Shared from davisphinneyfoundation.org.
Mental health challenges are common for people living with Parkinson’s. In fact, depressive symptoms are often the first non-motor symptoms people experience on the road to a Parkinson’s diagnosis. As many as 35-40% of people with Parkinson’s report that they experience anxiety and depression. As the disease progresses, 60% of folks with advanced Parkinson’s experience depressive symptoms.
Mental health issues in people with Parkinson’s can be interdependent on factors of daily life including dependency on caregivers, inability to participate in daily activities and hobbies, and decline in physical and cognitive health. These changes are often difficult to accept and may contribute to declining mental health.
Additionally, a recent study showed that 26% of people with Parkinson’s experience symptoms of psychosis, and 50% of people with Parkinson’s will develop at least one symptom related to psychosis over the course of the disease.