Many people who experience this condition start to avoid social situations and isolate themselves from others.
Laura Porter / Verywell
What Is Pseudobulbar Affect (PBA)?
PBA is uncontrolled crying or laughing that is above the expected response to the emotion felt or situation.
Laura Porter / Verywell
The feeling experienced internally is significantly less than the level expressed outwardly and is difficult to control.
The symptoms are out of the individuals control and are difficult or impossible to consciously stop.
PBA is underdiagnosed because the symptoms are typically under-reported.
When symptoms are reported it can often be misdiagnosed for other mood disorders, like bipolar disorder or depression.
Who Is at Risk?
They may also use standardized questionnaires to assess your symptoms.
They will also review any medications you are taking and your medical history for possible causes of the symptoms.
The goal of treatment is to reduce the frequency and severity of emotional outbursts.
Treatment of PBA typically includes drugs used for other mood disorders like depression.
Trycyclic antidepressants and selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitors are commonly used in smaller doses than what is used for treating depression.
Since then, Neudexta has become the primary treatment for PBA.
It affects mental, social, and emotional health.
Coping
With treatment, the number of emotional outbursts can be reduced.
This helps people to feel more comfortable going out for social events.
There are no cures for PBA and medications dont guarantee emotional outbursts will be completely stopped.
The condition is manageable and coping strategies can be used to help reduce anxiety and stress about laughing disorder.
PBA can take a toll on an individuals mental health.
Measuring the exact number can be difficult because the disorder is often underreported and misdiagnosed.
PA is often misdiagnosed for depression and bipolar disorder.
Yes, pseudobulbar affect (PA) is considered common after a stroke.
Depression is more commonly experienced by people with PA as a result of stroke and Parkinson’s disease.
Ahmed A, Simmons Z.Pseudobulbar affect: prevalence and management.Ther Clin Risk Manag.
Cochrane Methodology Review Group, ed.Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.Art.2017;2:MR000033.
doi:10.1002/14651858.MR000033.pub3
National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences.Pseudobulbar Affect.
