Mental health is defined by the World Health Organization as a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.

Mental health disorders are common in the United States, and each year approximately one quarter of the population suffers from one or more disorders.  Mental health is a taboo subject in American culture.  Many individuals are afraid to ask for help when they feel low or overwhelmed due to the stigma associated with mental health disorders.

Maintaining emotional health can be a challenge for anyone, but is even more difficult for those that have CKD as well as those recovering from a transplant.  Patients experience a wide range of feelings as they adjust to the realities of kidney failure and dialysis. Depression is one of the most common psychological disorders diagnosed among kidney patients.  It has been shown that approximately 20-30 percent of ESRD patients suffer from depressive symptoms. This percentage also holds true for transplant recipients. In a recent review released in The Transplant Journal, researchers analyzed the Medicare claims of 47,000 kidney recipients revealing a depression incidence of nearly 10 percent.

Depression can be difficult to diagnose in kidney patients, given one of the primary indicators is fatigue. However, talking to your doctor or social worker if you have any other symptoms of depression about treatment will greatly improve your body’s responses to your dialysis treatments. If left untreated, depression can affect albumin and hemoglobin levels in both dialysis patients and transplant patients. Additionally, depressed patient populations have a higher risk of treatment noncompliance.  Noncompliance to treatment can lead to kidney graft rejection in transplant patients and increased hospitalization for dialysis patients.

Building social support, eating with your mental health in mind, and stress management are important steps that promote good mental health. Taking steps to ensure good mental health will not only make you feel better, but will also improve your ESRD treatment or transplant recovery.

For more information about the importance of mental health visit our web page to learn more.