When you reach age 65, you have
a one in 10 chance of developing dementia during your remaining lifetime.
Clinicians are now making a concerted effort to diagnose dementia in the early
stages, when patients may still have the capacity to understand the disease's
course and to make important decisions about future care and interventions.
Being told you have an
incurable disease that slowly robs intellectual functioning can take an
emotional toll. Adjusting to a diagnosis at any stage of dementia is a complex,
evolving process for the person diagnosed and his or her family. You may
experience mixed feelings and a range of reactions, including:
A loss of Self
Dementia poses a threat to
personality and character. Understandably, dementia's symptoms, such as forgetting
faces and struggling to express yourself, can leave feelings of loss,
uncertainty and frustration. Experiencing acute grief and mourning your loss of
self-identity is common.
Unawareness
Most individuals with
Alzheimer's disease aren't aware they have impaired memory and thinking. For
others, unawareness increases as the disease progresses. This suggests that
unawareness is part of the brain disease in some individuals. Arguing with them
or repeatedly demonstrating to them that they're forgetful won't help and is
likely to upset them more.
Denial
Other individuals outwardly
deny or ignore the diagnosis of dementia but seem to be aware from their
behavior that they have a problem. Research suggests that this reaction can
sometimes be a self-monitoring strategy in an attempt to be seen by others as a
person, not an object, and maintain self-esteem.
Relief
Certain individuals and their
loved ones report feeling relief upon hearing the diagnosis of dementia. The
anxiety of not knowing what's causing symptoms like forgetfulness can be a
tremendous burden. A diagnosis can confirm suspicions that dementia is the
cause and legitimizes the need for support and therapeutic interventions.
Secretiveness or Embarrassment
It's common for individuals to
be reluctant to reveal their dementia diagnosis for fear of how others might
perceive them. As a result, these individuals are often tempted to stop seeing
friends or family members and become socially isolated - outcomes that are
clearly undesirable, since studies show that maintaining social connectedness is key to coping with the
psychological impact of a dementia diagnosis.
Anxiety, Anger, Sadness or Depression
These are all normal reactions.
Demoralization is especially common in the disease's early stages the same way
it is when grieving any other loss. Behavioral therapy or counseling may ease
feelings of anxiety and depression if they interfere with everyday functioning.
(Source: John Hopkins Health Alert, Posted
Memory, 2 September 2013)
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