Anosognosia—When People Don’t Realize They’re Impaired

l7pla1w2 · September 17

https://thedawnmethod.com/anosognosia-when-people-dont-realize-they-are-impaired/

The topic of anosognosia comes up regularly, particularly for people who are new here. It's confusing and confounding when your LO can't see their own impairment. I think this article is a good introduction. I hope it's helpful.

People who are experiencing dementia often refuse care. However, most of the time, it’s not due to denial or obstinacy—and you’ll exacerbate your problems if you make that assumption. Most commonly, people who are refusing help are doing so because they have become unable to be aware of their impairments. This is likely to happen when someone loses their rational thinking skills (i.e. their ability to use analysis, perceive cause and effect, or to compare what once was normal with what is now happening).

Milo4455 · 2:00AM

I'm not a doctor and didn't play one on TV. Call me crazy. When I observe DH showtime in front of me, for the benefit of others that are visiting, I have a difficult time buying this explanation of 'not due to denial'. Granted, as the disease is progressing into the later stages, it is becoming more difficult for him to showtime and close friends/relatives are now seeing a small portion of the disease. Maybe PWD IS aware that something is 'off', maybe not exactly what is 'off', but 'off', none the less in denial? I guess at the end of the day it really doesn't matter.

SDianeL · 2:46AM

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/253834#Comment_253834

both things can be true. They can be unable to realize that they have an illness and yet they can showtime for short periods of time. The aftereffects of showtiming is their brain gets extremely tired and usually causes tiredness and more anxiety. You’re correct that as the disease progresses into later stages they are no longer able to showtime.

l7pla1w2 · 3:05PM

Most of the time DW doesn't think anything is wrong, but every so often there's this flash of introspection where she says, "I don't know what's happening, there's something wrong with my brain." I don't know which is more heartbreaking, her not knowing or her recognition something is amiss.

Anosognosia—When People Don’t Realize They’re Impaired

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