Is Your Chronic Condition Affecting Your Mental Health?
If you’ve been diagnosed with a chronic health condition, you’ll know it’s an event that will send most into an initial state of grief and shock. Some people may even reject the diagnosis and refuse to acknowledge it. A diagnosis affects every aspect of one's life: from family and social life, to employment and finances and of course, mental health. Because of this, more attention is being placed on the emotional dimensions of chronic conditions and managing not only physical symptoms but also the psychological ones.
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How do Chronic Conditions Affect Mental Health?
A chronic condition is a non-communicable illness that lasts for a very long time and usually cannot be cured completely, although some symptoms of the condition can be controlled or managed through lifestyle adjustments such as diet and exercise, and by taking certain medications. Examples of chronic conditions include diabetes, heart disease, chronic pain, and arthritis. In Malaysia alone, 1.7 million people currently live with three major risk factors for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. These factors include high blood sugar, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
A chronic disease diagnosis, together with the stresses of having to make lifestyle amendments, coupled with the feeling of being misunderstood by loved ones who don’t have the same limitations – leads to psychological stresses. When these persist over an extended period of time, typically for weeks, months and even years, these psychological stresses can develop into serious mood disorders, including anxiety and depression.
The Difficulty with Detecting Mental Health Disorders
Certain chronic conditions play a more direct role in causing mental health disorders, due to changes in the brain. An example of this is stroke, which is a risk factor for multiple mental health disorders. The stroke event causes neurological changes in areas of the brain involved in emotions or mood.
In other cases, it is the treatment methods that can trigger negative mental health impacts. For example, corticosteroids used to treat chronic conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and rheumatoid arthritis may trigger depression, causing depressive symptoms to persist even as physical health improves.
In light of the news about the chronic condition, patients and their family members often overlook the symptoms of depression. While occasional feelings of depression are expected from someone facing a chronic condition, it is important to note that there is a difference between feeling the psychological challenges of adjusting to life with a chronic condition and experiencing symptoms of clinical depression.
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For this reason, it may be difficult to diagnose depression in the medically ill. Physical symptoms such as disturbed sleep, impaired appetite, and lack of energy may already exist as a result of the chronic condition. Examining the patient’s other risk factors for depression, such as adverse social circumstances including unemployment or financial strain, and a lack of emotional support, may aid in the clarification of the diagnosis.
Getting The Right Support To Manage Both Mental Health And Chronic Health Conditions
Studies indicate that people who have depression and another medical illness simultaneously tend to have more severe symptoms of both illnesses, and may have more difficulty adapting to their illnesses. For this reason, if a patient develops a mental health disorder while chronically ill, it is imperative that both the mental health condition and the chronic condition are treated concurrently.
Patients diagnosed with chronic health conditions should also undergo early intervention screenings for mental health issues. If an elevated risk is detected, health practitioners can work together with the patient to outline their treatment plan and coordinate care. The possible medical issues that the patients may face need to be communicated clearly so that they’re able to make informed decisions about the course of their treatment. It is also recommended for patients to learn stress reduction and management techniques in order to manage their mental health.
Meetings with doctors or therapists should be scheduled to discuss any anxieties or fears the patient may have regarding their illness. These can help them come to terms with their chronic condition and help them receive advice on how to adjust to the impending changes in their life.
Joining support groups with people who have similar conditions can also help as these social circles provide the patient with not only solidarity and a mutual understanding of what they’re going through, but also advice on how best to move forward based on their own experiences.
If you are diagnosed with a chronic condition and would like to get additional support for coping, schedule a remote therapy session with a Naluri psychologist today.
