Exhausted By Mood Swings

amynolla

Hello all. I’m new to the forum. My mom lives with me and was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia. Does anyone else deal with what seems like hourly mood swings? One minute she’s fine and knows who I am and the next she thinks I’m someone else and she’s just visiting. It changes so many times during the course of a day that when she talks to me I honestly don’t know who she’s talking to, me, her daughter or someone else. I’m doing this alone and trying to set up caregiver support so I can leave the house without her a few times a week. I feel so emotionally drained from having to constantly try to make her feel better. I know she is not choosing to be like that at all but some days I really just want to run away. Has anyone had success with handling mood swings?

SDianeL

Welcome. We understand what you are going through. Yes, it’s common but I wouldn’t call it mood swings. In dementia the person can seem fine one minute and not OK the next. Someone posted that it’s like a loose wire in their brain connects for a bit. You can’t make her feel better. Dementia causes anxiety, agitation and can even cause aggression. I would call her doctor and ask them to prescribe anti anxiety meds to calm her. Read the book “The 36 Hour Say” which will give tips on how to care for her. Also search online for dementia caregiving videos. Learn all you can so you can help her. Tips: never argue with someone with dementia. Use redirection or distraction. And a phrase that helped me: “You can’t reason with someone whose reasoner is broken.”

Phelser

I deal with this on a daily basis. I know they say not to argue but it is difficult when they continue to push . My mother is fine at times during the day then is awful during the evening and night . She has episodes of very little sleep and I don’t deal well with no sleep then feel guilty about being grouchy. It is not easy at all when minute to minute you don’t know what to expect.

JMNewell

My mother remember who I am but it’s like she forgets how to be kind and that’s she loves me. She gets very irritated over small things mainly if her schedule is interrupted or she is kept away from home in a an outing too long. She is fixated on the care of her animals which she keeps all of them in her room and I am worried about the effects that will have on her, 3 dogs and 4 cats. She refuses to put them outside. I pray God give me the strength to endure while trying to help her and the right things to say and do to help.

nanaof669

I am new here & I am dealing with the same issue with my Mom. One day she loves me & the next day I am a “know it all who says bad things to her & takes over”. She yells at me & gets in my face. I’m so glad to know that there are others who deal with this issue. I am going to make a Drs appointment to get her some anxiety medicine. Then try to get her to take it