Summary
Dementia is a general term for memory loss, language, problem-solving, and other thinking abilities that are severe enough to interfere with daily life, with Alzheimer’s being a common cause. Dementia causes several psychological effects that are broadly classified as emotional or confidence effects. Emotional effects interfere with how a person responds to a situation and the state of their emotional wellbeing. Confidence affects a person’s ability to interact with others and general belief in their abilities.
Emotions
Changes in emotions for people with dementia are often sporadic, with the patients having little control over their emotive reactions. Dementia patients suffer from mood changes, poor emotional expression, and overreacting to situations. These patients appear uninterested in most activities due to their inability to express their feelings effectively (Reul et al.). These patients are also excessively anxious and easily agitated while displaying symptoms of depression. Insomnia is a common occurrence in dementia, with patients having difficulties getting enough sleep at night. The patients suffer from repetitive questioning of issues already raised, and this may irritate caregivers. Caregivers must understand that mental decline stems from an illness rather than a deliberate attempt to frustrate them.
Confidence
The confidence and self-esteem of dementia patients experience a rapid decline with decreased belief in their judgment. These patients are constantly worried they may be making the wrong decisions. They experience stigma and social demotion, as they are not capable of interacting with other people easily (Reul et al.). The relationships these people held dear in the past are also battered by this condition, as they cannot maintain them effectively by showing the necessary feelings. The rarest psychological manifestations for people with dementia are euphoria, hallucinations, and disinhibition. The most significant clinical presentations of this condition are depression, apathy, and anxiety.
Work Cited
Reul, Sophia, et al. “Can cognitive assessment really discriminate early stages of Alzheimer’s and behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia at initial clinical presentation?” Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy, vol. 9, no. 1, 2017.