Caring for your mental health while living with sickle cell disease
The good news is, while having sickle cell disease is unique, you are not alone.
Sickle cell disease is a complex condition, with symptoms that are triaged to focus on the most severe and pressing effects of this disease. But your physical and mental health are connected, and it is important to care for both.
Studies show a significant relationship between physical pain and symptoms of depression and anxiety as both disorders share pathways within the brain.
You may experience symptoms of brain fog, anxiety, depression, as well as troubling feelings resulting from trauma faced during a vaso-occlusive crisis. The uncertainty of symptom flare-ups and the daily strain of managing this condition can affect your mood.
In fact, depression is common in sickle cell disease, and while there are many physical reasons for symptoms, research consistently shows a clear relationship between chronic pain, stress, and depression. It can become a cycle of symptoms that are difficult to cope with, making sickle cell physically and mentally impactful on a daily basis.
Your mental and physical health are connected in many ways. Sickle cell disease impacts both.
It can be helpful to think of mental health as a fundamental part of physical health. One study looked at several research findings on sickle cell disease symptoms, as well as stress and depression, and found that these conditions share processes within the body. These findings suggest that we think about stress and sickle cell symptoms as factors that come together to disrupt how parts of the brain function, and increase inflammation, making someone more likely to experience depression.
Rethink mental health with sickle cell disease
Mental health is often overlooked or overshadowed by the physical symptoms of sickle cell disease. It's impossible to separate mental and physical health – that’s why it’s so important to care for both. It may be a difficult cycle to break, but there are things you can do to improve your mental health as you manage the symptoms of sickle cell disease.
Since sickle cell disease can take a toll on the mental health of not only those living with it, but also their caretakers and loved ones, it's important for everyone to have access to helpful information and support.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available.
Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
