Christina Applegate Blasts Stigma Around MS, People Who Think She ‘Must Have Done Something Wrong’ to Get It

Aside from the physical difficulties Christina Applegate faces as someone with multiple sclerosis, the “Dead to Me” actress revealed she also has to deal with unkind speculation about how she might have contracted the degenerative disease — in addition to bizarre “cure” suggestions.

Applegate, along with fellow MS sufferer and acrtess Jamie-Lynn Sigler, joined Conan O’Brien on Monday’s episode of his “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend” podcast via video.

“I think that the first thing that I hear from people is, ‘How did you get it?'” she told O’Brien. “Meaning, I must have done something wrong in my life to have this disease. I did it to myself. I had breast cancer as well. So, ‘Oh, you must have done something.'”

She continued, noting that she is “used to” the stigma now. “But for a while it was so hard to swallow because, why the F would you think that I would do something to have this?” she said. “This is the worst thing I’ve ever had in my life. It’s the worst thing I’ve ever gone through.”

Applegate also recounted some of the unsolicited medical advice she’s been given over the years, like the person who told her “holy water will cure your MS.”

“I’m like, ‘Really? That’s amazing because there’s millions of us across the globe who still have it,'” she shared.

Applegate disclosed her MS diagnosis in April 2021 and she co-hosts her “MeSsy” podcast with “The Sopranos” star Sigler, who was diagnosed in her 20s. Sigler revealed she initially didn’t tell anyone because she was afraid of being fired from the award-winning series.

“I also think it allowed me to live in a state of denial for some time because if I didn’t talk about it to anybody, then maybe it wasn’t real,” she said.

However, Sigler explained that, as a celebrity with a platform, she feels a responsibility to share her experiences. “We don’t see enough people that have disabilities that are not defined by their disability within a story a lot of the time. So I think that we do have a position and a power now to really try and change the perception … but that you can also keep doing what you love and keep living your life.”

Applegate, whose recent public appearances include receiving a standing ovation at the Emmy Awards in January 2024, added, “I don’t really leave the house anymore. I mean, if people saw what my life was like on the daily, they wouldn’t be able to do it because I can sometimes not do it. It’s really, really hard.”

The actress also said she’s been hospitalized over 30 times due to the disease, which currently has no cure. Watch the conversation in the embedded video above.

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