Motor neurone disease (MND) is likely to affect your emotions, not only when you receive the diagnosis, but as you face the changes ahead. This includes mixed emotions that can feel challenging.
Thinking and behaviour can also change for some people with MND.
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“It’s important to stress that although people may not want to discuss things immediately, they can always seek help at a later stage.”
Person with MND
How can I manage difficult emotions?
A diagnosis of MND is emotional for everyone involved. Feelings can be unpredictable and intense, but these are natural reactions and to be expected. Some people with MND experience changes to emotions, thinking and behaviour, which may need specific support.
Informing other people can feel emotionally challenging, but once people know what's happening, you can all support each other. See our guide on Telling people about MND for help to open conversations with family, children, friends, colleagues and health or social care professionals.
Identifying emotions and their likely causes can help you find ways to manage them. Most emotions come and go, but if you feel consistently anxious or distressed, ask your GP or health and social care team for guidance.
See our Emotional and psychological support guide for support and further detail.
What is emotional lability?
Emotional lability (also known as pseudo-bulbar effect) causes emotional responses that may not match how you really feel. For example, laughing or crying at inappropriate times. This does not affect everyone with MND.
When it does happen, it can be difficult to control, which can feel distressing for you and those close to you.
“Sometimes I knew he wanted to laugh, but it came out as tears. Friends would think they had upset him and I had to explain it was just a response he couldn’t help.”
In most cases, this symptom is temporary and eases over time. Recognising this, and making others aware of it may make it easier to manage.
If emotional lability is causing anxiety, ask your neurologist or wider health and social care team for guidance. There may be techniques or medication that can help.
See our Emotional and psychological support guide for support and further detail.
Will my thinking and behaviour change?
With MND, some people experience changes to their thinking and behaviour, including the way they take in information, process language, express emotion and react to others. The effects are usually mild, but can be more severe.
You can be assessed with a simple screening process. This is usually carried out by a relevant professional (such as a psychologist). Ask your GP about a referral if needed – this may be carried out at a clinic, MND care centre or network, or neurology department at a local hospital.
See our guide about Changes to thinking and behaviour with MND for support and further detail.
What is frontotemporal dementia?
A small number of people with MND develop frontotemporal dementia (FTD), which causes more severe changes to thinking, behaviour and language. This can have a major impact on daily life and requires a higher level of support.
It is different to Alzheimer’s, as it tends not to affect memory. However, frontotemporal dementia can make it harder to process and understand information.
See our guide about Changes to thinking and behaviour with MND for support and further detail.
Page last updated: 17 January 2023
Next review: January 2025