help improve vascular risk factors such as inflammation in the brain and lower the chances of dying. Awareness about the symptoms of depression in MS and family support are critical, Palladino says.
Common symptoms of depression may include feelings of sadness, tearfulness; irritability; loss of interest in normal activities; sleep disturbance; fatigue; changes in appetite; feelings of guilt; trouble thinking, and frequent thoughts of death, he shares.
“Appropriate mental health screening followed by timely, effective intervention is an essential step to mitigate [depression’s] burden,” Palladino adds.
Two experts also stress the importance of recognizing the signs of depression and vascular disease in people with MS and treating it appropriately.
READ: What’s The Hold Up? Many with Depression Often Delay & Avoid Treatment
This study identifies the relationship between MS and depression “and highlights the impact of this combination on incident vascular risk and all-cause mortality,” Dr. Emily Pharr, an assistant professor of neurology at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. says. “These findings emphasize the importance of close monitoring of symptoms of depression and vascular risk factors in our patients living with MS.”
Julie Fiol, associate vice president of health care access at the National MS Society, agrees. “The immediate clinical implications of these findings are the importance of screening for and treating depression in MS,” she says.
Depression in MS is not just a reaction to living with a chronic illness, Fiol notes.
“It’s also something biological that is happening outside of the person’s control,” she adds. “Left untreated, depression reduces quality of life, makes other MS symptoms — including fatigue, pain, cognitive changes — feel worse, and may be life-threatening.”
Monitoring your depression is an important step to limiting your risking factors and increasing your life expectancy. If you are living with MS and experiencing symptoms of depression, you should contact your doctor for ways to effectively treat your illness.