Christina Applegate opens up about life with MS in new memoir

Christina Applegate has revealed she has become an “honesty missile” since being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, saying her health battle has transformed her outlook on life.

The 54-year-old actress, who publicly shared her MS diagnosis in 2021, opened up in an extract from her upcoming memoir, You With the Sad Eyes, published by The Guardian. 

She explained that facing the challenges of a degenerative neurological condition has forced her to prioritize truth over politeness.

"I’ve become an honesty missile," Applegate writes. "When your physical situation deteriorates, and your life shrinks to the size of a king-sized bed, suddenly all the things you thought were important shift, too. The truth clarifies, like a camera lens slowly focusing."

She added, "For so much of my life, I’ve felt like the good underlies the bad, but something strange has happened to me, something I’m not used to. I won’t lie any more, be the good girl, and say that any of this is a blessing … All this has left me unable to be polite any more – it’s boring, and it takes too much energy. 

Being kind and loving and nurturing is beautiful, but to be polite is almost to lie. To be respectful is important, but there’s something about that sweet politeness demanded of women that stinks of faking our true feelings."

Applegate recently launched an online platform called Next in MS, aimed at creating a space for people living with the condition to share their experiences. A message on the site reads:

"Living with multiple sclerosis isn’t easy. Christina Applegate has never been shy about that. She’s been open about the pain, the fatigue, the frustration, even the parts that are difficult to say out loud. 

That’s why Christina is starting a different conversation ... one where we can talk openly, ask tough questions, seek difficult answers, and navigate complex paths forward, together."

The memoir, You With the Sad Eyes, is set to be released on March 3. Through her writing and advocacy, Applegate is inviting readers to join her candid journey with MS, promising to share the experience without holding back.