Exploring the Emotional Impact of Hemophilia on World Mental Health Day

Hemophilia is a rare, lifelong condition in which the ability of a person's blood to clot properly is impaired due to a deficiency in clotting factor VIII (Hemophilia A) or factor IX (Hemophilia B).[1] As a result, people with hemophilia risk serious, excessive bleeding from everyday injuries as well as spontaneous bleeds into joints, muscles, and soft tissue that can result in joint damage and debilitating chronic pain.[2]

For Emil Wijnker, an elementary school teacher from Ontario, Canada, growing up with severe hemophilia A often meant experiencing loneliness and coming to grips with what it meant to be "different."

"As a young boy, I could not participate in schoolyard games of 'Red Rover' or football," says Emil. "Because I couldn't join in many of the typical playground activities, I found it difficult to make friends in my class. This self-exclusion had a negative impact on my mental health."

October 10th is World Mental Health Day, and the occasion reminds us that the connection between having a rare disease and struggling not just with the physical, but also the emotional challenges it brings is well-documented and needs to play a more prominent role in the national conversation taking place around mental health.

Given the constant physical impacts associated with hemophilia, it's understandable that over time the disease burden may manifest negative psychological implications as well. A recent global survey from Sanofi and Harris Poll found that nearly 39% of kids with hemophilia choose not to share their diagnosis with friends for fear of being treated differently. The constant threat of bleeding triggers fear and anxiety, while physical limitations can lead to depression. Survey findings reveal 59% of hemophilia patients experience feelings of anxiety and 51% experience feelings of depression at least once a week or more often.

As Emil says, "Mental health should be considered analogous to one's physical health. If you have an infection, you take steps to heal it. If you are experiencing mental health issues, you should take steps to address them as well."

Emil's full story and insights can be seen as part of Sanofi's six-part Hemophilia Through My Eyes video series here.

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