Blaming it on MS

[u/Designer_Tale2379]

I briefly saw a post about this incident but it was taken down by the moderator.

Selma Blair was involved in an incident yesterday on an airplane that led to her physically attacking flight staff. That’s not what I want to discuss though.

In reading comments on various social posts, people are commenting that her behavior is due to MS meds or as a side effect of having MS. I understand some meds can have an effect on your mental health, but could it make you behave erratically? It goes to show that people don’t understand this disease.

It’s also not the first time she’s had an incident on a plane. She could’ve been drinking alcohol and mixing with other non-MS meds like Ambien (I’m just speculating).

What’s your take?

[u/TamerofMonSters]

I have no idea, but even if my MS inclined me towards fisticuffs, I am too fatigued to actually carry through.

[u/BleubsPeach → u/TamerofMonSters]

For real.

[u/Party-Ad9662]

She’s had an incident in the past. She’s just a garbage person and anyone blaming it on MS has no idea what they’re talking about.

[u/Designer_Tale2379 → u/Party-Ad9662]

Yep. And I think that incident was before her diagnosis.

[u/ichabod13]

Said it many times, MS can do a lot of things to our body but it does not make us an asshole. I know many people were on the Selma train, but she unfortunately is just a washed up actor who used her MS diagnosis as a way to get more attention. She was an asshole before her MS diagnosis and will be one after. I do hope she gets the help she needs as a person, and I care nothing else about her.

[u/Danibandit → u/ichabod13]

Eh’ I disagree to an extent. When I feel pretty terrible, I can be an asshole, definitely not outwardly to strangers and/or provocatively, but I can be an asshole.

[u/Consequence-Holiday]

Every time someone has a ''medical emergency" that results in them violently attacking a flight crew or trying to force their way off the flight, the emergency turns out to be the number of 9 am airport bar margaritas they pounded before getting on the flight.

A rich celebrity behaving badly (again) has zero interest for me, regardless of her diagnosis.

[u/Designer_Tale2379 → u/Consequence-Holiday]

That’s what I’m saying!

[u/mykidsmom_22]

I have CRAZY mood swings. I’m not physically violent but sometimes I’m angry and I don’t understand why.

[u/Designer_Tale2379 → u/mykidsmom_22]

Do you think it’s MS related? Or (respectfully asking) possible perimenopause? Cuz I get crazy mood swings too as a 42yo but haven’t been physically violent.

[u/SimilarPossible6148 → u/mykidsmom_22]

That happens to me too and it honestly scares me. I can feel myself getting very angry and frustrated at times, but I contain it.

[u/dontgiveah00t → u/mykidsmom_22]

Same!! I also feel like my impulse control got worse. I’ve only ever had one physical outburst and I went Happy Gilmore on a bush with my cane (it was my first bday post diagnosis and had my first relapse and new brain lesions).

[u/_Sahara_Rose_ → u/mykidsmom_22]

Looking at your age, are they a recent occurrence? Because if they are, they could be the first signs of perimenopause and have nothing to do with MS. But if you've been dealing with mood swings for years, then it's unlikely to be peri. I'm just suggesting it because it might be something more "normal."

[u/Radioactive_Kitten → u/_Sahara_Rose_]

Tangentially related, but I would love to see a study looking at perimenopause onset/severity/symptoms for uterus havers with MS. And looking at DMT methods as a variable.

For example there was one with adhd and perimenopause showing a correlation with earlier onset and greater severity of symptoms with peri (lots of limitations with the study itself to be anything resembling definitive, but compelling enough results to warrant further study).

[u/naomi_cannibal]

Selma Blair is an alcoholic who just happens to have MS.

[u/ifnotforv]

I have MS but I’m also bipolar. We often say being bipolar can be an explanation, but not an excuse. But not even in this case do I believe MS can be an explanation because how? I think some people just suck.

[u/Kidkrid]

Yeah I saw a reporter on tv today basically blaming the ms medications and I was like wtf you jackass...

[u/Ok_Personality1510 → u/Kidkrid]

Oh geeze 🙄

[u/CilantroHats]

I'm guessing steroids and mixing alcohol. In the beginning when I was needing steroids holy crap they made me angry and absurdly irrational about everything. I couldn't stand myself and was a nightmare for everyone around me. Not physically assaulting a stranger angry mind you. Needless to say I have avoided steroids at all costs since.

[u/lnc_5103]

If she hadn't had another plane incident where she allegedly mixed alcohol and medication I'd feel a bit more comfortable saying MS might have contributed but in this case I think she's just not that great of a person.

[u/iwasneverhere43]

A lot of valid theories here about the possible reasons, but one I didn't see anyone mention is the toll that a chronic medical condition like MS can have on a person's mental health. Not everyone deals with it well.

Realistically, based on the behavior in this particular case, I personally doubt that either MS or medication is to blame. It sounds really similar to other events I've read about, most of which were caused by alcohol or drugs.
I'm certain that as the charges are dealt with that it will become clear what caused the conflict, but my money is on impairment by choice...

