I’m caring for someone with co-occurring conditions
Many people who are living with a physical or mental illness may experience multiple health issues at the same time. These are referred to as comorbidity or co-occurring conditions.
Co-occurring conditions could be multiple physical health conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease; or multiple mental health conditions such as depression and substance use disorder; or a combination of both, such as cancer and depression. Depression and anxiety are fairly common conditions experienced by people diagnosed with a life-limiting or life-threatening illness such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, or ALS.
Consult with your care recipient’s healthcare team
If the person you are caring for has symptoms of more than one physical and/or mental disorder, it is important to consult with their healthcare team to determine the best treatment options. The unique combination of symptoms will determine what combinations of medication and/or therapy is best.
It’s also important that all members of the healthcare team are aware of all medications and over-the-counter drugs your care recipient is taking, to minimize the risk of medication interactions.
Learn as much as you can
Learning about the different conditions your family member is experiencing will help you and your care recipient make informed decisions. Check out our tips for how to find credible information.
Get help:
- See also, I’m caring for someone with a chronic illness
- See also, I’m caring for someone with a mental illness
- See also, I’m caring for someone with depression
- Connect with other young caregivers in our online peer support group or be part of the conversation in our online forum
Not sure where to start? Call our 24/7 helpline or talk to us in our live chat to find resources in your community.
Sources:
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-comorbidity-3024480
https://www.nationalelfservice.net/other-health-conditions/comorbidity/
