In people with Parkinson’s disease, symptoms worsen with time due to brain cell death. This disorder mostly manifests in difficulties with muscular control, balance, and movement, but it can also have far-reaching consequences for a person’s senses, cognitive abilities, mental health, and more. 

The major Parkinson’s disease types can include:

Idiopathic Parkinson’s: 

Idiopathic parkinsonism is the most common form of the disorder. Idiopathic refers to conditions for which no underlying cause can be identified.

Idiopathic Parkinson’s disease is characterized by tremors, rigidity, and slowness of movement.

Vascular parkinsonism:

People with poor cerebral blood flow (who are diagnosed with vascular parkinsonism) also go by the name arteriosclerotic parkinsonism.

Drug-induced parkinsonism:

Drug-induced parkinsonism is most commonly attributed to the use of neuroleptics, which inhibit the brain neurotransmitter dopamine’s activity.

Who can get affected by Parkinson’s disease?

The usual onset of Parkinson’s disease is at 60 years of age, and the risk increases with age. Males or those assigned male at birth (DMAB) are slightly more likely to experience this than females or those assigned female at birth (DFAB).

Even though Parkinson’s disease is typically associated with advancing years, it can affect adults as young as 20. Nonetheless, this is highly unusual, as most cases include a parent, full sibling, or child.

Is Parkinson’s disease common?

In terms of prevalence, Parkinson’s disease is second only to Alzheimer’s disease among age-related degenerative brain illnesses. Movement-related brain disease, or motor disease, is the most prevalent neurological disorder. According to estimates, at least 1% of the world’s population over 60 suffers from it.

How is the diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease performed?

Parkinson’s disease is diagnosed on a clinical basis, which means that a neurology specialist will ask you questions, examine you, and look over your medical records to determine if you have the condition. It is often necessary to rule out other illnesses or potential causes before pursuing diagnostic and laboratory testing. However, unless you don’t respond to neurology treatment for Parkinson’s disease, most blood tests aren’t essential, which can signal that you have another ailment.

Fear is a normal human feeling, but for people with Parkinson’s disease (PD), it might feel like a constant companion or an unwanted guest in their daily lives.

Fear of the future:

Those who have been diagnosed with PD are aware that their symptoms will worsen and that new ones may arise over time because of the nature of the disease. In other words, you can’t predict when or how they’ll change your life.

Since the rate at which the disease develops varies from person to person, no standard protocol can be used to predict its course. The disease will worsen, and we don’t know when or how it will do so in your specific case, so there’s good reason to worry.

A survey found that the psychological toll of PD is just as high as the physical one for those who suffer from it.

People with Parkinson’s disease (PD) have used words like “frightening,” “frustrating,” “annoying,” “life-changing,” “disabling,” and “difficult” when asked to define their disease in a single word. When asked how they feel about the future, several respondents said they were afraid, anxious, or hopeless.

The importance of attitude in people dealing with Parkinson’s disease:

There are legitimate concerns associated with having PD, yet the vast majority of survey respondents acknowledged that their outlook is a key contributor to their quality of life. A staggering ninety-five percent of Parkinson’s disease sufferers who participated in the poll reported using some form of coping strategy to manage the disease’s emotional toll. The following are examples of common coping mechanisms:

• Getting enough sleep or rest
• Following specific Parkinson’s disease exercises
• Using humour
• Turning to prayer or spirituality
• Visiting healthcare professionals
• Talking with family or friends

Major tips for coping with fear in Parkinson’s patients:

Fear is a natural response to a stressful circumstance, and it can be frightening to live with a chronic disease that progresses over time, like Parkinson’s disease (PD). When we let our feelings flow freely, we are allowing “e-motion” or “energy in motion” to occur. Emotions are how our bodies process the information that we take in. The following is a list of suggestions for overcoming the fear of PD:

Acknowledge the fear:

Acknowledge what it is that you are feeling and give yourself some time to process it. Keeping dread locked inside can make it persist or get bigger.

Speak to your confidant:

Bring it into the open by having a conversation about it with a close friend, a member of a support group, or a healthcare professional. Bringing your fear into the light will prevent it from becoming all-consuming.

Learn about Parkinson’s as much as you can:

A calmer state of mind and a sense of being better prepared can both result from having more information. Reach out to a movement disorder specialist in Coimbatore to know much in detail and get treated for the condition.

Shift your focus:

Because our brains can’t focus on dread and gratitude at the same time, experts claim that changing your attention to everything for which you are grateful might help ease your fear. Instead of focusing on what you can’t accomplish, give today and the things you CAN do your attention.

Try techniques that can relax your body and mind:

Techniques like meditation or acupuncture can help you relieve your stress and anxiety.

Learn to find inner peace:

If you become aware that your thoughts are racing or that you are overcome with fear, you should experiment with various techniques for calming yourself down to locate your sense of inner peace. You may help your body transition out of “fight-or-flight” mode by practicing a straightforward breathing technique in which you concentrate on your breath while simultaneously relaxing your abdominal muscles to breathe with your diaphragm and expand into your abdomen.

The risk of developing Parkinson’s disease increases with age, making it a highly prevalent medical problem. Neurology treatment and management options offered by the best Parkinson’s doctors for this illness are varied. Many types of medication, as well as surgical implantation of brain-stimulation devices, fall into this category. Many people nowadays can adjust to or receive therapy for the effects and symptoms of this disorder, allowing them to live for years or even decades with it.