Living with dementia impacts a person in a number of ways, including altering their feelings, responses and thoughts. The emotional impact of this progressive disease is just as important to recognise as the physical and mental changes, as all can be tough to manage for people with dementia and their loved ones.
While there are often ways to manage the emotional impact that comes with dementia, changes to mood and behaviour are often unavoidable and a natural part of the disease’s progression. Understanding why they are normal can help you and your loved ones plan for the future.
Today, we’ll explore everything you need to know about emotional changes in dementia, including how to handle them and why they happen.
The Impact of a Dementia Diagnosis
Emotional changes can occur as quickly as the dementia diagnosis is given. People often report feeling grief, loss, shock, anger, fear, disbelief and guilt for their loved ones. Sometimes, people feel positive emotions towards their diagnosis, which stems from the relief of finally knowing what’s going on and being able to plan for the future.
However, the more common reaction is negative, and struggling to deal with your emotions is normal. You may feel afraid for the future, worried about the symptoms that come with dementia and the impact it’ll have on loved ones.
A diagnosis can also impact mental health, with some people experiencing feelings of depression and anxiety. Making sure you have a good support system around you and exploring talking therapies can help lessen the effects on your mental health. Certain drug treatments are also available for severe mental health impacts.
Emotional Effects of Dementia
How people feel after their dementia diagnosis depends on a number of factors, including their age, finances, family life and other health conditions. As time goes on, emotions often change, too. While many find themselves becoming more accepting of their diagnosis after the initial shock, the emotional response to dementia isn’t linear. Some find their emotions changing day-to-day.
Initial Shock and Denial
The diagnosis of dementia may come as a shock, especially if you’ve been diagnosed with young-onset dementia or assumed your symptoms were due to another condition. You might want to deny the diagnosis or ask for a second opinion. Initial shock may last days or even weeks, but confiding in a trusted loved one can help you come to terms with this huge life change.
Anxiety Surrounding the Future
Dementia is a progressive disease, meaning symptoms change and develop over time. As everyone responds to dementia differently, it’s difficult to determine what the future will look like. This can bring on strong feelings of anxiety and fear, especially if you had future plans that are now uncertain. Anxiety can interfere with everyday life, so speak to your GP or loved ones if you’re struggling.
Grief and Loss of Identity
Some people grieve the idea of their future after learning about their diagnosis, and it’s common to feel like you’re losing your sense of self. The uncertainty of the future is a big contributor to this, especially when thinking about the progression of dementia. For example, the possibility of having to give up a job you love or move out of your family home can trigger feelings of sadness and grief.
Anger, Frustration and Guilt
Dementia has several symptoms, including behavioural and physical changes. These changes progress over time and may leave you feeling like you can’t do as much as you used to. Some people experience a loss of independence and increasing difficulties in everyday life. Understandably, this often leads to feelings of frustration, injustice, and anger.
Guilt is another common feeling among dementia patients, especially when you start needing to depend on loved ones more. This guilt can then make you even more frustrated, creating a cycle.
Acceptance and Relief
Not all emotional changes are negative. Many people find that they reach a stage of acceptance and relief after their dementia diagnosis, although the timeframe in which they reach this isn’t always predictable. You might wake up one day and feel relieved about having all the answers and knowing how to plan for the future. The next day, you could be back to anger. It’s normal to experience ups and downs in this journey.
Managing Your Emotions After a Diagnosis
It’s important to remember that while your emotions are valid after your dementia diagnosis, you can manage them to feel better, reduce behavioural changes and help loved ones adjust to the future.
Acknowledge How You Feel
Acknowledging how you feel is the most important first step in understanding the impact of your dementia. Once you’ve recognised your emotions, you can discover management techniques and work out which are best for you.
Some people find it difficult to recognise their feelings. Here are some ways to help:
- Confide in a trusted loved one
- Journal or talk aloud to yourself
- Express your feelings through art
- Practice meditation without distractions
Manage Your Emotions
Now you know how to figure out your feelings, the next step is to manage them. One of the best ways to do this is to seek help from others. Dementia patients are at a higher risk of social anxiety, which can lead to depression.
Some ways to help manage your emotions include:
- Join a support group: Spend time talking to others who understand what you’re going through with online or in-person support groups.
- Talk to family or friends: Bottling things up can make your emotions seem much worse, so keep the conversation open and honest with your loved ones.
- Counselling or therapy: Ask your GP for a referral or find a private therapist to work through complex emotions and feel better about the future.
- Make time for your hobbies: Hobbies allow you to forget about symptoms and changes, so always make time for hobbies, such as holidays, days out, gardening, music, films, crafts or exercise.
- Plan for the future: Knowing what you want from the future gives you more confidence and security, preventing negative emotions from clouding your judgment.
- Look after yourself: Prioritising your health can do wonders for your emotional well-being, so learn how to live well with dementia: eat well, gently exercise and get enough sleep.
The Emotional Impact of Your Diagnosis on Loved Ones
The person receiving a dementia diagnosis isn’t the only person who will experience emotional changes and impact. Your family and friends may also feel uncertain about the future or want to help, so understanding the effect on them can help maintain your relationship.
Loved ones may experience feelings of:
- Guilt: Loved ones may feel guilty that they didn’t notice symptoms or that they can’t offer as much support as they want to.
- Helplessness: They may want to help shoulder the burden or lessen your symptoms, but not know how to—resulting in sadness over being helpless.
- Overwhelm: Big emotions can be overwhelming, especially when symptoms progress quickly or the future seemingly changes overnight.
- Second-hand emotions: Just like you, your loved one might feel feelings of anger, sadness, shock and anxiety in solidarity.
The most important thing to remember here is that you’re both going through a major life change. We have a helpful guide if you want to learn about how to care for someone with dementia without negatively impacting your relationship.
How Country Cousins Can Help
Emotional impacts come from behavioural, physical and mental changes caused by dementia, and when these aren’t properly cared for and nurtured, negative emotions can become more apparent. Country Cousins carers are all fully trained to provide compassionate dementia care, offering assistance with managing symptoms and emotional support.
Our dementia care includes:
- Assistance with daily living activities
- Cooking nutritious meals and meal planning
- Help with exercising and hobbies
- Emotional support for you and loved ones
- Daily monitoring of symptoms
- Mobility assistance
- Encouragement to remain independent
Talk to Our Team Today
As the UK’s longest-serving introductory live-in care agency, we have been providing compassionate live-in care to those who need it since 1959, all from the comfort of their own homes.
Give us a call today on 01293 224 706. Our experienced team is on hand to help from Monday to Friday, 8 am to 6 pm. Alternatively, contact us through our online enquiry form.
