Selma Blair admits that understanding her multiple sclerosis has been a weight lifted from her shoulders.

The Cruel Intentions star, 52, was diagnosed with the chronic immune disease in Aug. 2018, but kept it private until the following January. Speaking exclusively to PEOPLE at the PHM Healthfront 2025 Wednesday, April 30, Blair says knowing what you’re dealing with allows you to be “thrilled.”

“It’s so funny. I felt like people thought it had to be some tragic thing, but I was like, ‘No, you don’t understand,’” the actress tells PEOPLE. “I was feeling tragic inside before, and thinking this is just all psychosomatic and how can I change myself?” 

Blair adds that for “as long as I can remember,” she wondered how other people were able to cope.

“How do they do that? How do they feel that way? How does that mom carry her baby and stay awake?” she recalls. “I just did not understand how I was so different from people, but yet totally kind of fine-ish.” 

Finally getting the diagnosis from her doctor made her feel “so happy.” 

“I finally just felt seen. I kind of joke like, wait, there’s receipts. This validates this vision here, this validates this or this or this, that people wouldn’t really see because with relapsing MS, it can go away. It can relapse.” 

According to MS Society, a MS relapse is defined by the appearance of new symptoms, or the return of old symptoms, for a period of 24 hours or more.

The relapses can also vary from mild to severe. 

Blair tells PEOPLE, “It’s like relapse remitting, so it can relapse and it can remit, and so as a kid you’d get something checked and then you’d go back [and] it’s not quite there, but you’re left with the shadow of it.”

Growing up, the sometimes symptoms caused an internal struggle when it came to wondering if she was actually okay or not. 

“So my whole life felt kind of like gaslighting, even though no one was doing it intentionally,” she says.

Blair confesses it “took so many years” for her to come to terms with her diagnosis.

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“And that’s the part that I want to just tell people,” she tells PEOPLE. “Sometimes if we’re lucky enough, we’re still here at the end of these years to get better.”

The actress who is “not scared necessarily of dying” since “we all die,” adds, “I’m just so curious and I just wanted to hear everything about people’s experiences.”

“It was just kind of my light to just find stuff out and laugh with people that we both, we’re fine one minute and then we’re like, ‘Ugh, got to get to my bed.’”

Last week, while attending The Daily Front Row’s 9th Annual Fashion Los Angeles Awards on April 24, the Legally Blonde actress told PEOPLE she is “truly relapse-free” and is “feeling really well.”

Blair partnered with the 2025 Health Front, along with DotDash Media, to raise awareness for SurvivorNet as it expands its coverage beyond cancer and focusing on many other conditions.

An enraged Prince William reportedly plans to strip Meghan Markle and Prince Harry of their HRH titles once he inherits the British throne from King Charles III. “Charles might be happy to put up with this, but William won’t,” a royal insider told the Daily Beast, reportedly referring to Markle’s use of her HRH title alongside her lifestyle products, including a pricey jam. Royal Expert Charlie Lankston is breaking down how this could happen and what it means for the Duchess.

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• Lizzo topped off her Cowboy Carter Tour look with the tiniest cowboy hat
• The singer attended the concert in a monochromatic pastel blue ensemble featuring plenty of ruffles
• The star also recently celebrated her 37th birthday

Lizzo is getting in the Cowboy Carter spirit.

The singer, 37, got all dolled up to see Beyoncé‘s Cowboy Carter Tour and she shared her glam moment on Instagram.

“WHEN I SAY ‘YEE’ U SAY ‘HAW’ Bitch! 🤠” she captioned the post. In the series of snaps, the Grammy winner wears a baby blue minidress with a long sheer train in the back. The ensemble also features dramatic ruffles along the skirt and a matching feather boa.

Keeping with the monochromatic theme, Lizzo added cowboy boots and a teeny, tiny cowboy hat in the same pastel hue. The hat rested atop the singer’s voluminous curls. Her makeup also matched the look and featured bold blue eyeshadow as well as red lipstick.

Lizzo’s post didn’t explicitly state she was on her way to the Cowboy Carter Tour, but hairstylist JStayReady posted a photo alongside the singer on his Instagram Story. In a feed post sharing his own Western-inspired look, the stylist said they were off to the opening night of the tour, which took place in Los Angeles on Monday, April 28.

This isn’t Lizzo’s first brush with an an absurdly tiny accessory. In 2019, the “Truth Hurts” singer made a splash at the American Music Awards by pairing her ruffled, coral-colored dress with a miniature Valentino purse.

“There’s only three in the world,” Lizzo revealed, as cameras zoomed in on the accessory. “I got tampons in here, a flask of tequila, condoms.”

“@maisonvalentino bag big enough for my f—- to give. Big body bitch in a Valentin-HO custom look for @amas 🍑💦 ,” Lizzo captioned a red carpet snap on Instagram.

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This month, the singer celebrated her 37th birthday in style. On Sunday, April 27, Lizzo shared a video of herself wearing a form-fitting leopard print dress, declaring in the caption: “ITS MY BDAYYYYYY!!! ♉️”

She also shared a couple of selfies to Instagram showing her birthday celebrations, giving a closer look at her sexy, see-through dress. The halter-neck dress had the illusion of a corset top that cinched at her waist. The star accessorized with long gloves that perfectly matched the leopard print. 

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In the caption of the post, the singer shared that she had “a lot of anxiety” ahead of the festivities.

“I’m a tough cookie. I tried my whole life not to cry and be seen as anything less than strong. I had a lot of anxiety leading up to my birthday and I could feel it clogging my emotions,” she began in the caption. 

“Last night at dinner, while freaking out about not spending time with everyone equally and worrying if people were having a good time,” she continued. “I looked and saw my mommy brother & sister sitting in front of me, eating and smiling.. I looked to my right and my best friend Lexo was making a joke about eating avocados and I lost it.”

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However, she continued in the post, she is grateful for another year of life.

“I was SO HAPPY because regardless of yesterday and regardless of what was gonna happen next, in that very moment I had everything I needed,” she said, before adding, “In that moment everything was ok.”

“In this present moment I am sooo grateful for all of the birthday wishes and thoughts and prayers and love. am so full so happy and so deeply blessed by you all ♉️,” Lizzo concluded.