You can get a better description here.
Neither. It is a physical disability. Ataxia can be caused by a brain injury or stroke, however the variety of ânamedâ ataxias are caused by issues at a cellular level eg. Friedreichâs Ataxia is caused by lack of Frataxin, a chemical that is needed for cells to digest iron properly. This results in damage to the nervous system. Whilst the brain is a part of the nervous system, it is not responsible for this damage.
I consider ataxia to be a neuromuscular disorder. Ataxia is not a disease. Some people with ataxia are depressed, which is a mental illness, due to a chemical imbalance in the brain, but not everyone that has ataxia suffers from depression. Just my opinion...,;o)
Ataxia does not cause depression. You can be depressed because you have Ataxia, however the two are not necessarily linked.
It is Neurological. There are so many symptoms and types of ataxia. I have cerabellar ataxia and I don't have mental illness as far as I have heard. My ataxia affects the cerabellum, and causes much uncoordination.
BRILLIANT
Kati said:
Ataxia is a neurological condition causes loss of automatic skills such as balance and co-ordination, which people without Ataxia can do without thinking about.
As a genetic condition, a gene triggers the progression. Ataxia can also be acquired through brain injury and as a result of metabolic disorders affecting the same areas of the brain.
Mental illness is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain but people can also become mentally ill after head injuries. If a condition can cause a progression of cognitive abilities it will affect your emotions and perception so you may perceive the world as been against you (as a disabled person) or people not wanting to be with you because you feel they are ashamed of you for example. This type of paranoia is not the same as someone with bipolar disorder for example or schizophrenia...for whom medication can often help if its due to a chemical imbalance.
People with progressive conditions can get depression of course and we can all suffer depression from life events such as death of a loved one and/or loss of skills, but again this is different to clinical depression where someone with seemingly no apparent reason to be depressed can suffer from severe depressive episodes. Again this can be due to a chemical imbalance in the brain and can often be controlled by medication.
Just because you have been diagnosed with Ataxia does not necessarily mean you will suffer depression from then on for the rest of your life. That will depend on your personality, beliefs, support etc.
I've been depressed in my life at times because of circumstances. I was going through a divorce. I was devastated. I got over it. (Frankly I should have sent him a thank you card for leaving! :-) )No chemical imbalance there. Just real life.
I think "depression" is an often misunderstood thing and since it ranges in severity I wonder if at some point it is not a chemical imbalance but then in its more severe cases it is a chemical imbalance. I had what they would term clinical depression for two years before I finally got medicated. The moment I was on the medication my insomnia cleared up within a week, in fact, all symptoms were gone within a week. That would evidence to me that my body was missing something chemically which the pills replaced. Here is some info on depression in general but it is a big subject http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/clinical-depression/AN01057
In 1979 I had severe post natal depression, this is now recognised as a chemical imbalance.
At the time I got next to no help and it lingered, putting pressure on my bonding with the baby
and also my marriage. It turned into a continuous depression, and then we lost our business,
ending up in an 8yr court battle. My second child was born in 1985, I was terrified the birth
would trigger another deep depression.
During this period I think symptoms of Ataxia were starting to show, re balance, de ja vu, I had
a seizure.
By the time I got diagnosis (2011), I would have gone to Switzerland.
All I can say is, thank you Sertraline. I take the minimum dose and it's helped me enormously.
So do I !!!!
James E. Harnest said:
Sorry guys, I like Lore's response the best!
No one ever tells you the real truth about Ataxiia. Everyone just tells you so much, and then they stop. We really need to know what the future holds and how things will progress !!
James E. Harnest said:
Sorry guys, I like Lore's response the best!
This is so true Tyler. I recently went to a ataxia research center and I was a victim and not a patient. We can actually take care of ourselves thru our own research.
tyler said:
No one ever tells you the real truth about Ataxiia. Everyone just tells you so much, and then they stop. We really need to know what the future holds and how things will progress !!
James E. Harnest said:Sorry guys, I like Lore's response the best!
I don't think any of us knows everything. I think we might stop because were frustrated. We dont know WHY we got ataxia. We just know how we feel. Some people feel better then others. Everyone of us does something different for the small HOPE of getting better. We know our future is not pretty. But we hang on to what ever chance or hope we can. I know none of us knows what our future holds!
tyler said:
No one ever tells you the real truth about Ataxiia. Everyone just tells you so much, and then they stop. We really need to know what the future holds and how things will progress !!
James E. Harnest said:Sorry guys, I like Lore's response the best!
Hi!
Here's a question for everybody.
If you were newly/recently diagnosed and had the opportunity to attend an informal
Seminar (just a small group) giving you information about Cerebellar Ataxia, would
you be interested?
Most of us have gleaned the bulk of our knowledge on the subject from on line
research, this can often be mis-interpreted leading to more distress.
At the point of diagnosis it's very hard to get your head around anything, often
you just don't want to know, if you don't think about it or refuse to accept it,
the problem might just go away. But, eventually you want answers/advice,
some accurate information you can rely on.
best regards
Beryl
yes, we would attend if it were local enough
I suppose your other answers are correct. Ataxia is not a mental illness - but I do wonder if there's a connection because I find myself getting confused from time to time.
Disease | Define Disease at Dictionary.com
dictionary.reference.com/browse/disease
disease dis¡ease (dÄ-zÄz') n. A pathological condition of a body part, an organ, or a system resulting from various causes, such as infection, genetic defect, or environmental stress, and characterized by an identifiable group of signs or symptoms. Slang definitions & phrases for disease Expand.
I didn't know so I looked it up.
Neurological dissorders are complicated but I can clear this up. Ataxia is a symptom of a genetic disease, virus, drug/alcohol abuse and/or injury. There are different types of Ataxia, such as cerebellar, sensory and vestibular. The type of Ataxia one has is due to the portion of the brain that is affected. There are over 200 known causes of Ataxia and each cause will include other symptoms along with Ataxia and mental dissability can be one of these in some cases.
Here are some examplesâŚ
Spinocerebellar ataxia type 17 is characterized by ataxia, dementia, and involuntary movements, including chorea and dystonia. Psychiatric symptoms, pyramidal signs, and rigidity are common.
Spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 is characterized by progressive cerebellar ataxia, dysarthria, and eventual deterioration of bulbar functions. Later signs include slowing of saccadic velocity, development of up-gaze palsy, dysmetria, dysdiadochokinesia, and hypotonia. In advanced stages, muscle atrophy, decreased deep tendon reflexes, loss of proprioception, cognitive impairment (e.g., frontal executive dysfunction, impaired verbal memory), chorea, dystonia, and bulbar dysfunction are seen.
You know what? You are so right, thank you for saying that. I think the same way and I am proud when I hear someone say that itâs not a disease.
Lori said:
Sorry But I do not like to think I have a Mental illness. I may be sad but I wont allow myself to go into a depression. I would say it is a Brain disorder. I'm sorry I just don't like the word Disease. To me that's like Herpes, aids, rashes, fungus, shingles, Ect. Those to me are diseases. Ataxia is a Neurological Disorder. A disability. Just my opinion!
I am delighted to see a post on here as I had completely forgotten all about it. However, I really dont like the suggestion that any type of ataxia is a mental illness,
You only have to google the word to find the explanation.