March 28th, 2024

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Forgetfulness can be precipitated by:

 

Addiction Alcohol Anxiety Depression Grief Heart Disease Loneliness Medications Nutrition Stroke


emotionally flat woman

Gretchen Heuring

Mistaking Depression for Alzheimer's

By | 06.21.2011

 

Sometimes depressed persons experience an emotional flatness. Nothing seems important and no experience seems to bring back

that familiar sparkle in the eye. It's as though they have gone numb from the inside out.

 

Often this form of depression is accompanied by forgetfulness and memory loss. It seems like the person might have Alzheimer's Disease.

 

Depression and dementia can have similar characteristics including low motivation, memory problems, and very slow reaction times. Let's take a careful look:

 

Symptoms of Depression

Mental decline is relatively rapid (and recoverable) over a period of days or weeks; the person may seem confused at times but knows the time of day or season, and where she is; she has difficulty concentrating and is forgetful; speaks slowly but communicates effectively; notices and may be worried about memory loss; and moves slowly as though under water or in pain.

 

A seriously depressed person might lose items or forget where they are but can figure out ways to recover them.

 

Symptoms of Alzheimer's

Memory decline is very slow over months or years; the person becomes confused, disoriented, and lost in familiar places like his own home. He has trouble writing, telling time, and often has trouble speaking correctly. He doesn't notice his own memory problems and doesn't seem to care.

 

If a person with Alzheimer's loses something, he can't imagine the steps needed to find it again.

 

Medical Care Is Needed

A depression is serious when it is so deep that the sufferer moves slowly and forgets things. A Physician needs to prescribe treatment. There are things others can do to help a depressed person too.

 

If the person really does have Alzheimer's, then there are medications that a Physician can prescribe to ease the symptoms. And those who care for the person may need to educate themselves some.

 

Alheimer's Symptoms

The Alzheimer's Association has defined ten tell-tale signs of this terrible disease. We discuss them here.

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Hay House, Inc.

 

image of genetic code

Unraveling The Genetic Code

There continue to be new discoveries of genes related to Alheimer's as scientists unravel our genetic code. These discoveries can lead to the developement of treatments, including new drugs, that can slow the progression of the disease. Of course the greatest hope is to find a preventative and a cure. Read Gretchen Heuring's plain-talk article on the complicated issues involved.

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Deeply Depressed Man

ElderThinker

Forgetting May Seem The Only Solution

By | 7.21.2014

 

Loss of memory may seem to be the only available solution for an older person. What I'm trying to say is that the subconscious mind could be trying to shelter it's person from past experiences.

 

All our lives, we believe there is another chance. A chance to make amends, to repay, to learn the unlearned or create something we believed we could make. But now, the opportunities to repair are gone. They are gone because we have lost touch with someone by distance or death, we will never have the means to repay, and our bodies are no longer strong enough to create what we dreamed of making. There seems to be nothing left but regret. If we can't remember a name, or that we ever desired to make something, then perhaps this loss of memory is a way to survive our last few years.

 

All around us, others seem to be reminding that we are old and probably useless. Cartoons, clerks in stores, jokes on television, and many other cues all serve to make us believe we are unattractive and have no value. Just forgetting ageist experiences and conversations seems like a great solution to me. I wish I could forget some of those painful events.

 

The thing is, these bits of memory loss are related to depression. Some sadness from personal discoveries or disappointing events is normal. As healthy beings, we can learn and grow and find space for love and happiness. But a series of saddening circumstances can cascade into a depression that becomes a disease. Then there is no peace, belonging or purpose. We sink into despair and we need help.

 

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