“Alzheimer’s” is a mental disorder which destroys certain brain cells causing problem with memory, behavior and interaction at home, work and in the society. As the disease progresses, the symptoms might include hallucinations, violent behavior, loss of memory about past events including life history, and forgetting who certain people are.
It gets further distressing when the patients forgetting their spouses or partners start developing intimate relationships outside marriage. Johns Hopkins’ newsletter “Health after 50” tries to lessen the accompanying distress due to these affairs outside marriage and suggests ways to cope up with the emotional health challenge. After all it is very frustrating and sad to see one’s partner losing track of all the memories of the past life and all the intimacies shared with a partner.
Developing an understanding behind the reasons why your partner suffering from ‘Alzheimer’s disease’ seems to forget, who you are would help in reducing the level of anger and mental disturbance. Dr. Peter Rabins, M.D., Professor, Psychiatry and Health Policy, and Director, Division of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neuropsychiatry at Johns Hopkins say, “Many people with Alzheimer’s (and some patients recovering from stroke) develop a condition called ‘prosopagnosia’, which is an isolated inability to recognize familiar faces.” So that’s why they stop recognizing their spouses.
