Parkinson disease can affect anyone, young or old. It can be highly depressing and isolating to be diagnosed with Parkinson disease at any age. However, you are not alone. I was as well diagnosed at the age of 28 and it’s been 12 years now. And I’m fine with it!
Studies showed that 35% of people diagnosed with Parkinson disease suffer from anxiety at a given point in time. To avoid falling into anxiety and depression, the best advice I can give you is to stay positive, lively and connected to your support groups. There is no form of support group that will help you better than another. In fact, it all depends on how you usually like to mingle around and discuss your issues.
Here are some support channels for Parkinson disease people you can think of and try to choose one or many of them:
1. Participate in local group activities: Since the COVID-19, many activities moved online and remained online since then. The ones I recommend are run by Parkinson’s UK because they offer various topics such as baking, mindfulness, exercise and others on a regular basis. Click here to know more!
2. Volunteering or tutoring: Parkinson’s UK offer more than 200 volunteering opportunities across UK. Check this out here !
3. Participate in Parkinson Disease webinars: There are many live webinars where you can join online for free to learn about various aspects of living with Parkinson disease and to be informed about any new medical breakthroughs regarding the disease. I recommend the webinars of the Michael J. Fox Foundation that are organized on the third Thursday of every month at 12 p.m. ET. Check this out here !
4. Get involved in your neighborhood: Again, Parkinson’s UK can help you find your closest support group. Check this out here!
5. Enroll in an online exercise class: There are a lot of classes of Pilates that are run onsite or online. One example I would recommend is the one organized by Parkinson’s UK on a weekly basis every Tuesday from 13:00 to 14:00. Click here to know more!
6. Contact a chat service: If you prefer chatting over the phone, I suggest you try this service from Healthful Chat. Check this out here!
That’s about it in this post. Hope that was helpful somehow.
If you feel isolated with Parkinson disease and need support in identifying the best option for you to stay connected, please contact me by clicking below.