Early Signs and Symptoms of Alzheimer's and Dementia
10 Early Signs and Symptoms of Alzheimer's and Dementia
Memory loss that disrupts daily life. ...
Challenges in planning or solving problems. ...
Difficulty completing familiar tasks. ...
Confusion with time or place. ...
Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships. ...
New problems with words in speaking or writing.
Of the about 55 million people worldwide with dementia, 60% to 70% are estimated to have Alzheimer's disease. The early signs of the disease include forgetting recent events or conversations. Over time, it progresses to serious memory problems and loss of the ability to perform everyday tasks.
-Then What Happens? -
Holding Hands with a Tree Matters to Your Mental Health →
Holding Hands With a Tree Branch
By paying greater attention to your surroundings, you'll learn to appreciate all the sensory elements of the outdoors. This will help you decrease your anxiety levels, lessen stress and feelings of anger, and enhance your mental health.
"In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks." - John Muir.
"What is the good of your stars and trees, your sunrise and the wind, if they do not enter into our daily lives?" - E.M. Forster
Dementia is not a specific disease but it is caused by Alzheimers Disease →
Alzheimer's disease type dementia is a specific brain disease that is a neurodegenerative disease that causes the loss of neurons in the brain, particularly in the cortex.
This damage to brain cells can disrupt processes vital to neurons and their networks, including communication, metabolism, and repair. As the disease progresses, symptoms become more severe and can include confusion, changes in behavior, and other challenges.
Dementia is not a specific disease but is a general term for the impaired ability to remember, think, or make decisions that interfere with everyday activities. It is marked by symptoms of dementia that worsen over time. The disease first affects the part of the brain associated with learning, leading to early symptoms such as changes in memory, thinking, and reasoning skills.
Vascular dementia (VaD) is a condition that affects the brain's ability to think, remember, and behave due to damaged blood vessels that disrupt blood flow and oxygen supply. It's the second most common type of dementia after Alzheimer's disease.
Vascular Dementia is another type of dementia, and when both are present, it is called Mixed Dementia.
Typical personality and behavior changes a person may see include getting upset, worried, and angry more easily. Acting depressed or not interested in things is also common.
Anendophasia, DNA, Dementia, and Mental Health Questions →
Anendophasia is a term for having no inner voice, which impacts verbal memory and rhyme recognition. It has been commonly assumed that inner speech—the experience of thought occurring in a natural language—is both universal and ubiquitous. Recent evidence, however, suggests that similar to other phenomenal experiences like visual imagery, the experience of inner speech varies between people, ranging from constant to non-existent. This information was reported in the Cognitive Science Society article “Not Everyone Has an Inner Voice: Behavioral Consequences of Anendophasia.” The authors were Johanne Nedergaard and Gary Lupyan. The inner voice is in the frontal motor cortex and Broca's area.
Writing about this as a layman with no formal training but some experience with memory loss, I find the idea that a strong inner voice could help with potential memory loss exciting.
Researchers at the University of Utah have made a fascinating discovery about the brain’s default mode network (DMN). They have found that this network collaborates with other brain regions to facilitate creative thought. Using state-of-the-art brain imaging techniques, they could track real-time brain activity during creative tasks, shedding light on the intricate workings of the brain.
Wikipedia reports that “in neuroscience, the default mode network (DMN), also known as the default network, default state network, or anatomically the medial frontoparietal network (M-FPN), is a large-scale brain network primarily composed of the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate cortex, precuneus, and angular gyrus. It is best known for being active when a person is not focused on the outside world, and the brain is at wakeful rest, such as during daydreaming and mind-wandering. It can also be active during detailed thoughts related to external task performance. Other times that the DMN is active include when the individual is thinking about others, thinking about themselves, remembering the past, and planning for the future.”
This overview offers no accurate conclusion, but understanding it seems vital.
