| Emotional
Adjustment |
 Hello, I am Janey Willis, ISN Guide to Emotional Adjustment. I know from experience that scleroderma can place unique demands on patients and caregivers alike. I have systemic scleroderma (SSc). It is common to suffer reactive depression with scleroderma. If you or someone you care about is having a difficult or suicidal time right now, call your nearest suicide hotline, or a doctor, or hospital. This is a medical emergency and it is okay to go to the emergency room or to call for help from your local police or fire department. The important thing is to make a call—any call—until you find help. |
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| Emotional Adjustment and Scleroderma (MAIN MENU) |
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| Depression and Scleroderma |
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| Overview of Depression |
| Depression is a serious sadness that may or may not have a reason. For people with scleroderma or another chronic illness, depression is a natural reaction to the diagnosis, the symptoms, and changes in the quality of life. Unfortunately, depression can add to the physical problems presented by the disease; therefore, depression needs to be addressed and reduced as much as possible. |
| Symptoms Of Depression And Anxiety In Patients With Systemic Sclerosis: Impact Of Disease Severity And Socioeconomic Factors. Symptoms of depression are more common in female, unemployed and older patients, as well as in patients with severe pain and longer disease duration. Symptoms of anxiety were found in almost all patients, but without dependency on disease severity or socioeconomic factors. P. Ostojic THU0301. EULAR 2007. (Also see: Anxiety) |
| Scientists Build On Case Connecting Inflammatory Disease And Depression. Depressive disorders occur in 12 to 30 percent of patients who suffer from various diseases with an inflammatory component, including coronary heart disease and autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowels. Rresearch on patients whose immune systems are boosted by immunotherapy suggest that depression may originate in the immune system. ScienceDaily 07/29/04. |
| Depression and Autoimmunity |
| Am I Depressed? Resources to help you determine if you are depressed. Depression.About.com |
| Nobody Understands! by Deborah A. Barrett, Ph.D. |
| Depression Caused By Chronic Illness. Depression is one of the most common complications of chronic illness. It is estimated that up to one-third of individuals with a serious medical condition experience symptoms of depression. WebMD. |
| Depression in patients with systemic sclerosis: A systematic review of the evidence. Symptoms of depression are common among patients with SSc. There is a need for studies that examine depression at different time points from the diagnosis of SSc and that systematically investigate factors associated with high levels of depressive symptoms. (Wiley InterScience) Arthritis Care & Research. Volume 57, Issue 6, Pages 1089-1097. 30 July 2007. |
| New Insights Into Autoimmunity And Depression. Some studies have described a possible link between Lupus's most severe psychiatric manifestation, psychosis, and a protein autoantibody associated with the central nervous system, anti-ribosomal P. ScienceDaily. 03/09/07. (Also see: Lupus) |
| Clinical and Personality Predictors of Psychological Distress in Patients with Scleroderma. Early psychiatric assessment and intervention through appropriate pharmacological and/or psychotherapeutic approaches could contribute to the clinical management of patients with SSc. T. Hyphantis. FRI0346 EULAR 2006. |
| Evaluation of depression and anxiety in patients with systemic sclerosis. Systemic scleroderma is associated with a high prevalence of depression and anxiety. These disorders should be looked for routinely and the need for specific treatment evaluated. PubMed. Joint Bone Spine. 2005 Oct;72(5):408-411. |
| Predictors of Depressive Symptoms in Patients with Systemic Sclerosis (SSc). It is crucial that professionals treating SSc patients identify those with higher levels of depressive symptoms and refer them for further psychological evaluation. Disability, pain and shortness of breath were shown to predict levels of depression. Decreasing disability and treating pain and shortness of breath could prevent high levels of depressive symptoms in SSc. S. S. Taillefer. FRI0089 EULAR 2005. |
| Correlates of Depression, Including Overall and Gastrointestinal Functional Status, Among Patients with Systemic Sclerosis. Decreased functional status and abnormal GI functioning are significantly correlated with depression among patients with SSc. Other demographic and clinical indicators are also associated with depression. J Rheumatol. NO. 1 January 2005;32:51-7. (Also see: Gastrointestinal Involvement) |
| Raynaud's Phenomenon and Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors. The antiplatelet and endothelium-protective properties of SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) may represent an attractive additional advantage in patients with depression and scleroderma. Patients who have scleroderma should be screened for depression, and SSRI might be considered when indicated. Correspondence. J Rheumatol. Vol 31: NO. 10 Oct 2004. (Also see: Raynaud's Treatments) |
| Scientists Build On Case Connecting Inflammatory Disease And Depression. Depressive disorders occur in 12 to 30 percent of patients who suffer from various diseases with an inflammatory component, including coronary heart disease and autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowels. Research on patients whose immune systems are boosted by immunotherapy challenge this view and suggest that depression may originate in the immune system. ScienceDaily 07/29/04. (Also see: Associated Conditions: Depression) |
