Dementia: Early Warning Signs To Look Out For

Memory Loss is one of the most common early signs, more commonly- short term memory loss. This comes as the damage to the brain associated with dementia often affects the part of the brain which creates and holds memories. This might be forgetting which day or year it is, or where you’ve put something. This is one of the most common early signs and is typically noticed by others, however it is also a symptom of being forgetful- if it is out of character it can be more noticeable.  

Mood Swings- an abnormal change in mood or personality is a common early sign of dementia. This can include becoming irritable, paranoid or anxious. This symptom, like memory loss is also an indicator of a number of other diseases so it can be difficult to identify based solely on mood swings.

Disorientation or confusion. Feeling disoriented for no apparent reason is another common symptom, this can grow from being very mild to severe as dementia persists. This can be incredibly frightening for the person experiencing it as they may feel confused about the people around them or where they are.