Dementia can affect various brain functions, including memory and emotional expression. However, these impacts might not influence the thoughts of individuals with dementia as profoundly as one might expect.
Dementia is a term that describes a decline in cognitive function, leading to changes in thinking, memory, behavior, language, and more.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 55 million people worldwide are living with dementia, with 10 million new cases diagnosed each year. Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type of dementia, accounts for approximately 60–70% of these cases.
Dementia can alter the way people express themselves through both emotions and language, making it difficult for them to articulate their experiences. Naturally, this leaves many loved ones wondering: what do people with dementia think about, and how do they feel?
In this discussion, we’ll explore what is known about the thoughts of people living with dementia, along with other important aspects of their daily experiences.
Understanding the Thought Processes of Individuals with Dementia
If you’ve ever found yourself lost in thought, it’s a reminder that humans love to think—and we think about a wide range of things!
Often, our thoughts center around current events in our lives. We ponder our relationships with parents, children, partners, and friends. We think about what’s happening in the world around us and the tasks we need to accomplish each day or week.
At times, our thoughts drift to the past or the future. We recall fond memories from our younger years, the people we spent time with, and the activities we enjoyed. We also frequently contemplate, and may even feel anxious about, what the future holds.
People with dementia generally think about the same things that others do, such as the well-being of their loved ones, their own emotional or physical state, and the events occurring in their everyday lives. However, the nature of dementia can also lead to feelings of loneliness, disconnection, embarrassment, and confusion, according to research published in 2023.
Dementia may also affect how they think about these matters, especially in terms of reasoning, emotions, and memory.
For instance, dementia can impair a person’s judgment, making it challenging to make decisions or remember people and events from the recent or distant past. It can also create difficulties with tasks such as movement, speech, and self-expression, thereby affecting their interactions and behaviors.
Are People with Dementia Aware of Their Condition?
Dementia is a progressive condition, meaning its symptoms will continue to worsen over time.
In the early stages of dementia, a person is likely to be aware that they are beginning to experience symptoms. They might notice an increased difficulty in remembering recent events or performing familiar tasks.
As the condition progresses, particularly into the middle and late stages, individuals with dementia are generally not aware that they have the condition.
Instead, they might sense that things are different and more challenging, but they are unable to explain or understand why. They might even believe that everything is normal, while perceiving that the people around them are acting differently, which can lead to anxiety, frustration, and distress.
Why Do Individuals with Dementia Tend to Have Strong Emotional Reactions?
Dementia results from damage to various areas of the brain, including those related to emotion processing and regulation. As a result, people with dementia often experience much stronger emotional reactions than typical.
If you have a loved one with dementia, you might notice that they express their emotions more intensely than before. They may have mood swings, quickly shifting from calm and engaged to frustrated and upset. You might also observe increased aggression or hurtful behavior that wasn’t present before.
It can be painful to witness a loved one go through these emotional and behavioral changes, but it’s crucial to remember that these reactions are not within their control.
Many of these changes occur due to the physical effects of dementia on the brain. Additionally, the condition itself can be frightening, confusing, and upsetting. In some cases, these strong emotions are the only way someone with dementia can express their needs, especially in the later stages of the disease.
Takeaway
Dementia can impact every aspect of a person’s life, from their thoughts and feelings to their interactions with others. While individuals with dementia generally have the same desires as everyone else—such as connection and a sense of autonomy—the way they react to or express these needs may differ due to their condition.
If someone close to you has recently been diagnosed with dementia, consider reaching out to their care team to learn more about the support available to you.