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Parkinson's & Stress

Parkinson's disease is a medical condition that is a motor system disorder. It's caused by the lose of brain cells that produce dopamine. It is a gradual illness and often starts out merely with tremors. The other main symptoms of Parkinson's disease are stiffness of the trunk and limbs, trembling of the legs, face, jaw, arms and hands, impaired coordination and balance, instability of posture and slowness of motion. Some factors can aggravate and exacerbate Parkinson's disease. One such factor is stress.

  1. Stress and Chronic Medical Conditions

    • Stress is very closely associated with chronic illnesses. Stress can be derived from a lot of places, which are both emotional and physical. Stress can be caused from work, family, friends, exhaustion, anxiety and having to handle the restrictions and difficulties that are brought upon by this progressive medical condition. Stress can greatly intensify Parkinson's disease symptoms, particularly tremors. There are various ways to reduce stress in your daily life, which can help with Parkinson's disease.

    Exercise

    • Exercise is a great stress reliever that can help with easing Parkinson's disease symptoms. It can help with reduction of symptoms by increasing the body's mobility, which results in enhanced quality of life for those with Parkinson's disease. It also has emotional effects. For those suffering from stress, exercise can enhance the mood. Some exercises that are beneficial for stressed-out individuals with Parkinson's disease are tai chi and yoga, both of which improve balance and flexibility of the body.

    Attitude

    • Your overall attitude can help reduce stressful feelings. If you try to keep your attitude positive and upbeat, even amid all of the stressful situations that both life and Parkinson's disease can throw at you, your chances of experiencing uncomfortable Parkinson's disease symptoms decrease greatly. People can do this by making sure that the disease does not define their existences and by instead focusing on other things in their lives that make them happy.

    Support Groups

    • Support groups and talking to other people who understand exactly what you might be going through with Parkinson's disease is a great way to relieve stress. There are many Parkinson's disease support groups throughout the country. It can greatly assist in coping, and allow you to exchange and get valuable, beneficial information about Parkinson's and how to live with it. You can also address any questions or concerns that you might have.

    Caution

    • Stress is very harmful for those attempting to cope and live with a disease such as Parkinson's. This is due to the fact that the symptoms of the disease are amplified with stress. One very dangerous thing that some Parkinson's disease patients do when they are stressed out and trying to handle their lives is overdosing on their medicine. Overdosing on medication can be very harmful and cause permanent side effects, such as becoming prematurely disabled. It is very important that people with Parkinson's disease only take the appropriate dosage amounts of their medication, for safety reasons.

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