Mental Health Awareness

Today is Mental Health Awareness day in America. I would guess that not too many people know that about today, I would imagine that everyone knows at least one person that is suffering from a mental disorder.
I happen to be one of them. I have Parkinson’s Disease. I am only 35 and have been living with it now for the past five years. Things haven’t been easy for me. I have had to learn when my peak times are to get things done, based on the medication I am on and the free periods that I get. I have my moments of total body freedom and then I have the times when my body is so unresponsive, the best thing for me is to relax and just try to get myself comfortable.

It’s really hard to explain what I am going through. There is no explanation as to why causes it, or how to treat it. It is diagnosed through symptoms and no two cases are completely alike.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is an extremely diverse disorder. While no two people experience Parkinson’s the same way, there are some commonalities. Parkinson’s affects about one million people in the United States and ten million worldwide. The main finding in brains of people with PD is the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the area of the brain known as the substantia nigra.

There is no “one way” to diagnose Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, there are various symptoms and diagnostic tests used in combination. Making an accurate diagnosis of Parkinson’s — particularly in its early stages — is difficult, but a skilled practitioner can come to a reasoned conclusion that it is PD. It is important to remember that two of the four main symptoms must be present over a period of time for a neurologist to consider a PD diagnosis:

• Shaking or tremor
• Slowness of movement, called bradykinesia
• Stiffness or rigidity of the arms, legs or trunk
• Trouble with balance and possible falls, also called postural instability
• Often, a Parkinson’s diagnosis is first made by an internist or family physician. Many people seek an additional opinion from a neurologist with experience and specific training in the assessment and treatment of PD — referred to as a movement disorder specialist. (parkinsons.org)

I hope that I was able to shed some light on Parkinson’s Disease. The more aware the community is, the better off people are. Please consider donating to a Parkinson’s Disease charity the next time you consider a donation