I’m worried about my Brain! 10 signs to Evaluate

How many times have you said, I’m worried about my brain?!

I know I have uttered these words more than a handful of times. Seeing this disease in my family, and up close and personal day in and day out, always gives me a bit of anxiety.

Recently, Dr. Oz revealed his personal journey with his mother’s recent Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Dr. Oz shared that even as a medical professional, he shamefully ignored all the symptoms. According to Dr. Oz, his wishful thinking overlooked the clear signs in front of him.

This is something a lot of us tend to do with this terrible disease. Overlook the signs. But it is important to know the early warning signs and symptoms to evaluate sooner than later.

Let’s review some of these symptoms below (in no particular order):

1. Interruption in daily functioning & living:
   • You may have challenges or take longer to complete normal tasks that you do on a daily basis.
2. Challenges with planning & solving problems:
   • You may experience issues with following a plan, concentrating, or solving simple problems.
3. Issues with identifying words & speaking:
   • You may notice that you repeat questions more often, or have difficulty following along during a conversation.
4. Misplacing items & inability to retrace steps:
   • You may lose items more often. For example: Putting the keys in the bathroom instead of the kitchen and inability to retrace your steps to locate them.
5. Changes in personality, mood, & affect:
   • You may experience a shift in your mood and feel more confused, depressed, or anxious.
6. Poor Judgement & decision making:
   • You may notice that you’re making bad decisions more frequently.
7. Trouble handling money & paying bills:
   • You may have increased difficulty managing your finances and keeping track of your bills.
8. Confusion with time or place:
   1. You may notice an inability to keep track of the time, date, season, and the passage of time.
9. Withdrawal from normal social engagement:
   • You may experience loss of spontaneity and disengage from normal hobbies, activities, and relationships.
10. Memory loss:
    • You may have increased memory loss and confusion more than usual. So, you may forget to go to an appointment or scheduled event.

(Resources: Alzheimer’s Association & National Institute on Aging)

Now, ask yourself: When going through each symptom, do I say “yes” to more than 5? If so, that is a good indicator that it is time to explore further and speak with a medical professional.  

The good news is that, you do not have to experience these changes alone! And the sooner you are able to identify what is causing these changes, the better.

Sometimes, these changes come about, due to other underlying health issues. That is why it is important to speak with a medical professional to rule out this possibility.

Also, with early detection you have more options of understanding the diagnosis, possible treatment options, and a plan of care.

If you have questions about these signs or symptoms, please do not hesitate to reach out!