Active alcoholism resembles senile dementia

Old 12-29-2012, 09:16 AM
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Active alcoholism resembles senile dementia

To me, an active alcoholic shares a lot of behaviors with someone who has senile dementia due to old age: asking the same thing over and over, forgetting things, etc. Am I the only one who thinks this?
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Old 12-29-2012, 09:19 AM
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That is a good way to look at it. My a-exbf always asked me the same thing over and over, then get mad at me if I didn't answer or if I said I told you this 15 times now. So yes I think it is like dementia in a way.
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Old 12-29-2012, 09:52 AM
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I have seen this a million times when they/we are drunk. If they are sober the next morning, not so much. If this is really happenning when they are sober they could be on the verge of wet brain, aka Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome.
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Old 12-29-2012, 10:19 AM
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I would take my 91 year old mother with advanced Alziemer's Disease (she died last year).
over my raging violent Alcoholic husband any day of the week. (he died at age 54 , 3 years ago).

If you have ever lived with both for an extended time, you might think differently.

people with advanced progressive dementia, can still have remarkable capability to remember, it's just the short-term memory that goes...that part of the brain is dying off. (at least that is how it was explained to us). I watched my mother's frustration at losing her memory....my XH just didn't give a flying *****, he was selfish to the core.
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Old 12-29-2012, 12:32 PM
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I'm just describing what I've seen. There are similarities in that they ask the same thing over and over. That said, my A wasn't raging violent, just incredibly annoying while on a binge.
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Old 12-29-2012, 02:16 PM
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YES! I too have thought this.
Seeing a handful of alcoholics including my ah.... theres no doubt it resembles that.
Falling everywhere....confused....forgetful ...emotions etc.
Saw an alcoholic few yrs back almost go to the restroom in the kitchen it wasnt until I helped this person (family friend) that they used the correct restroom.
This same person used the restroom broad daylight on their neighbors yard and then got in a fight with the neighbor. Lucky resrroom icidents have not hapoened with ah still its progressive and worrisome
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Old 12-29-2012, 02:17 PM
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Originally Posted by Fandy View Post
I would take my 91 year old mother with advanced Alziemer's Disease (she died last year).
over my raging violent Alcoholic husband any day of the week. (he died at age 54 , 3 years ago).

If you have ever lived with both for an extended time, you might think differently.

people with advanced progressive dementia, can still have remarkable capability to remember, it's just the short-term memory that goes...that part of the brain is dying off. (at least that is how it was explained to us). I watched my mother's frustration at losing her memory....my XH just didn't give a flying *****, he was selfish to the core.
I agree I wpuld chose the same as well however I too see similarities and my ah rages as well...
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Old 12-29-2012, 02:35 PM
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My AS, now 52 would call us when drunk and repeat the same stories over and over. She would also forget things easily. So yes, I think there is some permanent brain damage but hard to pick unless you know someone well. I find my short term memory is shocking now and that is from only a few years of heavy but not extreme drinking.
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Old 12-29-2012, 02:50 PM
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my mother knew she had asked the same question, but she could not truely remember the answer. watching her frustration was heartbreaking.
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Old 12-29-2012, 07:10 PM
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Originally Posted by Fandy View Post
my mother knew she had asked the same question, but she could not truely remember the answer. watching her frustration was heartbreaking.
Really. The woman I know with dementia will make a comment or ask a question, and repeat the same thing a minute later because she genuinely doesn't remember having said it earlier.
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Old 12-30-2012, 12:20 AM
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That was the thing that confused me so much, the monologue that would have a story that would just start all over again, almost word-for-word, sometimes 3 times. Late night phone calls that would go like this every once in a while. Only later did I figure out this was common with alcoholism.

I guess because alcohol literally burns holes in the brain eventually some circuits are going to get crossed and the brain will just stop working normally. Awful.
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Old 12-30-2012, 04:04 AM
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Not only was I forgetful, repeating myself over and over while drinking, I found I was also this way when I wasn't drinking. At work my fellow co-workers, found humor in my forgetfullness, I laughed with them, but inside I felt tormented.

Now, almost 4 months sober, My mind and mental clarity is coming back to me.

I worked in an Alzheimer's Unit, several years ago...there are similarities, however, until there is a cure for it, there is no recovery.

There is no cure for us Alcoholics/Addicts either, but we can recover.
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