There
is a close connection between dementia and depression -- both medical
conditions have to do with a dysfunctional mind.
Loss of
memory may lead to depression. The human brain performs thousands of tasks, and
we are usually unaware of most of them. Patients with dementia, due to brain
damage, often become frustrated when they cannot perform simple daily chores
they used to be capable of doing. This alone is enough to put many into a
depression.
However,
not all individuals suffering from dementia have depression, although those who
have both dementia and depression will demonstrate improvement in their memory
once their depression is treated. Accordingly, it is important to treat the
symptoms of depression in those with dementia in order to give the patients better
quality of life as well as their caregivers and family members an easier
time to cope with their dementia problems.
One of
the behavioral symptoms of dementia is social withdrawal -- a
result of inability to respond and communicate with others, as well as a way of
coping when things get too complicated for the dementia mind. In communication,
sensory input is important. Persons with dementia may remember only partially what they
have just heard, and thus their response represents only part of the
message received. Defective communication only accentuates the sense of loss in
those with dementia. The result is withdrawal -- which is also a common symptom
of depression. It is, therefore, critical to determine if the individual has
depression, or simply the symptoms of dementia. Other characteristic
symptoms of depression include: weeping; weight loss; change of sleep patterns;
fatigue; and preoccupation with health problems. Depression
in individuals with dementia should be treated to avoid further strain on
their memory loss problem.
In
addition to the use of medications to relieve symptoms of apathy and
listlessness in depression or dementia, keep the patient mentally and
physically active. However, it is important to know the limits -- which means
knowing the level of involvement and capability of involvement. Remember, small
failures may have damaging, instead of beneficial, results on the dementia
mind; likewise, repeatedly telling a depressive individual to snap out of
a depression only engenders further frustration without facilitating the
recovery.
Stephen
Lau
Copyright©2018
by Stephen Lau
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