These medical conditions could alter your personality

Darielle Britto | Nov 5, 2019, 12:21 IST
Changes in your personality are normal as you get older. However, certain health conditions could also alter it. "A major shift in personality could represent underlying pathology," Dr Michele Leno, DML Psychological Services, PLLC, told a news portal."If personality changes are triggered by a certain event and continue for weeks or months, then it is often an indication that there is an imbalance in the body," Holistic health advocate Dr Ron Ehrlich told a news portal. If you have been feeling different lately or noticed someone close to you who has, you need to seek professional help.Here are some medical issues that could cause personality changes.

* Depression
Depression is a common health condition many people around the world suffer from. It can dramatically alter a person's personality and mood. "[Depression] can effect our sleep, our appetite, our concentration, our outlook on life, and how we spend our downtime," Tiffany Ashenfelter, a Licensed Professional Counselor in Dallas, TX, told a news portal.It is important to get a check-up in order to tackle this issue.

Health and wellness expert Caleb Backe of Maple Holisics told a news portal: "Much like menopause, hyperthyroidism results in a number of changes in hormone levels which could induce a number of changes in personality such as stress, anxiety, mood swings and even depression."

*Alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer’s disease kills brain cells. Depending on where in the brain region these cells die, it can have a negative impact and cause personality issues. If cells die in the hippocampus, it can damage thinking, judgment, memory, and decision-making.

*Parkinson’s disease
Parkinson’s Disease is a medical condition that can get worse as it progresses. At first, you will notice your hands start to shake uncontrollably. Over time, you will start to notice it have an impact on your body and alter your personality.

*Huntington’s disease
This disease is a genetic disorder that can cause a lot of damage to brain cells for people in their 30s and 40s. This can cause one to go through mood swings and dramatically alter an individual's personality. A person can feel rage and have difficulty thinking rationally due to the condition. It can even make performing daily and basic functions like brushing your teeth difficult.

*Brain tumour
The occurrence of abnormal cells in the brain is a brain tumour. There are different kinds of tumours and some can be cancerous. A person with a brain tumour can experience personality changes like confusion and anxiety.

“It’s important for patients and family members to discuss not only prognosis with their physician, but also the impact the tumour may have on thinking and personality given its location within the brain," Anne Kayl, PhD, a neuropsychologist at MD Anderson Cancer Center in the US, told a news portal.

Adding, “For most patients and families, this type of discussion can be a big relief. They recognize the changes are a result of something real and the patient realizes he or she isn’t ‘going crazy.’ Once we identify the problems in cognition, we can provide some ways to work around the deficits.”

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