Dealing with cerebral palsy means we get to deal with other problems too. We don’t just wake up one morning with a disability and we automatically know how to cope.
Depression and anxiety are both common effects of cerebral palsy, for those coping with the condition. These conditions are not necessarily unique to cerebral palsy sufferers, people with other conditions can also suffer the same effects.
People with a disability are three or four times more likely to suffer from depression than their counter parts. A lack of emotional support, being unable to cope with the enormity of what we have to deal with, can bring about issues relating to low self-worth, resulting in depression.
People living under the microscope of cerebral palsy also have to deal with pain, sometimes on a daily basis and it’s the pain that can lead them to live a life under the same cloud. Children with cerebral palsy may also be prone to the effects of depression due to a lack of understanding of what they deal with.
They may also be embarrassed about how they look and walk, particularly in front of other children. There are other problems they face, such as being singled out and picked on, which may also contribute to problems with depression.
There is little information out there about ageing and cerebral palsy. I tend to worry less when I am more informed about things. We may also go on to experience the effects of fatigue and arthritis.
As a consequence, we may experience limited movement, as we begin to slow down.