Emotional Health

Depression is thought to impact around 9% of people with bleeding disorders.² People with bleeding disorders have the stressors of everyday life combined with their chronic illness. This can exacerbate feelings of depression. Depression appears to be connected to bleeds, hospital visits, quality of life, and joint pain issues.

Detecting Depression

Depression isn't just a few days of bad moods and feeling down or sad. Depression includes persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness which can be strong enough to interfere with everyday life.

The National Institute of Mental Health has a list of signs of depression in adults.

Here are some signs of depression to look for²:

• Frequent sadness, tearfulness, or crying
• Decreased interest in activities and hobbies
• Hopelessness
• Persistent boredom or low energy
• Social isolation
• Low self-esteem and guilt
• Increased irritability, anger, or hostility
• Frequent complaints of physical illnesses, such as headaches and stomachaches
• Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
• Changes in eating and/or sleeping patterns
• Thoughts or expressions of suicidal or self-destructive behavior
• Abuse of drugs or alcohol
• Suicide attempts or thoughts of suicide or death

Addressing Depression:

It is important to get help if you think you are depressed. Talk to your Hemophilia Treatment Center (HTC), primary care provider, or mental health professional about resources and recommendations. Additional information can also be found in the Finding Resources section.

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health disorders in the US. In the bleeding disorder community, it is thought to impact 10.1% of people.¹ People with bleeding disorders have worries and concerns of everyday life combined with their chronic illness. This can exacerbate feelings of anxiety. Like depression, anxiety appears to be connected to bleeds, hospital visits, quality of life, and joint pain issues in people with bleeding disorders.

Detecting Anxiety

Occasional worrying and anxiety are feelings almost everyone experiences, especially related to stressful life events. Anxiety involves worrying and other symptoms that do not go away and can get worse. Anxiety includes symptoms like worrying, restlessness and feelings of dread that interfere with your everyday life. The National Institute of Mental Health has a list of general signs of anxiety in adults.

Here are some signs of anxiety to look for¹:

• Uncontrollable worry
• Persistent feelings of dread
• Feeling restless or on-edge
• Fatigue
• Social isolation
• Increased irritability, anger, or hostility
• Frequent complaints of physical illnesses, such as headaches, muscle aches and stomachaches
• Difficulty concentrating
• Changes in appetite or weight
• Change in sleep patterns and difficulty falling or staying asleep

Addressing Anxiety:

It is important to get help if you think you are suffering with anxiety. Talk to your Hemophilia Treatment Center (HTC), primary care provider, or mental health professional about resources and recommendations. Additional information can also be found in the Finding Resources section.

Grief is a very normal yet strong emotion to feel after a loss. The loss can be associated with a person, who was important in your life or who you deeply cared about but can also be connected to a medical diagnosis you or a loved one received. The process of grieving is very personal. There are no timelines and no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to deal with grief.

Stages of Grief⁴

Grieving is a natural and complex process. There are many models explaining how someone moves through grief. One of the most well-known models breaks grief down into different stages. Not everyone experiences the stages in the same order and the process is rarely linear. You may move through different stages at different paces, and you may not feel emotions to the same intensity or in the same order. You may circle through all stages and then go back to the beginning. You may go from stage 1 directly to stage 4. You may stay at stage 2 for a long time. As hard as it is, it’s important to allow yourself to go through the grieving process and remember you are not alone.

• Denial: Following closely after shock, denial may be used to cushion the reality that is unfolding. During this stage you may think or even say, "This can’t be happening to me."
• Anger: These are true and intense feelings of rage. They may be directed towards your family members, yourself, friends, or health care providers.
• Bargaining: You may try to make a deal, bargain, or promise with the universe, asking, "If I do this, will you take away the loss?"
• Depression: At this stage, you may feel emotionally and physically drained from the experience. You may have overwhelming feelings of hopelessness, frustration, bitterness, or self-pity. You may also mourn the loss of your hopes, dreams, and plans.
• Acceptance: Once you reach this stage, you will begin to feel that anger, sadness, and mourning have lessened. You will start to see the reality of the loss clearly and acknowledge the life change it has brought.