A 20-year-traditional is sharing their experience after being diagnosed with dementia, a condition typically associated with older adults. The individual recounted their shock and disbelief upon receiving the diagnosis, sharing their story via social media.
“It still doesn’t feel real typing this. Most people my age are thinking about college, careers, and relationships, not memory tests and neurologists,” they wrote, as quoted by Unilad.
The young patient described feeling as though their life had taken an unexpected turn, shifting focus from typical young adult concerns to navigating a complex medical condition.
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Prior to diagnosis, the patient initially dismissed early signs and symptoms, experiencing periods of normalcy interspersed with days of confusion, frustration, and fear. These subtle changes included consistent minor lapses in memory.
“Forgetting conversations I just had. Re-reading messages and not remembering sending them,” the patient explained.
“Also, walking into a room and not knowing why I was there, more often than felt normal,” they added.
The patient initially believed the memory lapses were due to stress or lack of sleep, but came to realize those explanations didn’t fully account for the issues they were experiencing.
“It started affecting school or work, and people around me noticed it before I did, that’s when it really started to feel real. That’s when I knew something was wrong,” they stated.
According to the National Institutes of Health, more than 6 million Americans are affected by dementia, which also contributes to over 100,000 deaths annually. This highlights the broad impact of the condition on public health.
Risk factors for developing dementia generally increase with age, with 42 percent of cases occurring after age 55, 4 percent at age 75, and 20 percent at age 85.
Research indicates that the greatest risk emerges after age 85, and men (48 percent) are at a higher risk than women (35 percent).
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The causes of dementia are varied and continue to be investigated. Early-onset dementia, which affects younger individuals, is a particularly complex area of research, as it is not fully understood.
While rare, early-onset dementia can occur at any age, leading to a gradual decline in cognitive function. Symptoms of dementia, as outlined by the Cleveland Clinic, include memory loss, difficulty speaking, and challenges expressing thoughts, all of which can significantly impact daily life.
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(sao/kna)
