How PWP deal with depression?
 

I am new here to this forum and would like to hear from folks on how they are able to handle depression from their Parkinson's. I am 61 year old male diagnosed 3 years ago and am experiencing much depression. I know I have altered brain chemistry as a result of this illness. There does not seem to be much to look forward to, as I will only continue to decline. Need some hope and advice. Thanks for your support

Blackfeather,

Welcome to this forum. The more people we have asking questions and putting forward ideas, the better it is for all of us.

You write: "There does not seem to be much to look forward to, as I will only continue to decline." The "continue to decline" is probably true (but it doesn't have to be a rapid decline, and is probably true for almost all 61 year olds anyway), but it is possible to live well with PD for many years. There's much to look forward to.

I don't know how general this is, but the worst time for me psychologically was when I was diagnosed with PD 9 years ago and the first few years following it. It took me a while to get my head around it, but I'm happier now than I was initially, even though the symptoms have progressed.

I do four things that I think help me psychologically:
- I socialize; I find a support group helps greatly;
- I exercise, a brisk 5 mile walk most days;
- I study Parkinson's - I accept that it's probably going to beat me, but I'm not going to let it win without a fight;
- in the past I have taken cognitive behavioural therapy courses for anxiety.

Every PwP is different, so you will need to find your own road, but you can have a happy life in spite of the PD.

John

Blackfeather, welcome to PD forum on NT. I think you need to know that you are already beginning to move in the right direction by acknowledging your depression, understanding that it is due to chemical changes in the brain, and seeking advice. You may not realize it, but more than half of all of us PwP will experience depression at some point in time.

I think the advice that John has given you is a great starting point and I hope he doesn't mind if I tag along with his thoughts.

Socializing by joining a support group, fundraising, participating in research and attending seminars is a great way of meeting other PwP. You may not realize it, but it helps when you find others who understand what you are experiencing. I've met people from all other the country that have become good friends. It makes me realize that there can be a silver lining to most situations, and certainly to PD. I will be meeting friends for dinner who are visiting from California this coming weekend that I met right on this site. If not for PD, our paths would never have crossed.

Exercise is CRUCIAL. It will help with many of your PD symptoms, particularly with depression. Whatever you can do, just do it. For me, I started Tai Chi and Qigong, and it helps me dramatically, both physically and mentally. I've been practicing regularly now for two years and can honestly say I'm addicted, which is important because the depression can block the motivation to exercise.

Study and learn about the disease. You are still relatively early stage, about the same as me (62 and going on 3 years). There will be many advances over the next decade in PD knowledge and treatment. Like John said, I will never give up hope of finding something to slow or cure the disease. In that light, you should seriously consider participating in clinical trials. Right now, I analyze every one that is researching a neuroprotective treatment. If you feel comfortable with the study, by participating, you may be able to receive a treatment that, if successful, will not be publicly available for years. That's why you need to study and learn.

My final thought is that if your depression is serious, then you need to consider professional help. You certainly need to discuss this with your neurologist. There are medications and treatments that can help.

Best of luck,

Gary

here's an interesting article about the non-motor pd problems and some treatments
http://patients.aan.com/resources/ne...01208060-00012