Relationships
Changes in relationship dynamics are common when someone
has Parkinson's and can occur at any stage of the condition. These
changes may affect both sexual and platonic relationships. They may
occur in relationships with partners, siblings, children, and
friends. Factors that may contribute to these changes include:
Reactions to diagnosis are extremely variable. Some people are
very fearful and assume that they will be very disabled very
quickly, while others expect only minimal disability. Expectations
may differ between the person with Parkinson's and their partner
and this can cause conflict. It is important to obtain as much
information about Parkinson's as possible to ensure that your
expectations are as realistic as possible. It is also important to
discuss these with your partner, family and friends.
- Changing dynamics within a relationship
Parkinson's can bring with it many changes to the personal
circumstances of the person with Parkinson's and of their families.
Role reversals may occur and this can create stresses. For
instance, the person with Parkinson's may have been the chief
breadwinner and have had to give up their job. The family may be
surviving on a reduced income, or the partner may have had to take
on responsibility for being the breadwinner. The partner may have
to take on cooking and other domestic tasks that the person with
Parkinson's was responsible for. Partners can often feel
overburdened with the additional roles they have to take on and the
person with Parkinson's may feel that they have no role. This can
lead to hostility, resentment, and feelings of loss and
powerlessness.
- Problems with communication
Parkinson's can affect all types of communication – verbal and
written communications, facial expression and body language. The
person may find it hard to initiate or maintain conversations, if
their speech is affected. Misunderstandings may arise because of
the lack of facial expression – a partner may think someone is
cross or annoyed about something or uninterested because they have
difficulty with facial expression.
Depression can be a very common feature of Parkinson's and can
have a profound effect on relationships and lead to social
isolation. Mood swings can also occur as a result of fluctuations
in dopamine levels in the brain and may be linked to the timing of
drugs.
Some people with Parkinson's tend to withdraw from society and
become very introverted. Loss of social standing within the family
group and work environments can lead to feelings of reduced
self-worth and reluctance to socialise. People with Parkinson's can
be embarrassed by their symptoms. If friends are unsupportive or
don't understand, or if reactions from members of the general
public are not positive, this situation can be made worse.
Some people withdraw from social life as a result and this can
be just as isolating for the family members as it is for the person
with Parkinson's.
Fatigue for both the person with Parkinson's and their partner
can also be a problem. Parkinson's can be very tiring and if a
partner has to take on a lot of extra roles, they too will feel
tired. Tiredness can affect relationships and make people more
short-tempered.
For more information, our Sex and Intimate Relationships booklet
is available to download or order from our Publications pages.
You can also download our Talking to children about Parkinson's
information sheet from our Information
sheets page.
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