Jack Osbourne the 'lifestyle attacks have started already

Hi everyone

Started a new post to answer Tina’s comments yesterday about Jack Osborne’s lifestyle ie drink,drugs etc. Well I heard someone saying just that this morning! I do hope that people don’t think that we are ‘all to blame’ for this disease but I’m sure some people will. I’m thinking of particular elements of the media.

I did send his mum a message on the BBC website yesterday telling her it’s not her fault as guilt can cause a lot of stress at the time of diagnosis.

In retrospect most people will (if we tell them enough times) realise that it is not a result of a decedant lifestyle.

Wendyxx

Wendy, people will always try to make sense of the world, and will tend to do so by the easiest route. If someone suffers misfortune, and there is something about who that person is, or how they behave, that people disapprove of, it is the easiest thing in the world for them to put two and two together and make five. That makes them feel better. They are relieved of the nuisance of having to feel sorry for the person. And they have the bonus quiet satisfaction of having their prejudices confirmed - always a very comfortable feeling. Lazy, ignorant and stupid? Yes, for sure. Bound to happen? Yes, again!!!

We need to rise above it, I think!

Alison

x

Oh Wendy,its so sad how naive & ignorant some people are! Your damned if you do & damned if you dont!! We know the truth, MS doesnt care who it affects. I think some people are happier pointing self rightious fingers when its not happening to them, heaven forbid! My parents also blamed themselves, I was mortified that they thought they caused this. People should really think before making statements, it just causes so much distress. I must admit though, I WAS good, very occasional drink etc, but now Im not!!! Too hell with it, hence the" your damned if you do" etc. Good job us lot can stick together & hopefully these nasty comments will be short lived. Tracey xx

Sorry to say “I told you so”. And so soon, as well.

I don’t hold those views, of course, but I just knew the average Daily Mail reader would think: “See, that’s what happens; his past has finally caught up with him!”

It doesn’t do anything to counter the popular perception that MS is the result of poor lifestyle choices.

Tina

x

You are right, I know some of these people myself and have always been wary of them; as Alison says we should rise above it and keep on supporting one another.

Wendyxx

I have posted a rant on my facebook page!

I feel so much forhis parents, I know my mum immediatly thought it was something she had done or not done…They wilol be blaming themselves anyway they dont need stupid people who dont know anything about MS joining in!

I don’t really blame them. There has been such an emphasis recently on “prevention”, that some people (those unaffected, of course) now assume ALL serious illness is preventable. That if you don’t smoke, aren’t overweight, and eat plenty of fresh veg, you’ll never get anything.

My dad got cancer - twice. The second time was fatal. OK, the second one was related to environmental factors, but it was not anything he chose, or was responsible for; he was exposed to asbestos at work.

For years, Dad had eaten his own, organically-grown vegetables. He liked his food, but wasn’t overweight; Mum used to trim and strain the fat off everything. He was a lifelong non-smoker, and used to walk 3 miles daily, and swim 40 lengths several times a week, even into his 60s.

All this didn’t save him; he still got cancer twice. But still I had people saying: “Oh dear, he must have been a heavy drinker or smoker, was he?”

As if it was inconceivable that anyone could get cancer TWICE, without it being their fault.

T.

x

Hi

I hope you are all well.

I have been watching the fallout from Jack Osbourne’s announcement. Much is positive, much is not. Mostly I can’t help but be astonished by the sheer number of people who have come out of the woodwork and who are experts about MS! They offer opinions, they offer treatment advice, they offer the inevidable stories of people they “know” with MS and their take on that person’s illness. Not many actually say they live with MS themselves, funny that :wink:

Anyone with half a brain who thinks MS is caused by aforementioned “lifestyle choices” may want to consider the number of well known personalities from music, literary, entertainment, political communities worldwide who have had well documented problems with drink and drugs who don’t have MS.

It seems from the forum that all of us find it difficult to be judged by supercilious people about this challenging illness, our challenging illness.

I applaud the Osbournes decision because they seem to have the best of intentions and my thoughts go out to all of them, especially to Jack’s fiancee, Lisa.

(Back to work now!)

Tu

Me again

The most useful phrase I saw in regard to this was:

“MS is indiscriminate”

Too true.

MUST get back to work now!

Tu

Yes it is discriminate just as cancer is. My dad and brother have both had prostrate cancer but then a great grandfather died of it too. We can’t help our genes!

Wendyx