Parkinson’s disease is a condition that centers its attack on the central nervous system, significantly affecting normal movement and conventionally involves stiffness, loss of balance as well as slow mobility. The disorder is commonly developed by individuals above the age of 50, and rarely occurs in young individuals (Gallagher et al 54). Some of the famous individuals to have suffered from the disease and subsequent succumbed to its effects include Mohamed Ali who is one of the most renowned boxers in the world. This disease is known to have severe effects on the patient’s way of life and based on this such patients require extensive care. In the professional world individuals with this disorder end having their identities negative affected and the change of such identities is what will form the backbone of this paper.
Effects of Parkinson’s disease
Parkinson’s disease renders its patients unable to work in most cases and therefore such individuals may end being forced to apply for social security benefits. Such individuals end being categorized as disabled persons and this is the first change in their identities. Individuals that were previously considered as able bodied end up qualifying for disability benefits. However, to qualify for such benefits it would be important for such patients to prove that they indeed have chronic mobility issues; trouble standing, walking or unable to use their hands. Some of the tasks that previously were easy handled by persons suffering from Parkston’s disease end up being handled by them through the help of other individuals. They therefore have to accept that they have reduced capacity and as a result end up receiving preferential treatment (Zaltieri et al 65)
Symptoms arising from the manifestation of the disorder could be illustrated as non-motor as well as motor. Motor symptoms are those that a patient exhibits that are not related to movement such as cognitive impairment, irregular sleep patterns, and psychological complications. Motor symptoms are those that affect basic mobility or movement. The non-motor symptoms manifesting psychosocial challenges can be quite overwhelming for individuals suffering from the disorder. This is due to the inhibiting factors they produce with regards to normal day to day living such as restricting full participation of tasks and daily exercises, minimized societal contact as well as the lack of capacity to acquire and maintain an occupation (Nalls et al 101). Scientific studies have revealed that psychological deterioration of individuals living with Parkinson’s disease can be accredited to the physical symptoms it manifests and the general experience of living with the disorder.
For example, the occurrence of anxiety and depression in people suffering from the condition can be linked to the severity of symptoms related to mobility, inconsistencies in the way the overall symptoms manifest, and also the length of period the patient endures the disorder. This is reinforced by other findings, for example, symptoms of weariness have been linked to reduced quality of life and deteriorating psychosocial behavior (Postuma et al 1592). Additionally, it has been noted that daily tasks are substantial forecasting factors of health associated quality of life for persons living with the disorder. Moreover, recent studies have exhibited that the physical effects of the condition such as reduced capacity to effectively perform tasks, merged with psychological difficulties for instance anxiety, increased stress levels and communication challenges, significantly reduce the patients’ social tasks, magnifying their isolation and consequently causing depression.
An adverse effect on the important tasks that people engage in, will further affect their social identities negatively. Social identity here refers to the patients’ knowledge with regards to belonging to a specific group, in conjunction with individual significance and sentiment of being a part of the aforementioned group. Among the procedures involved with the rehabilitation process is the linking of the patients’ goals with their past social identities. Nonetheless, the ability of the patient to access desirable outcomes will be affected by several factors that could pose as challenges to them as well as the prosperity of any tactic that they could utilize to overcome the challenges (Pringsheim et al 1584). For example, the predetermined perception of how Parkinson’s disease will significantly interrupt their lives could affect a patients’ reaction towards their disorder and subsequent symptoms. On the other hand, other aspects such as a willingness to accept the condition and changes that come along with it with regards to their identities and overall lives, as well as tactics that they may employ such as cognitive preparations to aid in the completion of activities during rehabilitation, may substantially affect the patients’ capability to remain hopeful.
There is significant probability that persons living with the disorder can undertake tasks which revolve around their social identities and fulfilling their sense of belonging, offering life that brings not only satisfaction, but also purpose. It is of utmost vitality to recognize that a persons’ identity is likely to be heavily affiliated with state of their mental wellness and generalized hope. Here, hope referring to relief from suffering, as well as personal identity linked to achievements, activities and meaningful interactions (Vann-Ward et al 970). How much the disease affects a person’s professional life depends on how severe the symptoms are and if these symptoms affect how the person performs the duties of their job. Some people have been observed to continue working long after their diagnosis while some are unable to do so after up to 2 years of diagnosis. This not only depends on the symptoms of the disease but also on the type of tasks and demands of their work.
Parkinson’s can display a variety of symptoms. In the early stages, the most obvious symptoms are mainly related to movement. These include shaking, slow movement, rigidity, and difficulty walking straight. As the disease progresses cognitive and behavioral problems may be observed with dementia being one of the common symptoms in the later stages. Other symptoms are difficulty in coordination and speech, balance problems, pain, and lack of sleep as well as emotional problems such as anxiety and depression mentioned above (Smith, Laura and Rachel 18). These more advanced problems can make it difficult to perform simple everyday tasks for a patient let alone continue working at a job which is physically and mentally demanding and thus may mean stopping work completely.
Work is not only a means to make a living but can also be important for self esteem, confidence, and satisfaction. It usually tends to be fulfilling and provides a sense of purpose. Dealing with job loss can often lead to emotional changes such as stress, anxiety, depression, and apathy. This adjustment combined with the frustration brought about by the limitations of the disease such as a loss of control and independence further heighten emotional symptoms which are brought about by the disease (Bognar et al 1076). Apathy denotes the lack of emotion or interest in things that one previously found interest in or which others might find interesting. This indifference or disinterest can be towards activities or even people. It may mean less participation in social activities and previously embraced hobbies.
These emotional challenges could affect a person’s satisfaction with life, self image, and interaction with other people. Treatment and rehabilitation is usually tailored towards an individual’s previous social identity. It is important that a patient engages in activities that align with their social identity and sense of belonging. This is meant to strengthen the sense of who they are as well as provide a sense of purpose and satisfaction in life. It is thus important to provide for a strong social support to increase sense of belonging, sense of purpose, and hope for the patient as well as to improve their mental wellbeing. This can be aided by reintroducing social identities and meaningful activities.
Oliver Sacks in his book an anthropologist on Mars describes his emphasis on focusing on individuality of patients when administering treatment rather than focusing on the disease. He emphasizes on the need to understand the patient’s to know who they are and to understand their experiences. He considers this as a better approach as opposed to observing the disease from outside and trying to understand the physical. He also notes that as the human brain is complex and cannot be observed physically or understood from behavior and thus it was necessary to understand who the patient is from the inside.
Oliver Sacks views align with those discussed in this paper as it emphasizes on the need for using previous social identity for treatment and rehabilitation of patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. In order to understand the patient’s previous social identity, one has to be aware of their conditions and living situation before the onset of the disease and this would probably entail understanding their family and relatives as well as other social interactions and professional life. Maintaining the patient’s social identity and sense of belonging helps improve their mental wellbeing. This approach advocated by Oliver Sacks goes against the practice of just prescribing a person medicine to treat a disease once they are diagnosed with it without understanding their background and taking care of those needs as well.
Conclusion
Neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s affect a person’s quality of life as well as their ability to perform in many aspects of society including work. Their ability to deny a person of physical functionality as well as mental wellbeing means that the person is not able to perform many everyday tasks that they would otherwise have been able to perform. With work providing a feeling of purpose and satisfaction as well as a sense of identity, being unable to do it can take a toll on the mental health of a patient and lead to emotions such as depression and apathy described above. It is important to keep patients engaged in tasks that they identified with before they had the disease as it helps to maintain their mental well being and sense of hope.
Works cited
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