why does alzheimer’s increase the likelihood of aggression/anger in older people?
In: 263
Not an expert, but went through this with an older family member. The things that the rest of us agreed about plus the comments from the medical staff:
1) Frustration when you know you can’t do something you used to be able to do. Maybe you try and you try and keep failing and then get angry about the failure.
2) In lucid moments, feeling insulted that they won’t let you drive, or that they sold your house without your permission to pay for your long-term care, or that they treat you like a child when you used to change their diapers.
3) We spend a lot of time every day NOT saying every mean thing that comes into our heads. As your brain works less and less, you lose some of the filters that helped you get along with people.
4) Awareness that your life is going to end and there’s nothing anyone can do about it, and people say “I know how you feel” but really, they don’t know how you feel. You’re dying and they aren’t. You can’t drive and they can. And they’re sitting there being condescending to you and thinking that “I know how you feel” is going to help anything, when it’s obviously and stupidly false.
Wouldn’t you be mad if you were confused all the time?
For my Dad, it was simply watching his faculties disappear day by day. It was terrifying to watch from afar, but to him it was also enraging. I know there’s physical cognitive reasons for it too, but he expressed his anger and frustration many times. Until he didn’t, anymore, because he didn’t remember that he forgot.
I guess forgetting all that shit would make you angry
I guess forgetting all that shit would make you angry
I guess forgetting all that shit would make you angry
Confusion and fear. For example When my grandma had it, she forgot she was diabetic and having her blood tested by “strangers” was scary. Also caring for someone in that state is very taxing so they’re on edge making the person with Alzheimer’s on edge.