A survey conducted from the 30k strong Shift.MS community shows
LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / February 13, 2020 / AWAKE a brand-new short film created by the amazing people over at Shift.MS that investigates the link between "MSers" (People who suffer from Multiple Sclerosis) and mental health issues and how this can be exacerbated by the issue of Insomnia, the results of a survey that was conducted by Shift.MS from a pool of their 30,000+ strong network of MS sufferers shows that 85% suffer from sleeplessness and how this add an additional impact and problem on top of their MS symptoms, it also shows that 75% of respondents stated that lack of sleep is effecting their mental health and well-being in general with 84% also believing that it has a negative effect on their day to day functioning.
Shift.MS is a social network for MS sufferers and Awake has been created based on the interactions of the members of the social media network as well as the survey results, the survey was undertaken in November 2019 with 1,300 respondents.
It is a story that expands on how the members that suffer from these issues and is told from their perspective.
The main premise of the short film is that film director Matan Rochlitz answers phone calls from MS sufferers on a line that had been created so sufferers could call and speak to them during the times that they were awake during the evening, Matan answers each of the calls personally, these are unedited and really make for some moving, emotional and surprising calls.
George Pepper CEO and Founder of Shift.MS has explained that, "A diagnosis of MS can leave people to live a life of uncertainty about their life and condition" he continues with "This uncertainty can lead to lack of sleep that can have a serious impact on MSers, often going unrecognised by health professionals, heightening symptoms and having a negative impact on MSers quality of life.MS symptoms themselves can cause insomnia. It's a vicious, exhausting, circle."
As you would expect from a charity that is solely there to deal with the issues that MSers feel Shift.MS during its creation of Awake doesn't shy away from the cold hard facts of suffering from Multiple Sclerosis, the ones that not everyone would understand if they don't suffer from MS themselves, the short film is definitely thought provoking while also being edgy and not afraid to lay it all out for those that watch it.
The film truly captures the real-life experiences of MSers and how insomnia can exacerbate both the symptoms of the illness and the negative net effect on the sufferer's day to day life.
If you would like to watch the film and I really do encourage you to, you can view it here
What is Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a condition that can affect the brain and spinal cord, causing a wide range of potential symptoms, including problems with vision, arm or leg movement, sensation or balance.
It's a lifelong condition that can sometimes cause serious disability, although it can occasionally be mild.
In many cases, it's possible to treat symptoms. Average life expectancy is slightly reduced for people with MS.
It's most commonly diagnosed in people in their 20s and 30s, although it can develop at any age. It's about 2 to 3 times more common in women than men.
MS is 1 of the most common causes of disability in younger adults.
About Shift.MS
Shift.MS is a social network to help people who have both recently been diagnosed and those with the ongoing illness, its aim is to help those that feel lost to find some answers to those questions that cannot easily be answered by a doctor, it was created by George Pepper and Freddie Yauner in 2009 following Georges diagnoses of MS at the young age of 22 years old, George found it extremely difficult finding information and support for his newly diagnosed illness, there was little to no information for MSers of his age even with a large amount of research online.
In the last 10 years Shift.MS has grown from a small UK focused charity to a global focused charity with a membership that exceeds 30k members.
About the director
Matan Rochlitz Born and raised in Rome he trained as a video journalist, making films for political, environmental and science strands for Al-Jazeera, Channel 4 and the BBC before becoming an independent filmmaker. His most recent credits include the Emmy-nominated "​I have a message for you​" and "​The Runners​".
Media Contact Information:
Name: Mike
Company: Shift MS
Email: [email protected]
Website: Shift.ms
SOURCE: Shift MS