Liver DiseaseConnections: What I Wish I Knew About MASH

MASH and Your Emotions: Coping, Connecting, and Finding Strength

Being diagnosed with MASH can be an emotional rollercoaster ride — but focusing on what you can control and leaning on your support network can help you get through it. 

I’m Strong Enough to Handle a MASH Diagnosis

Jeff is working through the anxiety, fear, and shame of his recent MASH diagnosis. Susan shares how she has handled complex emotions while living with MASH for two decades.
I’m Strong Enough to Handle a MASH Diagnosis

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Published on March 27, 2025
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A diagnosis of metabolic dysfunction–associated steatohepatitis (MASH) can come with a range of emotions. You may feel fear or anxiety about the future — or guilt and shame about the past, if lifestyle choices have contributed to your disease.

Then there’s the present. Having MASH can make it difficult to keep up with your daily activities, from work and household chores to hobbies and social engagements. That, in turn, can take a toll on your mental well-being.

“It’s also common for people to have family members who had liver disease, and to have watched these family members die from it. And [you] may feel like [you’re] marching toward that same outcome,” says Kara Wegermann, MD, a gastroenterologist and transplant hepatologist at Duke Health in Durham, North Carolina, and a volunteer for the American Liver Foundation.

No matter what you’re feeling, you’re not alone: Nearly 15 million Americans are living with MASH.

 Here’s how to work through your emotions and take charge of your physical and mental health.

What I Wish I Knew: Focus on What You Can Do to Manage MASH

Susan headshot
I can only do what I can do right now and today, and move forward and try not to worry about things as much.
— Susan Avallone, diagnosed with MASH in 2003

MASH is a complex disease that’s caused by many factors, some of which you can control and some of which you can’t, says Dr. Wegermann. For example, you can’t control factors such as your age, genetics, or ethnicity, all of which can play a role in MASH development. But you can take steps to lose weight if needed, manage your blood sugar, follow a healthy diet, and stay active, all of which can help stop MASH from progressing.

Remember, knowledge is power. “It’s better to know you have MASH and take the opportunity to make changes and monitor the condition,” says Wegermann. In its early stages, you can stop this type of liver disease from progressing, and it can even be reversible with the right treatment and management plan.

What I Wish I Knew: Support Is Essential When You Have MASH

Jeff headshot
It’s made me realize how much support I have around me — my wife, my children, my eight grandchildren — and you put life into perspective.
— Jeff Beckley, diagnosed with MASH in 2024

Friends, family, and other loved ones can not only help you navigate the emotions of a MASH diagnosis, but also support your efforts to manage the condition.

For starters, you can bring a trusted loved one or friend to your appointments to ask questions, share a point of view you may not think of, and take notes. “I love when people bring their families, because I can say, ‘Who does the grocery shopping? Who does the cooking?’ and we can discuss what they’re going to eat,” says Wegermann.

Members of your social circle can also become accountability partners. For example, “Exercise is good for everyone, so you can make it a family thing by going for a walk after dinner,” says Wegermann. “Then it becomes quality time you spend together, and it doesn’t feel like this isolating thing. You can all improve your health together.”

If you live alone, consider getting a pet, Wegermann suggests. “I’ve had people find that getting a dog is helpful, because the dog has to go for a walk every day. You can’t choose not to do it; the dog has to go out,” she says. “But it comes with companionship that makes it feel less like a chore and more like you’re doing something for someone else.”

And if you ever want to talk with someone else who “gets it,” you can connect with other people living with MASH through organizations such as the American Liver Foundation and Liver Education Advocates.

What Your Doctor Wants You to Know: Honesty Is Key

“Be honest with your doctors about all of your feelings, and seek support,” Wegermann advises. “Some people can rely on friends and family and loved ones, but others may benefit from professional counseling or therapy. And if you feel like you’re not getting the in-depth conversation you need to understand the disease, ask for a referral to a specialist like a hepatologist to talk further.”
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Betel M et al. Finding Strength and Support: Living With MASLD and MASH. Fatty Liver Alliance. February 23, 2025.
  2. Eskridge W et al. Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease and Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis: The Patient and Physician Perspective. Journal of Clinical Medicine. October 2023.
  3. Le P et al. Estimated Burden of Metabolic Dysfunction–Associated Steatotic Liver Disease in US Adults, 2020 to 2050. JAMA Network Open. January 17, 2025.
  4. Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis (MASH). Cleveland Clinic. May 3, 2022.
Meet Our Experts
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Jonathan G. Stine, MD, MSc, FACP

Medical Reviewer

Jonathan Stine, MD, MSc, FACP, is an associate professor of medicine and public health science at Penn State in State College, Pennsylvania.

As an internationally recognized liver expert with a research and clinical focus on metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and exercise, he has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed papers, including multinational consensus guidelines.

Dr. Stine is the recipient of multiple research grants and awards from the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the American Cancer Society, and has maintained continuous funding from the National Institutes of Health since 2018.

Stine is the MASLD consultant to the American College of Sports Medicine’s “Exercise is Medicine” initiative, and recently co-chaired the International Roundtable on MASLD and Physical Activity for ACSM. He serves as the Fatty Liver Program director as well as the Liver Center Research director for Penn State.

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Kerry Weiss

Author
Kerry Weiss is a New York–based freelance writer, editor, and content strategist specializing in health and wellness. She has contributed to a variety of online publications, including Healthline, WebMD, Sharecare, Twill Care, and What to Expect.
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