More Than Just Physical Symptoms
Parkinson’s disease is often seen primarily as a neurological disorder, with symptoms ranging from tremors and difficulty with balance to drooling and a loss of facial expressions.
However, a new report co-authored by Dr. Indu Subramanian, a UCLA Health neurologist, draws attention to the crucial but often ignored aspect of the disease: the stigma associated with it.
The Social Toll of a Neurological Disorder
The report reveals that many Parkinson’s patients experience social rejection, isolation, and deteriorating mental health due to public misconceptions and stereotypes about the disease.
This leads to what the report calls “self-stigma,” where patients suffer from declining self-esteem and increased anxiety and depression.
According to Dr. Subramanian, this stigma is far from a minor issue; it significantly affects patients’ quality of life.
Visible and Invisible Judgments
Patients with visible symptoms, such as tremors and stooped posture, often face judgments that perpetuate negative stereotypes and social devaluation.
Subramanian, who has written extensively on Parkinson’s, including the unique needs of female patients and dietary treatments, said, “If we only focus on neurological dysfunction without also tackling the psychological impact, including stigma, we are doing a major disservice to our patients.”
What Can Be Done?
Subramanian and her colleagues emphasized the following steps to address the stigma in Parkinson’s care:
Patient Empowerment: Focused individual counseling can help patients boost their self-esteem and develop coping skills.
Support Groups: These can serve as platforms for patients to share experiences, improve coping mechanisms, and counter isolation.
Education: The general public needs accurate information about Parkinson’s to counter the false assumptions that fuel stigma.
Formal Interventions: Therapies that identify and address the myriad factors stemming from stigma should be integrated into patient care.
Breaking the Silence
The authors stress that both healthcare professionals and patients need to be proactive about recognizing and addressing stigma.
Physicians should develop tools to assess stigma and its effects, and patients should feel empowered to bring up these issues with their medical team.
The Path Forward
Stigma in Parkinson’s is not just a social issue but a healthcare challenge that requires integrated solutions. Understanding the role of stigma could allow clinicians to provide more holistic and empathetic care.
The research team believes that focusing on this overlooked aspect could bring about a significant improvement in the quality of life for Parkinson’s patients.
The report, published in Parkinsonism & Related Disorders, brings together experts in the field, including Bradley McDaniels, Ph.D., of the University of North Texas, Dr. Gregory Pontone from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and Dr. Soania Mathur of Unshakable MD in Toronto, Canada.
If you care about Parkinson’s disease, please read studies about New findings may improve treatment for Parkinson’s disease and findings of Could deep brain stimulation halt Parkinson’s disease development?
For more information about Parkinson’s disease, please read studies that Vitamin B may slow down cognitive decline, and Mediterranean diet could help lower risk of Parkinson’s disease.
The research findings can be found in Parkinsonism & Related Disorders.
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