Support Group for Those of Us Living With Mild Dementia

@agh Wow… Just the Table of Contents has me hooked.
I will order or pick it up.
My sensory and eating habits or desire to eat are changing dramatically.
Thanking you

I don’t have dementia but I do have cognitive issues due to a meditation I take. I “sundown” if I’m over tired or stressed. I forget words if I don’t get enough rest. The medication is my by bipolar II disorder and it slows down my brain. This is fine so long as I don’t have too much going on, am stressed out, or having trouble getting good sleep (post menopausal).
I wills be curious what people do to help themselves remember things. I don’t do well with word association but am open to ideas.

@hraka13 good evening.
I was on Bi Polar medication
Depakote and Seroquel for 21 years. My cognitive issues started almost 3years ago and they were thinking it could be from the Meds, but the cognitive issues subsided.
Well in 2025 I had a couple mini strokes affecting cognitive function afterwards and it has been in decline since May 2025.
So we revisited the Depakote and Seroquel potential cause; so I got on board and we tapered me off over a 4 month period.
Last dose was December 9th.
Some side affects from withdrawal but not change in cognitive performance.
Side affects have all but gone.
And no BiPolar mood swings.

@hraka13 A lot of note taking and reminder posted on the wall in bold where I start my day; coffee pot.
Mine tells me to :
Do my basics for the day.
Eat, medication, meditation,
And again to eat.
And “Don’t be so hard on yourself, don’t give up”

I’ve noticed that I’m starting to get irritated easily, out of character.
And it has slowly been creeping in and revealing itself more and more. Past 2 months.
Asked a friend / coworker today and he said yes, he’s noticed it but he’s just taking it in stride knowing what I’m going through.
I don’t like this.
Is it really part of the disease ?

@craigbyrom I don’t believe you are alone with this.
The world has gone crazy and it’s hard not to be angry, stressed, fearful, and frustrated. Our lives have been rocked and I can see the fear in almost every single person around.
Please don’t be hard on yourself. It’s nothing you have done.

I get that way too, especially when I’m in a situation where there is a lot of external noise, such as a bar or restaurant. I simply cannot process all of it. My brain gets overwhelmed and my emotions seem to come out by themselves. Irritation is the leading one. Take a deep breath and try to find someplace where you can be alone and stop THINKING. Calm down , don’t let your emotions control you. It can be difficult, but you can do it! I go through it quite a bit. Hang tough 😎, Regards, Ashley

@ashley43725 I find peace in you share.
That’s the exact process i go through.
Thank you- Im not alone and thats important for me to remember that my case is not unique.
Only thing is yesterday i didn't practice finding a quiet place and decompress.
Instead i not only expressed my thoughts to the person that wouldn’t quit talking after bursting into the office, even after i said “please give me a minute” as i was crunching numbers from a long list of reoccurring values.
But i expressed it with frustration and anger.
I ended up walking out of my office just to get away.
☹️. This is not who i am or who i have been.

@craigbyrom
Do you have any hobbies?
I build scale models, ships, aircraft and such. I built a 1/350 scale model of the Titanic that took a year. I turn on the radio so it plays in the background and let myself get absorbed in my current project (a 1/24 scale Japanese zero) . I find that concentrating on one thing lets my mind relax. I only play at my hobby for an hour or so and leave feeling refreshed mentally. It really works for me and I really look forward to it after a day at work. I block everything else out during MY TIME. Regards, Ashley

@ashley43725 Does that bring back memories!!
Have done a lot of model building in my time and still love it.
I have a generous amount of hobbies similarly very calming when I am creating.
I worked on some of the scale models for the movie Dante‘s Peak and Spy Kids years back, you would have liked that.
I do full scale stuff now, modeling, mold making.
But my current escape is 3D modeling for 3D printing and a CNC mill I just acquired.
I got it to keep me engaged.
It’s interesting though, some simple things bog me down mentally, but yet my spatial recognition is exceptional in the proper environment.
I would love to see a 1/350 scale Titanic.. o the intricate detail and a year long project is amazing.
And the Japanese Zero.. one of my all time favorite planes.
I have really been aware of my environment today and the way all the collateral noise, visual stimulation from my environment, affects me mentally and emotionally.
Thanks