Like any chronic illness, multiple sclerosis can cause depression. People who never thought they could be down in the dumps find themselves helpless against the despair that illness can bring. Chronic neurological illnesses, including MS, can have frightening symptoms, such as seizures, loss of motor functionings, fluctuating mental capacities, or odd sensory perceptions.
At the same time, studies have shown that depression can come from the disease itself. And what about interferon medications? Do they bring about the blues? With so many factors contributing to depression, it’s a big question whether MS depression specifically comes from the disease itself (organic), from the stress of being chronically ill, or even from one of the disease-modifying medications (situational.) And can the depression stem from a combination of these things?
Organic Depression
Doctors believe that multiple sclerosis depression can be caused by the illness itself. Apparently, inflammation and myelin scarring can form in areas of the brain that control emotions. Just like other symptoms that come and go at whim, depression can strike for no reason— a person may not be experiencing any other symptoms, an acute attack, or traumatic stress in his or her life. Many people with multiple sclerosis experience depression at some point during the disease. Lots of these people battle chronic depression. Chronic depression with MS can be the result of attacks that have caused inflammation and nerve damage, and this depression becomes a chronic symptom, much like tingling or numbness.
Situational Depression
On the other hand, MS depression can be caused by external circumstances that induce it. A primary depression trigger is dealing with the stress and uncertainty of chronic illness. People with multiple sclerosis must handle recurring symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, and/or pain. This interferes with jobs (for those who can work outside the home) and personal lives. Those unable to work outside the home deal with isolation. Then there’s the uncertainty of the future. Will there be more attacks? Will they be more severe? When will they strike? For all of these reasons, multiple sclerosis depression can set in and take hold.
Another situational depression factor is the use of some of the disease-modifying drugs. These include Avonex, Betaseron, and Rebif. All of these drugs are called interferons, and all have the capability of causing depression. The drugs can reduce seretonin levels in the brain, causing the blues. Not everyone experiences this side-effect, so it would be hard to say if a user’s depression definitely came from one of these drugs.
Conclusion
With several factors possibly contributing to depression, the source(s) cannot be 100% determined. Whatever the reason for multiple sclerosis depression, it is real and it can be treated. Whether organic or situational or a combination of the two, it can be helped in order to better cope with chronic illness. Taking the bull by the horns allows for a more fulfilling, happier life, despite having MS.
