Christina Applegate 'took things for granted' before MS diagnosis

Christina Applegate has admitted that she took "things for granted" before she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS).

The Dead to Me actress, who was diagnosed with the disease in 2021, opened up about how it affects her day-to-day life in an interview with Vanity Fair on Thursday.

"With the disease of MS, it's never a good day. You just have little sh**ty days," she admitted. "People are like, 'Well, why don't you take more showers?' Well, because getting in the shower is frightening. You can fall, you can slip, your legs can buckle. Especially because I have a glass shower. It's frightening to me to get in there. There are just certain things that people take for granted in their lives that I took for granted."

The 51-year-old actress revealed that she can no longer carry objects while walking down the stairs or drive her car long distances. She has a friend who lives with her in the week and a caretaker on the weekends to help her with her 12-year-old daughter Sadie.

"I actually don't want to be around a lot of people because I'm immunocompromised," she shared. "I also don't want a lot of stimulation of the nervous system because it can be a little bit too much for me. I like to keep it as quiet and as mellow as possible."

The Sweetest Thing star also noted that well-meaning people have suggested doing small bursts of exercise, but she isn't in the mood.

"It's like, why don't you f**k off? I'd rather just lie here and cry or do whatever I need to do right now to process this," Christina stated.

MS is caused by a person's immune system mistakenly attacking the brain and nerves.