Lifestyle Changes, Positive Outlook Can Aid Parkinson’s Fight: Expert

As Parkinson’s diagnoses rise, an expert says how someone receives a Parkinson’s diagnosis can either positively or negatively impact disease progression.

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A Parkinson’s diagnosis once meant inevitable decline, but that reality has shifted. Although rates have reached epidemic proportions in the United States, treatment options—which include lifestyle tweaks—have improved.

Now, there’s evidence that an optimistic mindset can positively influence the course of this progressive neurodegenerative disease. Conveying this hopeful message at the time of diagnosis is vital, according to experts.

New Report Aims to Improve Communication of Parkinson’s Diagnoses

In the United States, Parkinson’s disease diagnoses have nearly doubled to 90,000 annually since 2012, according to a 2022 Parkinson’s Foundation study. About 1 million Americans currently have Parkinson’s, and the number is estimated to rise to 1.2 million by 2030. The reasons for the increase remain unknown.

Rising neurodegenerative disease rates mean that more doctors are delivering this devastating diagnosis to people already psychologically vulnerable because of symptoms that they’re experiencing. According to experts, the approach to that delivery significantly impacts patient outlook and disease management.

A new University of California–Los Angeles report, informed by patient perspectives, identified common pitfalls in Parkinson’s diagnosis to create a guidebook for providers.

Lead author Dr. Indu Subramanian, a movement disorders neurologist, told The Epoch Times that the report came about after years of listening to patients who benefited from her positive approach to the disease, which promoted disease management and living better after “D-day”—the diagnosis day.

One patient was so depressed after receiving the diagnosis that they delayed seeking medical care for a long time, Dr. Subramanian said. Depressive symptoms—the most common psychiatric issue—affect 40 percent to 50 percent of Parkinson’s patients.

“So when you really started to listen to the patient voices and hear the sort of negative aspects of what they heard, maybe what their takeaway was, it was clear to me that something had to be done better,” she said.

How Patients Should Be Given a Parkinson’s Diagnosis

Parkinson’s care now enables doctors to confidently recommend lifestyle changes such as exercise, diet, and mind-body approaches to improve symptoms and empower patients at diagnosis, Dr. Subramanian said.

Having focused on social connection and support, she said there is substantial evidence that providers can motivate patients to address loneliness.

“I think many people find positivity eventually, even after a bad diagnosis,” Dr. Subramanian said. “But if it’s done right from the get-go, many people [will] feel they have someone who’s going to be part of the journey, that’s going to help guide them.”

The report advises changes to avoid shock and recommends the doctor encourage the patient to fight the condition with treatment and lifestyle changes. Diagnosis acceptance represents the first Parkinson’s “transition,” Dr. Subramanian said.

Splitting “D-Day” into two visits is one recommendation. Patients who are alone initially should bring a trusted friend or family member to the second visit, she said.

Dr. Subramanian advises telling patients that although they have Parkinson’s, lifestyle improvements can help them to live better. Providers should emphasize available support, including their own.

Positive Outlook Physically Helps Healing: Psychiatrist

A diagnosis delivery’s optimism or fatalism tremendously impacts post-diagnosis longevity, Dr. Carole Lieberman, a Beverly Hills, California, psychiatrist unaffiliated with the study, told The Epoch Times.

She said that this occurs in two ways:

• Hopeful diagnoses fully engage patients in treatment, optimizing recovery odds.
• Through psychoneuroimmunology, the study of the interaction between the immune system and central nervous system, outlook affects physical health, Dr. Lieberman said. “A positive outlook sends a message to the cells of the body to repair themselves.”