love her more than I already did. As someone who also suffers from autoimmune diseases, it's hard for others to understand the anguish, exhaustion & frustration when you can't be everything for everyone, even tho it's been your norm. 💓🤗🙌 — 𝑀𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑎 𝑀𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑖𝑑🌀 (@MelissaMermaid) February 26, 2019 MOOD: “Because I LOVE a camera.” **Hair flip** — Mikaela Slaney (@MalaySl) February 26, 2019 This story originally appeared on the New York Post and is republished here with permission.<doc-sep>
Selma Blair recently opened up to Good Morning America about her multiple sclerosis. Selma spoke about her voice issues, specifically that she's suffering from spasmodic dysphonia, a neurological disorder affecting the larynx or voice box. Selma, 46, was diagnosed with MS in August 2018—but said she had been in an MS flare since the birth of her son in 2011. Selma Blair looked like an actual superhero at the Vanity Fair Oscars after-party Sunday night. But Tuesday, in an interview with Good Morning America's Robin Roberts, Selma revealed just how much she is struggling—and has struggled—with her multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis. Selma, 46, was diagnosed with MS in August 2018—but revealed to GMA that she was actually in an MS flare-up since her son was born in 2011. "Ever since my son was born, I was in an MS flare-up and didn't know, and I was giving it everything to seem normal," she said. Selma also revealed she was self-medicating during that time to cope. "I was drinking. I was in pain. I wasn't always drinking, but there were times when I couldn't take it." Before her diagnosis, Selma recalled being dismissed by doctors, who chalked her complains up to her circumstances as a single mom. "I was really struggling with, 'How am I gonna get by in life?' And [being] not taken seriously by doctors, just, 'Single mother, you're exhausted, financial burden, blah, blah, blah.'" But when Selma finally got her diagnosis in August, she felt something she didn't expect: relief. "When I got the diagnosis I cried with some relief. Like, 'Oh, good, I'll be able to do something.'" During the interview, Selma also acknowledged that her voiced sounded shakier than usual, due to spasmodic dysphonia, another disorder associated with MS. Tell me a little bit about spasmodic dysphonia. What is it exactly? Again, if you listen to Selma's interview, you'll notice her voice breaking—the main symptom of spasmodic dysphonia, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD). The NIDCD says spasmodic dysphonia is a neurological disorder affecting the voice muscles in the larynx (a.k.a., the voice box). Typically, when you speak, air from your lungs is pushed between your vocal cords, which makes them vibrate and produce sound. But in spasmodic dysphonia, those vocal cords experience sudden, involuntary movements, or spasms, which interfere with vocal sounds. Those spasms are caused by abnormalities in the central nervous system, per the NIDCD—the same part of the body that's affected by MS. According to the National MS Society, this poorly articulated or slurred speech is commonly seen in MS patients and interfered with communication and interactions. As far as her current prognosis, Selma said she's working with doctors—specifically Saud Sadiq, director and chief research scientist of of the Tisch MS Research Center of New York, according to a recent interview with Vanity Fair—and hopes to have 90 percent of her abilities back within a year, thanks to a new monthly intravenous-drug therapy. Those doctors also urged Selma to be as open as possible about her diagnosis—even though she had reservations. "I was a little scared of talking, and even my neurologist said, 'No, this will bring a lot of awareness because no one has the energy to talk when they're in a flare-up,' but I do, because I love a camera," Selma said. Through it all, it's clear Selma has made it a point to stay positive and grateful. "I never thought I'd have such riches and that I'd have to be so vulnerable and accepted," she said of her son and closest friends. "It's keeping me alive, no pressure to them," she added, jokingly. "So rude of me, but the truth is they have been."