Christina Applegate has once again bravely opened up about her multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis.
Speaking on her podcast MeSsy in November 2024, Christina shared that she cries out in pain and struggles to hold things because of her condition.
“I lay in bed screaming [because of] the sharp pains, the ache, that squeezing,” Christina said.
“I can’t even pick up my phone sometimes because now it’s travelled into my hands, so I’ll, like, try to go get my phone or get my remote to turn on the TV or sometimes, I can’t even hold them. I can’t open bottles now,” she added.
This isn’t the only time Christina’s been so forthright about living with MS.
Earlier this year, Christina revealed that as a result of her condition, she’s severely depressed.
“I’m in a depression right now, which I don’t think I’ve felt that for years,” she said during a MeSsy episode.
“Like a real, f**k-it-all depression where it’s kind of scaring me, too, a little bit because it feels really fatalistic. I’m trapped in, like, this darkness right now that I haven’t felt [in], like, I don’t even know how long, probably 20-something years.”
Christina candidly continued, adding:
“This is being really honest… I don’t enjoy living; I don’t enjoy it. I don’t enjoy things anymore.”
That particular episode of MeSsy was recorded in January; shortly after Christina presented the award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series at the Emmy Awards and received a standing ovation when she walked on stage, cane in hand.
At the time, she became visibly emotional at the overwhelming support from the audience and then — in typical Christina Applegate fashion — quipped, “You’re totally shaming my disability by standing, it’s fine.”
However, in a later episode of her podcast, Christina shared that the Emmy Awards was “the hardest day” of her life and she spent the next few days in bed sleeping.
MS has caused multiple health problems for Christina; not just the regular symptoms.
In March of this year, Christina revealed on Dax Shepard’s podcast Armchair Expert that due to her MS, she has multiple lesions on her brain.
“I have 30 lesions on my brain. My biggest one is behind my right eye, so my right eye hurts a lot,” she said.
So far, Christina’s vision has not been impaired by that lesion but it sadly could become impaired as her MS inevitably progresses.
During the Armchair Expert episode, Christina also shared other effects her condition causes.
“My hand starts to go weird and then I’ll get a seizure-y feeling sometimes in my brain,” she said before describing MS as a “mean girl”.
“It sucks. I hate it so much. I’m so mad about it. You can’t overcome it.”
In April of this year, the Married… with Children actress shared that her MS had gone into relapse and was causing severe pain in her legs.
“I’m in relapse right now, pretty bad,” Christina said during the April episode of MeSsy.
“Intense pain in my legs, not being able to walk to the bathroom without feeling like I’m going to fall, insane tingling, spurts of tingles,” she continued.
“My legs have never been this bad… so I don’t know what’s going on, like, no energy.
“Legs are just done. I can’t get circulation, I can’t get them to stop hurting.
Christina first shared she’d been diagnosed with MS in 2021.
She then completed filming for the third season of Dead to Me, in which Christina stars opposite Linda Cardellini but told Vanity Fair in May 2023 that it was a “struggle” to do so.
“I miss the experience of it, but at the same time, because it was such an incredible struggle this last year, I’m relieved that I no longer have to push so hard to get through my day.”
Christina also shared that that was likely the last time she’d ever act on-camera.
“I’m probably not going to work on-camera again, but I’m so glad that I went out with someone who is by far the greatest actress I’ve ever worked with in my entire life if not the greatest human I’ve ever known,” she said, referring to her co-star Linda.
