Receiving an MND diagnosis and facing progressive physical decline often triggers intense and mixed emotions, including sadness, frustration, grief and anxiety about the future.
It is a difficult time for everyone involved.
This is a neurological condition causing uncontrollable and often inappropriate episodes of laughing and crying.
Emotional lability, also known as emotional lability, pseudobulbar affect or involuntary emotional expression disorder, is a condition in which a person experiences sudden, exaggerated or uncontrollable emotional outbursts that are disproportionate to the situation or unrelated to their actual mood state.
These episodes can include crying, laughing or a mix of both and may appear out of character or socially inappropriate.
The outbursts are usually brief, lasting a few minutes and the individual may feel normal between episodes.
Depression is common in people with MND, affecting about 23% of patients and can significantly impact quality of life, but it is distinct from emotional lability and can be managed with psychological and medical supports.
Depression in MND is characterized by persistent low mood, feelings of hopelessness, loss of interest in activities and sleep disturbances that are not solely due to physical symptoms of the disease. It may arise as a psychological reaction to the diagnosis and the progressive loss of physical function, or as a result of the physiological impact of MND on the nervous system.
This is quite common in MND – It can bring fear about symptoms, ~~what th~~ the future + loss of independence, breathing and swallowing difficulties, what the emotional and physical aspects on the family
This can bring on breathlessness, muscle tension, poor sleep and a racing heart
If anxiety is persistent and affecting ~~you~~ daily life and activities or quality of life –
Get in touch with G.P., neurologist or MND team. Counselling / Psychological support and medication may help.