What you're going through sounds incredibly overwhelming, and it makes complete sense to be looking for others who understand this kind of complexity. You are absolutely not alone in dealing with mental health challenges alongside Parkinson's — it's actually more common than many people realize.
Mental health conditions Show Full Answer
What you're going through sounds incredibly overwhelming, and it makes complete sense to be looking for others who understand this kind of complexity. You are absolutely not alone in dealing with mental health challenges alongside Parkinson's — it's actually more common than many people realize.
Mental health conditions, including anxiety and depression, are well-recognized alongside Parkinson's. Psychosis specifically — including hallucinations and delusions — affects between 20% and 40% of people with Parkinson's at some point during the course of the disease. Parkinson's psychosis can involve:
- Visual hallucinations — seeing things that aren't there
- Auditory hallucinations — hearing voices or sounds
- Tactile hallucinations — feeling sensations that aren't real
- Delusions — strong beliefs that aren't based in reality
The progression you're describing — from auditory-only to now including visual and tactile — is consistent with how Parkinson's psychosis can evolve over time. Given how complex your situation is, having a neurologist AND a psychiatrist working closely together as a team is really important. They can carefully balance medications, since some Parkinson's medications can actually worsen psychosis symptoms, while some antipsychotics can worsen movement symptoms.
The good news is that newer medications exist that can help treat hallucinations and delusions without making movement symptoms worse — so it's worth having that specific conversation with your doctors. Many MyParkinsonsTeam members have shared similar struggles with hallucinations and overlapping symptoms. One member shared that their doctor reduced their medication dosage and the hallucinations stopped. Another described how frightening and stressful delusions can be for both the person experiencing them and their loved ones.
You're carrying a heavy load right now. Please keep leaning on your healthcare team and know that others in this community truly do understand.
July 5
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