Muscle stiffness, anxiety, depression, and phobias often occur together in people with a little-known disorder called stiff person syndrome (SPS). Correctly diagnosing SPS is key to properly treating both the physical and mental symptoms.
What is Stiff Person Syndrome?
- SPS is a rare progressive neurological disease affecting just 1-2 in 1 million people.
- It leads to stiff, rigid muscles in the torso, limbs, and neck. Unexpected noises or stress can trigger painful muscle spasms.
- SPS involves antibodies attacking cells that make GABA, a chemical messenger that relaxes muscles after contractions. Without enough GABA, muscles stay tightly contracted.
Symptoms of Stiff Person Syndrome:
- Muscle stiffness and pain that comes and goes at first but gets worse over time
- Heightened sensitivity and frequent falling due to rigid, inflexible muscles
- Sudden, severe muscle spasms and cramps when startled
- Anxiety, phobias, and depression
SPS and Mental Health: What’s the Link?
Research shows people with SPS have a 6-11 times higher risk of anxiety disorders and depression compared to the general population. There are two reasons behind this connection:
- Dealing with stiff, painful muscles understandably worsens quality of life and mental health.
- Reduced GABA is also linked to anxiety, mood disorders, and insomnia.
Despite these common psychiatric symptoms, SPS is often initially misdiagnosed. Doctors see the anxiety and depression and chalk up all the symptoms as psychological rather than recognizing the underlying neurological cause.
Getting Properly Diagnosed and Treated
Mental health issues should not rule out a possible SPS diagnosis. In fact, they may provide a clue pointing to SPS. Considering both physical and emotional factors leads to better care.
With accurate SPS diagnosis, GABA-enhancing medications, antispasmodics, and immunotherapies can treat both muscle stiffness and mental health effects. Stopping the progression of SPS and easing symptoms greatly improves overall wellbeing.
The Takeaway
Look beyond anxiety and depression. Recognizing accompanying neurological diseases like SPS leads to proper treatment and a path to healing, both physically and mentally.
Learn more about the scientific research on stiff person syndrome in the original study published on PubMed: Stiff-Person Syndrome and Psychiatric Comorbidities: A Systematic Review.
