Shared from myparkinsonsteam.com.
People often think of Parkinson’s disease as simply a movement disorder, but it also has nonmotor symptoms — symptoms unrelated to movement. Many people living with Parkinson’s show behaviors that are troubling to the person and their family. These behavioral changes can be a symptom of Parkinson’s, or they may be a side effect of medication.
Members of MyParkinsonsTeam have described many behavioral changes that range from annoying to life-threatening. Some people with Parkinson’s disease struggle with anger or impulsive behavior that can affect their friends and family members. Others have hallucinations that cause them to act in ways that don’t make sense to their caregivers. In addition, attention and motivation problems are common and make everyday tasks harder. These behavioral changes can sometimes have an impact on quality of life and put people with Parkinson’s in danger.
Fortunately, there are treatments that can help. With careful monitoring and support from loved ones, people living with Parkinson’s disease can manage these behavior symptoms and sometimes even use the symptoms to their advantage.
Read on to learn about five behavioral changes to watch out for, including how common they are, what causes them, and how they can be treated.
