Alzheimer's

[GalvestonDuck]

Is it real or are just an act that they're slipping away from reality -- unable to feed themselves, unable to bath themselves, and unable to recognize loved ones?

[Guest]

Is it real or are just an act that they're slipping away from reality -- unable to feed themselves, unable to bath themselves, and unable to recognize loved ones?

Totally an act.

[ColdFront77]

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[wx247]

huh?

[Lindaloo]

Alzheimers is a very REAL disease. Not an act of any kind.

Until you have seen someone go through this dreadful disease and die from it you will never understand.

[wx247]

Alzheimers is a very REAL disease. Not an act of any kind.

Until you have seen someone go through this dreadful disease and die from it you will never understand.

AGREED 98767%. Why would anyone suggest it is an act?

When I replied with "huh" I was hoping that I was missing the point. I guess not.

[petal*pusher]

This reminds me of the time I got very involved with March of Dimes and one woman's response to my visit was that she didn't believe in birth defects!! I had just burried my first born son who suffered many.

My Mother is in the end stages of this horrific disease. Visit an Alzheimers facility.....about 4 or 5 times over a couple month period......there will be NO question in your mind just how REAL this form of dementia is. NOBODY would suffer like this intentionally.......or cause the family challenges that go along with it.

I've kept careful notes of the progression; would be happy to share if anyone is interested. "Perception is Reality" is a quote I tell myself regularly at each weekly visit..........p

[GalvestonDuck]

My point in asking was to determine if people really perceive EVERY case of "mental illness" as an act and, therefore, not a true, diagnosable condition that affects a person's thinking and behavior.

Yes, I'm sure Mark Hacking was sane, but probably full of rage, when he killed his wife. So, for him to use any insanity defense -- not gonna work.

However, I spoke to a friend who works in TDCJ hospital on Saturday and I said, "Don't tell me anything that breaks patient confidentiality. I only want to know what I may have missed on the newscasts. Is Andrea Yates still over there or has she been discharged?" She told me that she'd been discharged and then told me her feelings on the case -- that Yates is insane. I told her that a few people have expressed that they think it's an act. She said that without seeing her, a person who reacts to anger at her crimes might believe that a killer's insanity is an act. However, many times, it's just like Alzheimer's -- when a person loses touch with reality and can't cope or behavior in a stable, normal manner. The only difference is that it is happening when someone is young, not aged.

I'm NOT defending her or Mark Hacking or anyone else. I don't believe many of the people who claim to be insane when they commit a crime truly are insane. However, I do believe that some people who have lost touch with reality and are not mentally able to cope with life have been known to commit violent acts without realizing what they were doing. I believe that there are a few people out there who have lost their faith and soul and mind and life, even though they are still physically breathing and walking around, and they do things that they are not completely responsible for because they aren't aware of what's real and what's not -- just like an Alzheimer's patient.

[GalvestonDuck]

Furthermore, let me add that both Alzheimer's and many other forms of "mental" illness are also "physical" in nature -- brain chemistry is altered and can, in some cases (but not Alzheimer's yet), be treated with medications that restore balance to the neurotransmitters that affect behavior and coping skills.

And I really hope I didn't upset anyone (Petal*Pusher, Lindaloo). *I* was in no way trying to suggest that Alzheimer's is fake.

[bfez1]

Just for the record I do believe Yates is insane----
Hackings isn't. He got caught, couldn't accept it and killed her.

[vbhoutex]

Duckie, I have to ask since you brought it up-do you believe that people who are "insane" and truly are not responsible for their actions should recieve a lesser sentence than those that are not? And how do we determine if someone REALLY was/is insane at the time of the commission of the crime? Personally, I feel if someone commits a crime such as murder, insane or not, they should at a minimum be locked away for life without the possibility of parole.

[ColdFront77]

Is it real or are just an act that they're slipping away from reality -- unable to feed themselves, unable to bath themselves, and unable to recognize loved ones?

Totally an act.

*I* was in no way trying to suggest that Alzheimer's is fake.

LedzeplinII appears to, anyway... to be suggesting Alzheimer's Disease is fake.

[Brent]

Alzheimer's is defintely not fake. Ask Nancy Reagan.

