December 10th, 2024

Add to Google Reader or Homepage

rss Icon


Forgetfulness can be precipitated by:

 

Addiction Alcohol Anxiety Depression Grief Heart Disease Loneliness Medications Nutrition Stroke


Lonely woman in bed

Gretchen Heuring

Loneliness and Memory Loss

By | 08.13.2014

 

Everyone knows how it feels to be lonely, but ongoing loneliness heralds a deep despair and memories are lost in the darkness. Researchers have been studying the effects of loneliness and, somehow, the results are not surprising. There is a loss of connection and belonging.

 

Older people find loneliness because they lose their closest persons. Relationships built over decades are gone forever.

 

Over time, months, maybe years, lonely people turn inward and lose connection with a populated world. They become suspicious and fearful, preferring to stay in their quiet private place. Even though they seem to prefer their isolation, they feel that no one wants to be with them. They begin to feel unworthy of the company of others, so their behavior drives caring people away. Often they become obsessed with possessions because things are all they have.

 

They forget what relationships are all about and are unprepared for the give and take of being close to someone else. They don't change their clothes or clean their environment. There are no healthy, balanced meals for them. Exercise is a lost art and they whither. If no one looks in or reaches out, they will die.

 

 

 

 

Alheimer's Symptoms

The Alzheimer's Association has defined ten tell-tale signs of this terrible disease. We discuss them here.

arrow

 

PBS Presents:

This Emotional Life DVD

Hosted by Dr. Daniel Gilbert, Harvard psychologist and author. This three-part series that explores improving our social relationships, learning to cope with depression and anxiety, and becoming more positive, resilient individuals.[More]

Price: 24.99

 

Hay House, Inc.

Sad Man

Ella

Losing The Will To Live

By | 07.03.2014

 

Depression in older persons leads to suicide more frequently than in any other age group. People over 65 account for more than 25% of all suicides and among white men over 85, the suicide rate is six time more than the general population. The majority of these suicides shot themselves to death.

 

I can imagine why this happens. Older people lose their capacities. They can't get around as well as they used to and it makes them crabby. Their spouse and friends get sick or die, their families don't visit. They are lonely, become depressed and kill themselves.

 

Look at it this way. If your spouse is in a nursing home or dies, you rarely see your kids, and you know you will feel sick and in pain and lonely for the rest of your life, why go on?

 

Somebody somewhere needs to care to make life worthwhile again. It's extremely difficult to get well by ourselves. We need help finding purpose and our blessings.