Solitude is about Space to Exist →
For many, alone time is an excellent opportunity for self-reflection and self-discovery. It can also rejuvenate you by balancing your emotions and letting your body physically relax. This practice helps improve your well-being and relationships with others.
On the other hand, who are those “others”?
Lonely Quotes
"The eternal quest of the human being is to shatter his loneliness." - Norman Cousins
"Being lonely is like a storm with no rain, crying without tears." - Unknown
"Loneliness is the poverty of self; solitude is the richness of self." - May Sarton
"The soul that sees beauty may sometimes walk alone." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
"Loneliness is the human condition. No one is ever going to fill that space." - Janet Fitch
"To be alone is to be different; to be different is to be alone." - Suzanne Gordon
"Sometimes you need to take a break from everyone and spend time alone to experience, appreciate, and love yourself." - Robert Tew
"Sometimes it's better to be alone than to be in bad company." - Unknown
"Loneliness is the first thing which God's eye named, not good." - John Milton
"The most terrible poverty is loneliness and the feeling of being unloved." - Mother Teresa
"Sometimes you must stand alone to ensure you still can."
"Loneliness expresses the pain of being alone, and solitude expresses the glory of being alone." - Paul Tillich
"It's possible to be surrounded by people and still feel lonely, in your heart."
"The worst loneliness is not to be comfortable with yourself." - Mark Twain
"There is a certain strength in being alone, but there is a deep sadness too." "Loneliness is the human condition. Cultivate it. The way it tunnels into you allows your soul room to grow." - Janet Fitch
"To be alone is to be different; to be different is to be alone." - Suzanne Gordonse
"Sometimes, I feel so alone in this world, and it's strange because I'm not."
"The loneliest people are the kindest. The saddest people smile the brightest. The most damaged people are the wisest. All because they do not wish to see anyone else suffer like they do."
Learning How to Be Our Best Self is a Process →
Self-reflection plays a crucial role as it helps shape your self-perception, an integral aspect of your personal identity. Our thoughts about our traits, abilities, beliefs, values, roles, and relationships form our self-concept. This self-concept significantly impacts our mood, judgment, and behavior.
Personal development is often about reinventing ourselves, and to do so, we must take a look at who we are. When we lose the reality of who we really are and what we do best, we open the door to mental health issues
Lessons that Life Teaches about Alzheimer's →
Life brings many lessons, and that reality inspired me to write several books on personal development. Career development is also part of the overall process. Taking a hard look at yourself can bring many benefits and growth in both personal and career development. In doing this, you can see where making some changes is evident.
Looking closely at what skills match career choices similar to what you already have can reveal different titles for your skills that will make you look better. It can also reveal areas where more training could make a big difference.
Mental health is a state of well-being that affects how people think, feel, and act. You can periodically assess your mental health as you evaluate yourself for the interactions and opportunities in your daily life. Mental health includes emotional, psychological, and social well-being.
Emotional well-being
Psychological well-being
Social well-being
Resilience
Hope
Self-esteem
Mental health helps people:
Cope with stress
Realize their abilities
Learn and work well
Contribute to their community
Make healthy choices
Relate to others
Mental health can be influenced by and influence physical health. Factors that can contribute to mental health conditions include:
Biological factors, such as genes or brain chemistry
Life experiences, such as trauma or abuse
Some examples of mental health issues include Depression, Dementia, Substance use disorders, Affective disorders, and Anxiety disorders.
Some signs of poor mental health include:
Withdrawing from friends, family, and colleagues
Avoiding activities that are usually enjoyed
Sleeping too much or too little
Eating too much or too little
Feeling hopeless
Having consistently low energy
Using mood-altering substances more frequently
Displaying negative emotions
Being confused
Being unable to complete daily tasks
- These insight areas are ways we can learn more about ourselves. My book “Finding the Best Version of Ourselves: The Interview of Self” focused on looking at ourselves to find areas to improve, polish, and make ourselves more marketable. It would have been a plus if I had included ideas on personal mental health assessment in that edition of the book.
