The Early Warning Signs of Alzheimer's

The symptoms of Alzheimer's disorder strike at the very heart of the affected person by changing the very appearance and functionality of the brain which controls personality, memory and all cognitive activities. 

The first Alzheimer's symptoms usually appear gradually and become progressively more obvious over time beginning with memory problems and confusion. There are three recognized stages to Alzheimer's disorder and most patients are diagnosed in the early stages of dementia in which there senior moments of forgetfulness become more frequent coupled with other Alzheimer's symptoms that are hard to ignore. For example many people who are diagnosed with dementia lose their train of thought in the middle of conversation or forget common words or the names of people they should know such as their children or their spouse. People diagnosed with dementia in the early stages may not even recognize themselves in the mirror when they walk by one and may even think that someone else is in the room with them.

Alzheimer's symptoms can also be misleading. There are several other disorders that can initially mimic the early stages of Alzheimer's including depression or anxiety. For example patients who are experiencing depression or anxiety attacks may withdraw from activities they previously enjoyed and stop socializing and spend more time watching TV or sleeping, thus isolating themselves from friends and family. This is one of the common symptoms of depression and is also one of the early warning symptoms of dementia including Alzheimer's.

However there are Alzheimer's symptoms that can't be mistaken for anything else including forgetfulness, confusion, difficulty completing tasks that should be familiar and easy, wide mood swings that can include becoming paranoid and angry. People who are normally easy-going may suddenly be convinced that their loved ones or friends are stealing from them or that their spouse is cheating on them. They will find it harder to reason and understand logic. The symptoms of Alzheimer's also will begin to appear as the person shows poor judgment. This can be demonstrated by the person dressing inappropriately such as wearing layers of clothing in the summertime but wearing shorts and tank tops in the winter, or given away money that they don't have to give away.

The best way to understand if your loved one is suffering from Alzheimer's or dementia is to make an appointment with her doctor and have a checkup. It is possible the person is suffering from a medication interaction, depression, or possibly even a brain tumor. Although brain tumors are not the most common answer they can mimic the Alzheimer's symptoms that are being demonstrated up to this point.

Early intervention is important, because even though there is no cure at this time for Alzheimer's, there are treatment options that can help with some of the side effects of the disorders such as depression.
Ignoring the symptoms of Alzheimer's won't make it go away address and it had on is the best option for both the short and long-term.