New health movement addresses sickle cell's mental cost

For decades, sickle cell disease (SCD) has been defined by what doctors could measure: blood counts, countless hospital visits, surgical procedures, and tracking the crippling, sharp, relentless pain.

What often goes unseen is the mental and emotional cost to the estimated 100,000 individuals in the United States affected by the illness. The enormous psychological impact of the disease is birthing a new movement in health care that encourages treatment beyond the pain, extending to the entire person.

“Chronic pain, especially throughout a lifetime, can cause depression, hopelessness, and anxiety,” said Dr. James G. Taylor VI, director of the Howard University Center for Sickle Cell Disease .

Sickle cell disease is a genetic blood disorder characterized by abnormal red blood cells tha