Chronic Illness Symptoms – Psychological Symptoms

Depression, anxiety, and other psychological symptoms are very common among people with chronic illnesses. There are some chronic conditions, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression, that have primary bio-psychiatric causes. Other conditions, such as multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases, may cause physiological and chemical changes to the brain that produce psychological symptoms. There are also psychological symptoms, such as depression and anxiety, that can emerge as a result of having a chronic, unpredictable illness.

Biological research has largely dispelled the notion that biological and psychological illnesses are distinct from one another. Psychiatric illnesses have physiological, chemical, and inheritable characteristics, just like any other medical condition. It is long past time to dismiss the view that people with psychological or psychiatric illnesses are weak or have character flaws, and to treat them fully and respectfully, just as any other medical condition would be treated.

Whether psychological symptoms are a cause or an effect of illness, they can increase the misery and disability associated with being sick. For example, fatigue, poor sleep, pain, cognitive symptoms, and isolation can produce or amplify feelings of depression or anxiety. In addition, chronic illness may lead people to lose things that are important to them – such as their jobs, friends, favorite foods or hobbies – and these losses can also lead to feelings of depression.

Treatment for psychological symptoms often combines pharmaceutical medications with psychological counseling. Individuals should be aware that some pharmaceutical treatments can cause side effects such as sleepiness, fatigue, and nausea; it's recommended that people work closely with their healthcare team to find a treatment that will offer the greatest benefit with the least side effects.

Patricia Fennell's Four-Phase Treatment (FFPT) model looks at an individual's complete spectrum of symptoms and functional capacities and offers a whole-person, individualized approach to illness management. FFPT examines a person's symptoms, what phase of illness he or she is in, and his or her symptoms and capacities, then designs a treatment plan that incorporates every aspect of the person's life. For more information about the capacities of chronic illnesses (pain, fatigue, poor sleep, cognition and thinking, walking and other movement, mood, and gastrointestinal symptoms), please see the categories at left.

Ultimately, the Fennell Four Phase Model and the Albany Health Management Associates approach to health management seeks to help people identify the most effective treatments; comply with medical, alternative, and psychological therapies; and learn to better self-manage their lives and their chronic illnesses.

If you would like more information about the Albany Health Management Associates approach to treating chronic illness, please contact us.