[Characteristics of anxiety disorders--prevalence among patients with sclerosis multiple, treatment options and effect on rehabilitation]

Pol Merkur Lekarski. 2009 Dec;27(162):532-4.
[Article in Polish]

Abstract

Sclerosis Multiple (SM) is an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. Demyelinisation is recognized as a basic process of disease which is genetically determined. The variety and unpredictability of the course of the disease leads to decreased quality of life of the affected individual as well as various psychological reactions, including anxiety disorders. Anxiety disorders take place in approximately 19-25% patients with SM. Social anxiety is observed in 30.6% patients, while depression disorders in about 31.4%. High level of anxiety appears mostly in new diagnosed patients. More frequently it concerns women and it accompanies depression. High level of anxiety in SM is connected with the quantity of hard stressful events in life and with decrease of subjectively felt the quality of patients' life. Anxiety plays a great role in process of disease and has a great influence on process of rehabilitation. Among patients with SM, anxiety appears in the very moment of giving diagnosis, with different intensity but present throughout it. It is not usually connected with current symptoms of basic disease, but it emerges rather from fear of further development of disease, fear of immobilization and full dependence on somebody's care.

Publication types

  • English Abstract
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Anxiety Disorders / diagnosis*
  • Anxiety Disorders / epidemiology*
  • Anxiety Disorders / rehabilitation
  • Anxiety Disorders / therapy
  • Comorbidity
  • Depression / epidemiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Multiple Sclerosis / epidemiology*
  • Prevalence
  • Quality of Life