Dementia is a brain disfunction that leads to a loss in being able to function with daily activities.  Dementia can take place in many different forms, and causes you to loose several different ways of functioning.  Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most common forms of dementia.  By knowing what symptoms to look for, you will be able to diagnose dementia and help others or yourself in recovering from the disfunction. 

One of the most recognizable mental symptoms of dementia is confusion.  This confusion will cause one to not be able to recognize the daily activities that they are supposed to do.  At certain points, those with dementia can’t tell who their friends, family and loved ones are as well.  The confusion that results from dementia then takes on several different mental forms that function every day living. 

The second part of dementia is related to an impaired memory and orientation.  Those with dementia will constantly not be able to find things and will loose sense of their body in relation to their mind.  Forgetting routines is one way in which this memory becomes impaired.  Forgetting where things are in your own home is another sign of this impaired memory.  Often times, the forgetfulness will effect work as one will forget appointments or names of those around them.  The disorientation will also include a loss in being able to recognize space and surroundings.  The spatial and temporal orientation is usually associated with this.  

Concentration is another part of dementia that is affected.  Overtime, the levels of concentration that one may have will start to diminish.  A lack of focus as well as the inability to stay on one task for a long time is affected by dementia.  Oftentimes, those with dementia will have a hard time concentrating on having a conversation as well. 

The next thing that will be noticeable is a lack of planning and judgement.  These are often times a result of the loss of memory.  It is also part of the confusion towards external activities that are taking place.  Lack of planning and judgement is often a result of the other symptoms that have taken affect in dementia. 

Personality changes also begin to take a role in the characteristics of dementia.  One may notice that one who is getting dementia will begin to change their attitude towards you as well as the environment around them.  These personality changes are not as noticeable at first.  However, as time goes on, mood swings will begin to take place.  If you see someone who is beginning to have dementia, they may go through a phase of being happy in one minute and angry in another.  Another part of this is that typical responses to situations and people will begin to change dramatically with their responses. 

The last type of symptoms that are developed with dementia involves speech and walking disorders.  With speech, this will begin by one not being able to use simple words anymore, and will have a hard time finding the right words to use when communicating.  The body will then begin to shut down and not be able to function properly.  Not being able to swallow properly, for example, is one of the physical effects that take place.  The later stages of dementia, or Alzheimers, will often cause the person to not be able to walk at all.  Speech will become inconsistent and slurred, as it looses it’s functioning in relation to the brain. 

Dementia, as well as Alzheimer’s disease occurs because the nerve cells in the brain begin to deconstruct instead of grow.  This result, instead of naturally occurring, happens at a fast pace.  It is also known to be a result of different genetic mutations that occur.  These begin to take affect in one’s older age, causing the nerve cells to break down faster.

Dementia can become a serious mental illness, especially in relation to Alzheimer’s disease.  The confusion that begins with dementia is a first sign that you should find help to slow down the nerve cells in your brain from deconstructing.  If you see that someone you know is forgetting things, having a hard time communicating, or is taking on severe mood swing and personality changes, then it is important to find them the right help.

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