Multiple Sclerosis and Depression - Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Information, and resources

Depression is very common in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). In fact, symptoms of depression severe enough to require medical intervention affect up to half of all people with MS at some point during their illness.

Why Do People With Multiple Sclerosis Also Have Depression?

Depression may be the result of a difficult situation or stress. It is easy to understand how having MS, with its potential for progressing to permanent disability, can bring on depression.
Depression may be caused by MS. MS may destroy the insulating myelin that surrounds nerves that transmit signals affecting mood.
Depression is also a side effect of some drugs used to treat MS, such as steroids or interferon.

What Are the Symptoms of Depression?

Everyone at one time or another has felt depressed, sad, or blue. Sometimes the feeling of sadness becomes intense, lasting for long periods of time and preventing a person from leading a normal life. This is depression, a mental illness that, if left untreated, can worsen, lasting for years and causing untold suffering, and possibly even resulting in suicide. It is important to recognize the signs of depression, which include:

Sadness
Loss of energy
Feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness
Loss of enjoyment from things that were once pleasurable
Difficulty concentrating
Uncontrollable crying
Difficulty making decisions
Irritability
Increased need for sleep
Inability to fall or stay asleep at night (insomnia)
Unexplained aches and pains
Stomachache and digestive problems
Decreased sex drive
Sexual problems
Headache
A change in appetite causing weight loss or gain
Thoughts of death or suicide
Attempting suicide

When to Seek Help for Depression With Multiple Sclerosis

If you have depression along with multiple sclerosis, you should seek help if:

Depression is negatively affecting your life — causing difficulties with relationships, work issues, or family disputes — and there isn’t a clear solution to these problems.
If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts or feelings.

Where Should I Go to Get Help for Depression?

Once you decide to seek medical help, start with your primary doctor. He or she can evaluate you to make sure that medicines or another illness are not causing your symptoms.

Your doctor may prescribe treatment or refer you to a mental health care professional who can perform a thorough assessment so that an effective course of treatment can be recommended.