What is the psychological effect does parkinsons disease have on individuals?
Depression is the most significant psychological symptom of PD. It often is present before any other symptom but because it is often related to other possibilities, it is not diagnosed as a PD precursor. Eventually there will be better PD diagnostic tests. Early symptoms such as loss of sense of smell, sleep disorder issues, depression my indicate the need to test for PD. But these diagnostics do not exist now. Loss of ability to speak with vocal inflection and the inability to move facial muscles can contribute to an impression that a person is depressed. Often these symptoms are just symptoms of what they are. Meds cause psychological issues which can disappear very slowly when the meds are removed. Hallucinations, obsessive compulsive issues, loss of cognitive skills are side-effects of some otherwise effective PD meds. Fear, anger, apathy are other psychological effects which can affect patient, family and friends. Sme patients have some severe personality changes because of the di