[therock1811]

1000% AGREED with Brent here! Ask Mrs. Reagan led! SHE'LL tell you it's real!

[Guest]

I think Led was being sarcastic.
...Jennifer...

[ColdFront77]

I feel he is being sarcastic, too... but then again from being hard to tell to this possibly being his belief. Hope we hear from him before too long.

Then there are things like Asperger's Syndrome that many people may be more dubious about, because it's only been diagnosed in the United States for 10 years.

[Miss Mary]

Like Garrett, I did a "huh?" reaction today when I first read your topic Shawn. After you explained yourself further, I somewhat understand where you're coming from. However, I believe Alzheimer's is real and should be viewed separately from other mental illnesses. For starters, Alzheimer's hits older people, not anyone indiscrimantly. Mental illness can strike anyone I suspect. My brothers and I always wondered if our dad was in the early stages of Alzheimer's when he passed away from colon cancer. He had suddenly become forgetful over the span of 6 months, or maybe it had been happening longer but my dad, who lived alone, covered it up. We will never know since his main medical concerns were the cancer and then his heart, he experience congestive heart failure a year before passing away. My dad just didn't seem as sharp as he once was and he was a very INDEPENDENT kind a guy. We had to put him a nursing home, a decision that I agonized over for 3 weeks, before he passed on. So if Alzheimer's was working on him, it was legit. My dad would never have faked that, he hated hospitals!

Shawn, I guess I'm still confused on this topic. But hey I've started some real hum dingers of topics too. Maybe you can explain it again?

Mary

[petal*pusher]

This is an EXCELLENT thread! Like the Asperger's thread, the writings and opinions shared here are great teaching tools. Thank you Duck for your candid question.....I'm not mad......but have to admit I was surprised by the original post.

My family of 6 siblings did a whooooole lot of research on Alzheimers after our Mother was diagnosed almost 6 yrs. ago.....especially since each of us (ages then were 44 to 56) see actions in ourselves that make us worry!!

Actually "young" people can be diagnosed! It was first discovered in a 52 year old woman! We were told there are 60 different types of dementia that are recognized.....Alzheimers is only one. (I often think I must have about 3 or 4!!)

There are 2 recognized Alzheimers. One can be from a hard bump on the head sometime during a persons life, the other is familial (hereditary) and often effects older siblings from a large family. Don't everyone start worrying here.....this does not mean everyone who ever hit their head or is from a big family will be effected.....just research points in these two directions.

It is actually a fascinating disease! Miss Mary, your Dad may very well have had the beginnings.....often something happening to the body easily accilerates Alzhiemers. Also older people left alone with very little contact to the outside world have increased chances of developing this. Loneliess and depression play a big part.

In the past, the only way to determine exactly if a person has Alzheimers, was to cut into the brain after death. Now, there are expensive tests (not yet available to the public) that can determine with much accuracy if the disease is present.

There is an excellent book, The 36 - Hour Day that was such a help to all of us. My techno brother started a web-page that is often updated to let all family (even the Grandkids) that are spread all over know what's going on.....it has been such a good tool for all of us. Each of us post there often......we hear from each other more frequently now than before!

We were told in the beginning that "they don't loose their intellegence"......it has taken a few years for me to understand this statement. Each Alzheimers patient knows and understands exactly what you are saying to them.....they simply can no longer process their words to give you a viable answer. (Mom once told my sister on the phone..."It's raining outside, but it looks like ice cream!"....it was snowing.

I work with a lot of Special Needs kids......I have learned (and am STILL learning) ways to make them feel valuable and successful. This training has sure helped me with my Mom and the other special people where she is.

Didn't mean to make this so long......but there's so much to learn, and this is a great place to do it!........p

[wx247]

Thanks for the wonderful post Petal.

I have a sister who suffers from bi-polar disorder, and I often wonder about the same thing Shawn asked about. Your post made my day. Thanks for the wonderful insight.

[azsnowman]

My question is, who determines who's *normal* and who's *insane*? I mean, do we REALLY know? Heck, who knows, maybe the mentally ill ARE normal and we're the outsiders here!

Dennis