| Prevalence of Major Depression, Dysthymia and Suicide Risk in Patients with Systemic Sclerosis. Current and lifetime prevalence of major depression was high (47.5%) in our series of SSc patients. This high prevalence of major depression in SSc patients can no longer be ignored and systematic screening and psychiatric treatment interventions are needed. T. Baubet. FRI0337 EULAR 2004. |
| Depression and Anxiety in Systemic Sclerosis. Depression and associated symptoms of anxiety were very common among these patients with SSc and should be recognized and treated to improve function and the quality of life of these patients. Cécile Legendre. AB0107 EULAR 2004. |
| Depression linked to an autoimmune thyroid condition may have poor prognosis Whether depression is linked to having an under-active thyroid gland has been debated for many years. Research published in BMC Psychiatry this week suggests that some patients with depression may be suffering from a subtle autoimmune thyroid condition, which could hinder their recovery. Medical News Today 03/15/04. (Also see: Thyroid Disease) |
| Frequency and analysis of factors closely associated with the development of depressive symptoms in patients with scleroderma. Our results indicate that depressive symptoms are frequent in SSc patients. Medical staffs should pay attention to the possible risk factors for depressive symptoms, such as patient's helplessness and SOC (Sense of Coherence). PubMed. J Rheumatol. 2003 Aug;30(8):1782-7. |
| Treating Depression |
| Omega-3 Fatty Acids Affect Risk Of Depression, Inflammation. In recent years, research has shown that an increase in omega-3 fatty acids in the diet has specific health benefits, especially in patients with depression, cardiovascular disease and inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. ScienceDaily. 03/29/07. (Also see: Alternative Therapies) |
| Clinical features and personality traits associated with psychological distress in systemic sclerosis patients. SSc patients experience elevated symptoms of psychological distress. Several clinical parameters are associated with distress, but the role of various personality traits could not be disregarded. Early psychiatric assessment and intervention could prevent psychological distress in SSc patients. PubMed. J Psychosom Res. 2007 Jan;62(1):47-56. |
| Placebo Study Frames Depression Treatment Puzzle. The findings suggest that factors such as patient beliefs and expectations, doctor-patient relationships, or treatment history help complete the treatment picture. Medical News Today. 08/05/06. |
| Floating Alleviates Chronic Stress-related Pain. The research study shows that individuals suffering from stress-related health problems such as chronic pain, depression, or anxiety are often helped a great deal by floating. Medical News Today 02/17/06. (Also see: Pain Management) |
| Antidepressants May Harm Infants' Lungs. Expectant mothers who took antidepressants like Prozac late in their pregnancy were significantly more likely to give birth to an infant with a rare but serious breathing problem, pulmonary hypertension. The New York Times. 02/09/06. (Also see: Scleroderma and Pregnancy, and Pulmonary Hypertension) |
| Frequency of Depressive Symptoms in Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) and Treatment with Fluoxetine. Our results display a high frequency of depressive symptoms in patients with SSc and moderate to severe manifestations were found in 42%. The treatment with antidepressants is important in these patients with depression which decreases the quality of life. O. Vera-Lastra. AB0115 EULAR 2004. |
| Internet May Effectively Provide Interventions for Depression Among Select Patients. The study found improved symptoms of depression and depression literacy among individuals who participated in specific website offerings. Doctor's Guide. 1/27/04. |
| Depression treatment may ease arthritis. Treating elderly patients for depression can help ease arthritis pain, an unexpected and hopeful finding for sufferers of the degenerative joint disease. CNN Health 11/11/03. |
| You've got trauma, but writing can help. Pouring your most painful traumas out on a computer screen can improve your health, according to one of the first studies on how e-mail may influence well-being. USA Today 6/30/02 |
| Alcohol and Depression |
| Antidepressants and alcohol: What happens if I drink alcohol? Mixing antidepressants and alcohol is discouraged. Mayo Clinic. |
| Personal Stories |
| Betty Fults: CREST Scleroderma I would like to talk with someone that has feeding tubes also. Maybe that will help me... |
| David B: Raynaud's I am fifty-one years old and suffer with Raynaud's, bipolar affective disorder, high anxiety and phobias for which I am unable to take medication... |
| Denise E: Diffuse Scleroderma I was first diagnosed with diffuse scleroderma in February 2002, but my symptoms began subtly in the summer of 2000... |
| Gail: Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease (UCTD) They found I had Interstitial Cystitis, a positive ANA, and gastrointestinal dysmotility... |
| Jaci: MCTD and Autoimmune Hepatitis Out of fear of going back to the doctors, I tried just to live with it, whatever it was. What I found strange was that nobody seemed to noticed how terrible I was feeling, not even the doctors... |
| Kym: Diffuse, CREST Scleroderma, Lupus and Fibromyalgia It all started with Raynaud's in my fingers and toes when I was about nineteen years old, in 1979... |
| Missy S: Lupus, Scleroderma, CREST and Depression They say I am not eligible for a medical card or disability. I have been fighting for four years... |
| Rosebud: Diffuse Scleroderma My hands are the worst. They are completely swollen, red, itchy, with burning sensation and in pain constantly... |
| Rosemary F: Surviving Daughter of Diffuse Scleroderma Patient She tried to explain it, but it was hard for me to comprehend the disease's symptoms. Mom said that it was the same thing that her oldest sister died from... |
| Susie: CREST Syndrome I have had CREST syndrome for the past eight years. My specialist is Dr. Frederick Wigley, from Johns Hopkins... |
