Parkinson’s disease is a progressive condition that affects the nervous system and the various parts of the body the nerves control.
For people who have Parkinson’s disease, anxiety can be common, and yet, healthcare providers don’t always recognize it or address it appropriately. Learn more about the connection between Parkinson’s and anxiety.
Why Anxiety Occurs with Parkinson’s Disease
Anxiety is not simply a reaction to the diagnosis or the progressive symptoms of Parkinson’s, but it is part of the condition itself. People with Parkinson’s disease have abnormal levels of a brain chemical called GABA. Both depression and anxiety are linked to low levels of GABA.
Anxiety can begin before even getting the diagnosis because of these abnormal chemical levels in the brain, or it can start long after the disease causes the first motor symptoms.
How Anxiety Impacts Parkinson’s Disease
Anxiety may make the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease worse. It can increase muscle tension, making initiating movements more difficult. Anxiety might also cause anxious apprehension in those with Parkinson’s disease. Anxious apprehension is a state of heightened vigilance and anticipation of negative outcomes.
Anxious apprehension can lead to cognitive overarousal, which makes it more difficult to filter out unimportant information. This leads to more difficulties with cognitive efficiency.
Anxiety may also impact sleeping patterns, making it more difficult to get the rest you need. This leads to further symptoms of anxiety.
Managing Anxiety and Parkinson’s Disease
If you have Parkinson’s disease and experience anxiety, turning to stress management techniques is crucial. You can incorporate breathing exercises, meditation, mindfulness practices, and more. Consider reaching out to support groups as well to help yourself feel less isolated with your diagnosis.
For some people, turning to professional help is a good option. By speaking with others and finding ways of lowering anxiety levels, you can improve your quality of life.
Others are exploring the option of regenerative medicine, also known as stem cell therapy, to help manage their condition. With regenerative medicine, a patient is able to manage their symptoms and have the opportunity to help reduce inflammation, release neurotrophic factors for neuronal support, modulate the immune response, promote angiogenesis for improved blood supply, and potentially induce neurogenesis, and release therapeutic exosomes. These mechanisms collectively contribute to tissue repair, enhance neuronal survival, and foster functional recovery in neurological disorders.
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