Many people with Parkinson’s find the attention that its symptoms draws from other people uncomfortable and unpleasant. The erratic, lurching gait common in the middle to late stages of Parkinson’s sometimes causes the misimpression that the person with Parkinson’s is intoxicated. Slowness to respond, physically and mentally, and rigidity of the facial muscles that causes the classic, expressionless masked face can make the person with Parkinson’s appear to be uninterested or to be ignoring other people. These aspects of Parkinson’s are frustrating to the person with the disease; feeling the need to explain them to others, especially those who know nothing about Parkinson’s disease, compounds the frustration. The symptoms of Parkinson’s disease can be particularly distressing for younger people with early-onset Parkinson’s disease, who find that symptoms such as tremors draw attention even when they do not interfere with everyday activities.
Embarrassment causes many people with Parkinson’s to withdraw from social activities and to resist going to public places such as shopping malls. This reaction leads to a sense of isolation and often to depression. Friends and family can help by encouraging the person with Parkinson’s to venture out when crowds are likely to be light and anti-parkinson’s medications are at peak effectiveness and by planning outings to minimize difficult situations. Keeping a sense of humor and trying to stay calm when symptoms do manifest in public can help to overcome feelings of anxiety that arise.
