Those with chronic UTI are no stranger to stigma. Although the illness is globally prevalent with over 400 million cases in 2019 alone, the stigma around discussing it remains pervasive to this day. Judgment and lack of recognition from the public and medical professionals are a harsh reality for those who suffer from chronic UTI. Societal stigma around urinary disease as well as ignorance from professionals results in many women living with recurrent and chronic UTI receiving subpar treatment, leading to a sense of hopelessness around their symptoms. Resignation, in turn, often leads to mental health decline to even the most severe of degrees: to the point of considering suicide.
Shockingly Common
This story is horrifically common among those who experience this illness. When the lack of education leads doctors to deny the lived experience of patients, many who go through these conditions instead succumb to hopelessness. Therefore it should be no surprise that chronic urinary tract infections do not simply impact physical health, but also the mental health of the patient. This can result in symptoms such as low self-esteem and feelings of chronic depression and distress.
Any chronic illness driving someone to consider the permanent choice of suicide is highly concerning. Highlighting this, Chronic UTI Australia conducted a 2021 study, "Hearing Patient Voices” which surveyed those with chronic UTI. This study revealed that half of those they interviewed had “mental health component summary scores ‘well below’ the population norms.” Even more disturbing is Chronic UTI Australia’s findings while carrying out this study: nearly one in ten patients offered unprompted that their condition has led to suicidal feelings and even planned attempts to end their life. The medical field’s frequent dismissal of lived pain causes many patients to consider finding drastic and permanent ways to end the suffering they experience daily. Tragically, some of those living with long-term UTI even go through with taking their lives.
Mental Health Consequences
Suicide is a persistent and under-discussed component of the mental health ramifications of chronic UTI and their medical mistreatment. While physical symptoms tend to be what most people think about when they consider urinary tract infections, studies have shown that for some people mental health consequences affect them more than the physical symptoms do. For example, in a 2022 study that surveyed those with UTI, mental health was identified as one of the main consequential concerns of UTI. One patient from the United Kingdom told the researchers: “… there is the sense that nothing will ever change, and there is no help.” Another interviewee from the same study confessed: “At the age of 23, I feel like my life has ended before it's even properly started. Suicide is on my mind most days. Most of the things I enjoyed in life I cannot do. I feel like a shell of the person I used to be.”
While urinary tract infections predominantly affect women, many men suffer from chronic UTI as well. As a result, they also can experience depression and suicidality as a result of this condition. A 2014 study of depression and suicidal ideation in those experiencing lower urinary tract symptoms revealed that experiencing urinary tract symptoms caused men to have significantly higher chances of developing depression or considering suicide. This study also found that the more urinary tract symptoms, the more likely these men were to have suicidal ideation. The link between living with an untreated condition such as lower urinary tract symptoms and suicidal ideation is established among a variety of people.
UTI Affects Everyone
The impact of chronic UTI bypasses any nationality, race, age, financial status, or sexuality. While UTI affects women and people assigned female at birth more than men, even the gendered population of those living with UTI can be highly variable and non-discriminatory. In addition, one urinary tract infection increases the chance of another occurring, making it a lifelong condition for many. It is a critical failure of our medical system that so many people are undertreated, mistreated or denied care to the point that those living with UTI resort to considering taking their lives.
Creating Change
Changes in how chronic UTI is treated within the medical profession must happen now. For too long those experiencing this illness have been dismissed, ignored, and even gaslit by doctors and touted testing that has been proven definitively inaccurate.
Chronic UTI as a whole dramatically decreases quality of life. This is a well-known fact among doctors and researchers. Yet, the extent to which recurrent urinary tract infections affect a patient’s mental well-being lacks many cohesive research studies even in 2024. For far too long those experiencing recurring UTIs have resigned themselves to judgment and lackluster medical care. This resignation can quickly culminate in depression and a lack of hope. Yet it doesn’t have to be this way. At UTI Health Alliance, we aspire to shine a light on the lack of awareness around UTI and bring together a community of patients through the insight of having expertise in their lived experience. By increasing education around the issues of this pertinent topic, we intend to create meaningful change within the healthcare field.
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