Christina Applegate Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis: 'It's Been a Tough Road'

Actress Christina Applegate has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

Applegate, who appeared in the Bad Moms film franchise and the Netflix series Dead to Me, opened up about the life-changing diagnosis in a series of tweets in August of last year, revealing she had been diagnosed "a few months ago."

"It's been a strange journey. But I have been supported by people that I know who also have this condition," wrote Applegate on Twitter. "It's been a tough road. But as we all know, the road keeps up going. Unless some a—hole blocks it."

The 49-year-old actress added in a separate Twitter message, "As one of my friends that has MS said 'we wake up and take the indicated action.' And that's what I do. So now I ask for privacy. As I go through this thing. Thank you xo."

Multiple sclerosis, also known as MS, is a chronic neurological disease that can disrupt the communication between the brain and other parts of the body, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. There are more than 2.3 million people who have been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis globally, and nearly one million individuals over the age of 18 live with a multiple sclerosis diagnosis in the U.S., according to the organization.

Identifying signs and symptoms of multiple sclerosis can differ from person to person as it depends on the amount of nerve damage and what nerves have been affected, according to the Mayo Clinic. Some symptoms can include blurred vision, slurred speech, and difficulty with coordination, among others.

Although there is currently no cure for multiple sclerosis, treatment for the disease can focus on enhancing recovery from attacks, according to the Mayo Clinic, as well as slowing the progression of the disorder and managing symptoms.

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Applegate has long been open about her health journey over the years. In 2008, the actress was diagnosed with breast cancer and chose to have both breasts removed in a double mastectomy. Years later, Applegate revealed in 2017 that she chose to have her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed. In an interview on the TODAY at the time, Applegate noted the decision stemmed from her cousin's death from ovarian cancer as well as being positive for a BRCA1 gene mutation. (ICYDK, a woman's lifetime risk of developing breast or ovarian cancer can increase if she inherits a harmful variant in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene, according to the National Cancer Institute).

Since opening up about her multiple sclerosis diagnosis, Applegate has received a flurry of well-wishes from fans online. "One of my family members has MS. Hugs to you. Medications have come a long way in the past couple of decades, but there is always hope for a cure. You've shown us you are strong before. And there is a whole community supporting you. You've got this," tweeted a fan to Applegate, while another posted, "wishing you all the strength and love."

If anyone has exemplified resilience over the years, it's Applegate. And while it may be a "tough road" ahead, as the actress herself tweeted, she has the support of her loved ones — not to mention the Twitterverse — backing her along the way.