One in five people with Parkinson's disease charged with being drunk – investigation

According to one survey, one in five people with Parkinson's disease have been accused of being drunk because of their symptoms.

About 22% of people with the condition reported that others thought they were under the influence of alcohol because of a lack of balance or speech disorders, according to a study conducted by the charity Parkinson's UK.

In the meantime, one-quarter (24%) of respondents reported that their slow movement and speech were misinterpreted as a developmental disability, and 10% said they were being mocked.

The survey also revealed that more than half (57%) of clients had canceled their plans or avoided social situations because of the discomfort caused by their symptoms or the fear that people felt for their reaction.

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Parkinson's disease is a degenerative neurological condition that can develop at any age, causing symptoms such as involuntary tremors, slow movements and stiff or inflexible muscles.

It is estimated that the disease was diagnosed in 145,000 people in the UK in 2018.

Dave Clark, a Sky Sports presenter who was diagnosed with this disease in 2011, said, "I made fun of the Internet because of the way Parkinson's affects the muscles in my face.

"And when my meds do not work, it affects my way of walking and, therefore, I am accused of being drunk by random people on the street.

"It's overwhelming and 99% of the time, it comes from people's ignorance about Parkinson's disease rather than any real intent to hurt. But that's the case. "

Parkinson's UK has launched a new campaign to dispel misconceptions about the disease and reduce the negative experiences of people with the disease.

Steve Ford, executive director of the badociation, said: "It is heartbreaking that so many people cancel or avoid social situations because of the embarrbadment caused by the symptoms of Parkinson's disease or the fear of the reaction of people.

"We hope that our new Parkinson's Is campaign, which will see the British how the disease affects them, will help combat negative attitudes and correct misconceptions about this very poorly understood disease."

More than 2,300 British adults with Parkinson's disease participated in the survey.