Overview
As the symptoms from superficial siderosis progress, patients are often forced to adjust to drastic quality-of-life changes. Stressors take over, challenging a person daily. Anxiety levels reach a peak. Superficial siderosis is a life-changing condition. PersonalityOverview Superficial siderosis progression may have profound... More and mood disorders often develop in superficial siderosis patients when cerebellar degeneration is present. Newly published reports have shown the cerebellum plays a critical role in mood function.² Too often later-stage patients showing the warning signs of true depression are dismissed.
Feeling Down or Depression?
It’s important to remember there is a difference between feeling down, something that we all experience from time to time, and clinical depression. A person may have some bad days but that doesn’t mean they are clinically depressed.
Clinical depression is persistent with unrelenting symptoms lasting weeks or several months. The condition is serious and needs to be diagnosed by a mental health professional.
Signs of Clinical Depression
- Sadness and irritability
- Loss of interest in daily activities
- Lack of appetite or overeating
- Change in sleep behaviour- insomnia or excessive sleeping
- Agitation
- FatigueOverview Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms in mid-l... More
- Feelings of worthlessness
- Feelings of guilt
- Problems with thinking
- Lack of concentration
- General feelings of melancholy
- Persistent thoughts of death or suicide
Finding Help
A yearly superficial siderosis care plan should include screening for signs of depression. Family members or caregivers should not hesitate to mention any signs of depression. Therapy sessions with a psychiatrist or psychologist will help control feelings and mood along with the administration of antidepressant medications.
Severe depression can be a life-threatening condition because it may include suicidal feelings. If you are having thoughts about harming yourself or feel you are at risk of hurting yourself or someone else, call the National Crisis Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or text “ANSWER” to 839863
Chronic stress can naturally evolve into depression, but there is also evidence of a biological connection. Screening superficial siderosis patients for depression needs to be a regular part of their plan of care. Loss of concentration, sleep disturbance, cognitive and behavior changes can be the cause of and caused by depression. Increased physical pain and fatigue can be real consequences in a depressive state. Friends or family often believe feeling sad is run-of-the-mill, so it’s easy to miss the distress.¹
Updated: June 19, 2018
Sources: Superficial siderosis is a rare neurologic disease characterized by progressive sensorineural hearing lossOverview Progressive hearing loss will affect 95% of Superfi... More, cerebellar ataxiaOverview Ataxia is considered a symptom of your superficial ... More, pyramidal signs, and neuroimaging findings revealing hemosiderin deposits in the spinal and cranial leptomeninges and subpial layer. The disease progresses slowly, and patients may present with mild cognitive impairmentOverview Cognition is the range of high-level brain function... More, nystagmusOverview Nystagmus involves the involuntary and uncontrolled... More, dysmetria, spasticityOverview Spasticity is a condition in which individual muscl... More, dysdiadochokinesiaOverview Dysdiadochokinesia (DDK) is the medical term used t... More, dysarthriaOverview Cerebellar dysarthria is a distinct speech disorder... More, hyperreflexiaOverview Autonomic Hyperreflexia is a condition in which you... More, and Babinski signs. Additional features reported include dementiaOverview Dementia is the progressive decline of cognitive fu... More, urinary incontinence, anosmia, ageusia, and anisocoriaOverview Anisocoria is an uncommon but well-documented early... More. Superficial siderosis MedGen UID: 831707 •Concept ID: CN226971 •Finding Orphanet: ORPHA247245
¹https://livingwithss.com/stress-pain-depression/
²
Cognitive and Social Impairments in Patients with superficial siderosis
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