But if the sadness is severe or long lasting, you may be experiencing clinical depression along with your medical condition.
Clinical depression is a serious but treatable illness.
Depression is more likely to occur along with certain other medical illnesses and conditions, such as cancer, heart disease, Parkinson' s disease, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, hormonal disorders, and following a stroke. Although common, co-occurring depression frequently goes undetected and untreated. This is often because people wrongly assume it's a normal reaction to one's medical illness. Research suggests that recognition and treatment of co-occurring depression may improve the outcome of the medical condition, improve quality of life, and reduce the patient's pain and disability. Apathy, poor concentration and memory loss are found in depression and in Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease.