The sense of loss of control that is part of living with a chronic disease can intensify when facing a transplant. For many people, these cumulative losses trigger emotional distress that can progress to depression. While each type of transplant brings with it unique types of fears and risks, some risk for depression cuts across the varied types of transplants. Fear of rejecting the new organ or tissue may be associated with post transplant depression early on. Recent studies suggest that 25 percent of heart transplant recipients are at risk for major depression three years after transplant.
Some research indicates decreased emotional well-being at five years after transplant.
Early studies indicated that some mild forms of depression were common in over two-thirds of kidney transplant patients, lingering even five to nine years after transplant. Decreased reliance on Prednisone for immunosuppression has led to a decrease in steroid-related mood states, but some risk for depression remains. The limited information available about liver transplant recipients suggests that at least mild depression is seen in close to 20 percent of patients. A number of factors increase the risk for developing depression. Grieving the losses mentioned earlier is part of the adaptive process.