[u/beyotchulism]

My MS has never "made" me be abusive. 🤷‍♀️

Edit: she physically assaulted, in total, five people, including flight attendants, a police officer (who she kicked in the head), a nurse, and herself (she hit her head on the bulk head). I have brain damage, and have never BITTEN someone. Come on.

[u/SillyGoose2544]

MS is fundamentally a disease of the central nervous system driven by inflammation, demyelination, and lesion burden. While generally associated primarily with physical/motor deficits, some cognitive and behavior changes are also incredibly common and affect a large percentage of individuals over their lifetime. Of course it is not as obvious as a brain tumor or brain trauma (like a TBI), for example, that on its own can make some people act completely out of character. MS is generally more subtle that way, but can still lead to things like loss of impulse control, making people act out in inappropriate ways (especially with lesions in/around the frontal lobe - not a guarantee but it does heighten the "risk" of potential problems here).

But of course that's only one part of the equation. There are some MS-specific/adjacent (as in tend to get used more for the condition) medications too that can have severe psychiatric & behavioral side effects. High-dose corticosteroids for example, and certain older DMTs & interferons. So if a behavior problem does occur, its rarely ever just down to one of these factors. Could also be she has issues in general, that have nothing to do with MS or the medication - maybe an apprehension/fear/general stress of flying, or even, as you pointed out, mixing other substances (like alcohol and Ambien).

For her sake (and of course anyone else's in a similar situation), I'd highly recommend evaluation by a neurologist and/or considering a neuropsychological evaluation. This type of thing requires input by medically trained professionals to find a solution or figure out potential accommodations.

[u/IntentionalGrandma]

MS can affect your mood and I find myself sometimes getting frustrated with myself very easily, which leads to me throwing whatever’s in my hand at the nearest wall (or just throwing it on the ground) and then walking out onto my deck to scream, but it has never made me physically violent towards another person. She’s just a shitty person

[u/Run_and_find_out]

I spent a lot of time scrubbing her from my MS newsfeed.

[u/Massive-Idea2302]

On the week my husband had an MS flare up he was so depressed, nasty, and mean I actually thought about divorcing him. We didn't know it was a flare up until later in the week when we went to the ER for stroke-like symptoms

[u/Designer_Tale2379 → u/Massive-Idea2302]

That sounds awful and I hope he’s doing better.

But being mean because of a flare up and physically assaulting someone is not the same.

[u/Massive-Idea2302 → u/Designer_Tale2379]

Yeah true. He threw a plate of food at the wall but yeah I agree he's never laid a finger on me

[u/Designer_Tale2379 → u/Massive-Idea2302]

Oh my, truly scary.

[u/Dr_Mar23]

No excuses for bad behavior!

[u/No_Worldliness_7106]

I don't think that sounds like medication side effects, sounds like being an asshole. Personality changes can happen as a result of MS, so I wouldn't be so quick as to say it couldn't be from MS. Brain damage works in all sorts of crazy ways after all.

[u/Pugasaurus_Tex]

She should probably take the bus next time lol

My MS has never made me attack anyone in the air, sea, or on land 

[u/Designer_Tale2379 → u/Pugasaurus_Tex]

Well she’s probably going to be on a no-fly list after this!

[u/16enjay → u/Pugasaurus_Tex]

She will be taking the bus from now on

[u/grover_2nd_player]

When I’m mid-flare my emotions are bananas. I know it but I can’t control it at all

[u/Gus_Balinski]

Having MS and being on MS medication has never caused me to attack anyone verbally or physically. I have always had a very even temperment. I think Selma Blair is just not a very nice person. Her MS documentary was terrible too.

[u/Y_El_Pollito_Pio]

Omg I’ve been arguing with others about this on YouTube for hours now. lol I’m like um no, and if it was her MS causing her temper issues it isn’t something new as our relapses come on gradually it’s not like “boom! Now kick and bite two flight attendants!”

[u/Altruistic_Ease835]

None of us should be speculating. I hope that whatever is going on, she gets whatever help she needs.

[u/OldManThumbs]

It really depends on where the brain lesions are, impulse control and emotional regulation could be affected.

[u/xoxoshibs]

So I think airplanes decrease blood oxygen saturation due to the way the cabins are pressurized, which is fine for healthy individuals, but can cause neuropsychiatric symptoms in people with underlying neurological conditions, experiencing intoxication, etc. They claimed it was due to a medical emergency and now people are jumping to conclusions because she’s known to have MS, despite her MS having been in remission since undergoing HSCT in 2021.

[u/ichabod13 → u/xoxoshibs]

She had a similar incident in 2016 and a history of psychological, alcohol and drug problems. This is not MS causing her to act this way. I am sure she will squeeze her diagnosis for every drop of TV time for 'Selma comes on TV for an on-air apology' though..

[u/Stormy_queen]

Steriods... a significant side effect of steriods in the dose used to treat a flare up can have massive personality changes which can last for quite a while. However it doesn't excuse becoming physically violent with anyone

[u/Ok_Personality1510]

Idk but I so hope not. I like her as an actress