Mental Problems Associated With Aging

Some elderly complain of having bugs crawling under their skin or on their faces. These are no more than hallucinations. So, why do some of the elderly suffer from hallucinations?

A hallucination does not require an external stimulus for a person to see, smell or hear things that are not present. This is an abnormal perception, and many elderly people end up suffering from hallucinations. However, hallucinations can be controlled through medications in the majority of the cases.

There are several reasons for hallucinations: they can occur due to fatigue, emotional exhaustion, insomnia, depression, cancer of the brain, head trauma, high grade fever, liver failure, lesions in the brain, or demise of a close friend or a loved one.

The most common cause for hallucinations among seniors is a health condition known as Charles Bonnet Syndrome. This syndrome is prevalent among seniors who have lost their vision.

Another cause for hallucinations in the elderly, both visual and auditory, occur in seniors who are suffering from sundowning syndrome. The symptoms of this syndrome occur late in the afternoons, evenings, and nights and are seen in seniors who have dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and psychosis, which is a loss of connection to reality. Psychotic patients are unable to tell what is real from what is imaginary. They experience delusions, which means having false beliefs about who they are or what is happening to them, and hallucinations—seeing, hearing, smelling, or tasting something that is not really there.

Neuroscientists increasingly believe that the brain needs exercise in much the same way our muscles do, and the right mental workouts can significantly improve our basic cognitive functions.  Thinking is essentially a process of making neural connections in the brain.  To a certain extent, our ability to excel in making the neural connections that drive intelligence is inherited.  However, because these connections are made through effort and practice, scientists believe that intelligence can expand and fluctuate according to mental effort.

As many people hit middle age, they often start to notice that their memory and mental clarity are not what they used to be.  They suddenly can't remember where they put the keys just a moment ago, or an old acquaintance's name, or the name of an old band they used to love.  These are just “senior moments” experienced by many as they continue to age.

Enhancing memory and attention can help you overcome many mental problems associated with aging.

Stephen Lau

Copyright© by Stephen Lau