Often Parkinson’s does not come alone. Other disease states have been known to present themselves during the course of Parkinson’s.

The two most common that people tend to struggle with are anxiety and depression or mood disorders. These effects of Parkinson’s are called the non-motor symptoms according.

Unfortunately, the effects that Parkinson’s has on mood are often overlooked because it is a subjective symptom (no way to truly measure the way someone is feeling quantitatively).

Anxiety is usually the feeling of nervousness, worrying, or feeling jittery, while depression is described as the feeling of ongoing hopelessness and overwhelming sadness. In Parkinson’s patients, these symptoms often stem from the decreased dopamine levels as well as the use of the different prescriptions that Parkinson’s patients are on. Although it is often uncomfortable to talk about these symptoms, they can often be treated through therapy or medications.

If you are feeling like this may apply to you or a loved one it is best to talk with your doctor and know that there are options for minimizing these feelings. A link is provided below that gives a better overview and understanding of these symptoms.

Source: Parkinson’s Disease Foundation: http://www.pdf.org/depression_pd