Many health care providers are unaware of the changes Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases can have on multiple systems of the body. Though Lyme may be most known for causing arthritis and a range of cardiac and neurological issues, it can also cause significant mental health symptoms.

For example, research in the American Journal of Psychiatry reported that patients who received a hospital diagnosis of Lyme disease, including in-patient, out-patient, and emergency room visits, had a 28% higher rate of mental disorders, and they were twice as likely to have attempted suicide after infection, compared to people without a Lyme diagnosis.

Those with the tick-borne disease also had higher rates of affective disorders (depression, bipolar disorder) at 42% and had a 75% higher rate of death by suicide than individuals without a Lyme diagnosis. Contracting Lyme more than once was also associated with higher rates of mental disorders, affective disorders, and suicide attempts.

Another example, a 2017 retrospective study, examined the connection between tick-borne illness (TBI) and pediatric bipolar disorder (PBD) in 27 youths from a Northeastern psychiatric private practice. Testing was conducted for several tick-borne pathogens, including Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease), babesia, bartonella, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, anaplasma, and ehrlichia. The study findings indicate 89% of patients tested positive for exposure to one or more pathogens.

Of the 27, 16 were found to have babesia, 11 had Mycoplasma pneumoniae, eight were positive for bartonella, and six had Lyme. Researchers suggest there may be a connection between Lyme, other tick-borne diseases, and children’s mental health, especially in treatment-resistant cases.

These two critical studies begin to shed light on the need for clinicians and mental health professionals to be aware of the scope and severity of mental health symptoms that can affect those with tick-borne diseases and to have a deeper understanding of the challenges of obtaining testing and an accurate diagnosis.

Typical Symptoms of Lyme Disease

The initial symptoms of Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases may be general, flu-like in nature, and similar to other diseases, which may lead to the tick-borne disease being undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. Symptoms include: 

• Fatigue 

• Fever 

• Chills 

• Headaches 

• Cognitive impairments 

• Muscle and joint pain 

• Neck pain 

• Facial paralysis (Bell’s palsy) 

• Flu-like feeling 

• Bulls-eye rash (erythema migrans or EM rash). Note: the bulls-eye rash commonly associated with Lyme disease occurs in less than half of all Lyme infections. 

Mental Health Symptoms of Lyme Disease

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Bipolar disorder and other mood disorders

• Dementia

• Suicidal thoughts

• Rage

• Brain fog

• Sleep issues