Introduction:
Mental health means complete psychological and emotional well-being. Rheumatoid disease is an umbrella term that refers to arthritis and a variety of other conditions that affect the joints, tendons, muscles, ligaments, bones, and muscles (arthritis refers to conditions that primarily affect the joints). increase). If not treated properly, rheumatic diseases such as osteoarthritis can lead to severe joint pain due to the destruction of cartilage, the hard and soft tissue that protects joints. The most common forms of the rheumatic disease include osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, sometimes called RA. Rheumatoid arthritis is a condition in which the immune system attacks healthy cells of the body. It leads to inflammation, swelling, and pain in multiple joints at once. Other common rheumatic diseases are:
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Fibromyalgia - It is a rheumatic disease that affects millions of people and causes generalized pain (also known as widespread pain) sleep disturbance, fatigue, and often emotional and mental distress.
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Gout - A type of arthritis in which uric acid crystals accumulate in usually the large joints of the big toes.
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Arthritis in Children and Adolescents - The most common type of arthritis in children is juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
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Lupus - A chronic autoimmune condition that involves the body's immune system attacking its tissues and organs, damaging any part of the body.
What Are Mental Health Care Needs for Youth with Rheumatologic Diseases?
Anxiety and depression are two of the most common mental illnesses experienced by patients suffering from rheumatological conditions. Depression and anxiety do not present with the same physical symptoms as RA, but they come with their own set of challenges. Living with multiple long-term health conditions can be difficult in itself. Some people experience depression, anxiety, and RA at the same time. Untreated depression and anxiety can make it harder to treat RA.
What Are the Causes of Mental Health Issues in Youth with Rheumatological Diseases?
The reason for mental health issues in youth with rheumatological disease is that pain causes stress, and stress causes the release of mood-altering chemicals. It can make it difficult for a person to fall asleep and elevate stress levels. Simply put, anxiety and depression seem to make the pain worse and harder to cope with. Focusing solely on RA without addressing psychiatric disorders such as anxiety and depression can reduce the quality of life. People can see a decline in many aspects of their daily lives. It can make your pain worse and increase the risk of heart disease. Relationships and productivity at work can also be affected.
What Is the Mechanism of Mental Health Issues in Youth with Rheumatological Diseases?
The pain and joint damage of RA is due to inflammation. There is also strong evidence of a link between inflammation and depression. Levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) (inflammatory protein), one of the ways researchers measure inflammation, are often elevated in depressed patients. People with difficult-to-treat depression may have significantly higher CRP. Although the coexistence of psychiatric disorders and forms of arthritis is well known, RA patients are not routinely screened. This can lead to untreated mental illness. Some people get nervous when discussing mental health, or worry that doctors will ignore their psychiatric symptoms. But finding resources to effectively manage mental health is vital to their overall well-being.
What Are Some Common Signs of Mental Illness to Look For in Patients?
Listed below are some common signs of mental illness to look out for in patients with rheumatological diseases:
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Irritability or anger.
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Mood swings.
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Sustained feelings of sadness and despair.
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Social withdrawal or isolation.
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Increased sensitivity to rejection.
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Outbursts of tears or anger.
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Low self-esteem, feelings of worthlessness.
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Fatigue or low energy.
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Physical problems, such as abdominal pain or headaches, do not improve with treatment.
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Thoughts of death, self-destructive behavior, or suicide.
How Can Mental Illness Be Treated in Patients with Rheumatological Disease?
Treatment of mental illness can be treated in patients with rheumatological disease in the ways listed below:
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Early Diagnosis - Timely treatment of depression can reduce distress and suicide risk. People with chronic conditions who are being treated for coexisting depression often experience improved overall health, and a better quality of life, and are more likely to stick to their treatment regimen. In some cases, better treatment of the chronic disorder relieves the symptoms of the underlying depression. In this case, no special treatment for depression may be necessary. Some drugs can cause depression. In such cases, it is best to reduce or eliminate that particular drug. However, if depression becomes another problem, it will have to treat itself.
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Anti-depressant - The treatment is not always as effective as other treatments, but most people who are treated for depression recover. Combining antidepressants with psychotherapy (talk therapy) often makes recovery faster and more complete. Many antidepressants are available to treat depression. How these drugs work is not fully understood, but they affect brain chemicals thought to be involved in depression.
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Psychotherapy - Psychotherapy, or therapy for short, actually refers to a variety of techniques used to treat depression. It involves speaking with a qualified professional who helps people with depression. Pay attention to the behaviors, feelings, and thoughts that contribute to your depression. Helps you understand and identify the life problems and events that cause depression, such as serious illness, death in the family, job loss, divorce, etc., and understand what aspects of those problems you can understand. Manage resolutions or improvements.
Conclusion:
It is early to conclude that inflammation is the main reason so many people suffer from both conditions. But the potential link is the focus of important new research. It is important to consider both mental and physical health when living with RA. There may be a strong link between RA and some mental conditions, especially depression. Seeking treatment for mental illness can also help people manage RA more effectively. If a person is having concerns about their mental health, talk to the doctor about what treatments and resources are available.
