Selma Blair Got Real About Her MS Diagnosis And Said That She Attempted Suicide "A Few Times" Before Being Diagnosed
This post contains discussion of suicidal ideation and substance abuse.
You know Selma Blair.
And you probably know that she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, or MS, back in 2018.
The Mayo Clinic defines MS as "a potentially disabling disease of the brain and spinal cord...Some people with severe MS may lose the ability to walk independently or ambulate at all. Other individuals may experience long periods of remission without any new symptoms depending on the type of MS they have."
In a new interview with British Vogue, Selma opened up about struggling with her symptoms before receiving her diagnosis, as well as how she's moving forward since she was diagnosed.
Selma said that dealing with the "lassitude and anxiety" that came with her symptoms was "terrifying." "I made mistakes," she said. "Wished myself dead. Attempted suicide. A few times. Out of desperation.”
The "exhaustion" and the "tics" she experienced made it hard to do her job on set, too — and she eventually struggled with alcoholism as a result. "I was lost and sad and could hardly ever smile," she said. "Hence my roles, I imagine.”
“I was worried since the beginning of time that a glaring fault would remove me from the workforce. And usually it was my incoordination or getting stuck, too weak or sick, in my trailer – or any time, really. The vomiting or body issues were terrifying, [and the] baldness or rashes.”
Selma especially struggled with her MS symptoms, as well as alcoholism, on the set of the first Hellboy film in 2004. “I remember being very, very poorly on Hellboy and was diagnosed with cat scratch fever and possible leukemia in Prague," she recalled. "I couldn’t tell anybody."
"I couldn’t admit alcoholism or [access] treatment in my insurance for fear I’d be deemed an insurance risk. I fell apart once I got back to LA.”
Since receiving her diagnosis, Selma's been focused on increasing awareness of MS, as well as de-stigmatizing the need for a cane or walking stick. “I have an emotional and physical attachment to the cane," she said. "I settle in my voice and body as soon as I hold [it]."
"It’s an extension of me. And I know it adds to visibility. So many younger people have started publicly embracing their sticks more. I do think representation matters."
"If I can help remove stigma or over-curiosity in a crowd for someone else, then that’s great.”
