FIBRO FACT

FIBRO FACT: Over 50 percent of fibromyalgia patients also suffer from depression. So depression is common in people with fibromyalgia and it is a serious illness in it's own right let alone when mixed with the cocktail of symptoms fibro sufferers experience.

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"The pain is stealthy. It slowly morphs into depression and the depression is a danger in itself."  Rosemary at Seeking Equilibrium.

In one 2016 survey, of 671 people with fibromyalgia, over 63 percent  indicated that they had been diagnosed with depression.

In a large Canadian study those with FMS had approximately three times higher odds of depression in comparison with those without FMS, even when controlling for important socio-demographic characteristics. "30 to 50 percent of patients have anxiety and/or depression at the time of diagnosis."

When you have depression, it interferes with daily life and causes mental pain for you and those who care about you. The same can be said of fibromyalgia.

WHY FIBROMYALGIA &  DEPRESSION OFTEN OCCUR TOGETHER:

• Fibromyalgia (FM) may contribute biologically to depression.
• FM sufferers may become depressed as a reaction to the diagnosis, the pain and/or incapacity caused by the FM or its treatment.
• Depression and FM may be unrelated, even though occurring together.

PERSONAL STORIES: Fibro Blogger articles about depression and fibromyalgia from real people with fibromyalgia and depression:
Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
Depression and taking off the mask... how I hate admitting it
Psychobiotics and the dark chocolate connection
Hulking Gray Beast
Depression, Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain

HELPFUL SITES ABOUT DEPRESSION:
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA)
Mental Health America
National Institute of Mental Health

If you have an article about fibro and depression please let us know so we can add it here.

RESOURCES:

Majority of Fibromyalgia Patients Also Diagnosed With Depression, Anxiety 

Fuller-Thomson E, Nimigon-Young J, Brennenstuhl S. Individuals with fibromyalgia and depression: findings from a nationally representative Canadian survey. Rheumatol Int. 2012 Apr;32(4):853-62. [PubMed] [Reference list]