Cognitive and emotional aspects of patients with multiple sclerosis during illness and hospitalization process: Contributions of cognitive-behavioral therapy / Aspectos cognitivos e emocionais dos pacientes com esclerose múltipla durante a doença e o processo de hospitalização: Contribuições da terapia cognitivo-comportamental

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease, characterized by lesions in the Central Nervous System (CNS) that affects its healthy cells, causing motor and neurological sequelae. This work aims to understand the psychological and emotional aspects of patients inserted into a hospital and diagnosed with MS. Thus, a narrative review of the literature was carried out, investigating the main topics related to the theme, and illustrated through the case report of three patients treated with brief cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy, in a tertiary healthcare center in 2021. The literature indicates that, commonly, 30 to 50% of individuals with the disease present significant cognitive impairment symptoms, such as dysarthria, executive dysfunction, and reduced processing speed, in addition to greater depressive symptoms and dysfunctional beliefs. The most common psychological phenomena in the cases referred to were maladaptive cognitive distortions, such as catastrophizing and negative filtering, as well as saddened affection and psychomotor retardation. Considering the common semiology presented by them, and also taking into consideration the characteristics of the family and the social and environmental context in which they are placed, it is evident that there is an influence of these factors on their belief systems and thoughts, as already predisposed characteristics or originated by the progression of the disease. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) techniques, such as motivational interviewing and psychoeducation, are shown to be effective for the treatment of dysfunctional comorbidities associated with the disease.