Aggression and depression?
Discussion
Is there a tipping point, or scale at which bad tempered-ness and aggression becomes mental illness/depression in adults?
My mothers behaviour is becoming more erratic, foul tempered and verbal aggression directed at immediate family. So much hatred expelling forth.
It's becoming worrying because it is a perminant fixture in her behaviour and when you try to speak to her it's always "the families fault for making her live this way."
Cheers.
My mothers behaviour is becoming more erratic, foul tempered and verbal aggression directed at immediate family. So much hatred expelling forth.
It's becoming worrying because it is a perminant fixture in her behaviour and when you try to speak to her it's always "the families fault for making her live this way."
Cheers.
http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/document...
If you are close to someone with dementia, there may be times when you are faced with aggressive behaviour. This can be very distressing. This factsheet aims to aid understanding about what may cause this type of behaviour and offers some ways to deal with it. This should make sure it happens less often, and mean that you are better able to manage when it does.
What do we mean by 'aggressive behaviour' in people with dementia?
People with dementia may sometimes behave aggressively in one or more of the following ways:
being verbally abusive or threatening
being physically threatening, such as kicking or pinching
lashing out violently at people or property
overreacting to a situation, or becoming very agitated as a result of what seems to be a very minor setback or criticism.
What causes aggressive behaviour?
There are many reasons why a person with dementia may act aggressively, including:
feeling frightened or humiliated
feeling frustrated at being unable to understand others or make themselves understood
the physical effects of dementia, which may have eroded their judgement and self-control
loss of inhibitions and decreased awareness of rules about appropriate behaviour learned in early childhood.
Dealing with aggressive behaviour is not easy, and there are no simple answers. However, it is possible to make it less of a problem through a gradual process of identifying what triggers the aggression, and finding some effective ways to deal with it. It is important to remember that all behaviour is a form of communication. If we can establish quickly what the person is trying to communicate, it may prevent them from feeling frustrated and acting aggressively.
Key tip: don't take it personally
Any form of aggression can be upsetting, but the most important thing to remember is that the person is not being aggressive deliberately. The behaviour may appear to be targeted at you, but that is probably just because you are there. The fact that the person is aggressive towards you doesn't mean that their feelings towards you have changed − just that their reactions have become different as the structure of their brain has changed.
Although the emotion at the root of the aggressive behaviour may persist, the person with dementia will probably quickly forget individual incidents.
Below is a step-by-step plan to manage and get to the root of aggressive behaviour.
Step 1: Find ways to react to aggressive situations
In the long term, prevention is the best solution for aggressive behaviour (see Step 3), both for you and for the person with dementia. If an aggressive situation does arise, don't blame yourself. Instead, concentrate on handling the situation as calmly and effectively as possible, using the following tips.
At the time:
Before you react, take a deep breath, step back to give the person space, and count to ten. You may need to leave the room until you have both calmed down.
Try to stay calm and don't enter into an argument. A heated response will probably make the situation worse.
Reassure the person, and acknowledge that you can see they are upset.
Try to distract their attention.
Try not to show any anxiety, as this may increase the person's agitation − although if you feel threatened, this is easier said than done. You might be able to plan some strategies in advance that you could use in such situations.
If the person is physically violent, give them plenty of space. Unless it is absolutely necessary, avoid closing in or trying to restrain someone as this can make matters worse.
Ask yourself if whatever you are trying to do for the person really needs to be done at that moment. If you are able to give them a little space, come back in five or ten minutes and try again gently − you maybe able to avoid a confrontation.
If you need to, call for help.
If you are close to someone with dementia, there may be times when you are faced with aggressive behaviour. This can be very distressing. This factsheet aims to aid understanding about what may cause this type of behaviour and offers some ways to deal with it. This should make sure it happens less often, and mean that you are better able to manage when it does.
What do we mean by 'aggressive behaviour' in people with dementia?
People with dementia may sometimes behave aggressively in one or more of the following ways:
being verbally abusive or threatening
being physically threatening, such as kicking or pinching
lashing out violently at people or property
overreacting to a situation, or becoming very agitated as a result of what seems to be a very minor setback or criticism.
What causes aggressive behaviour?
There are many reasons why a person with dementia may act aggressively, including:
feeling frightened or humiliated
feeling frustrated at being unable to understand others or make themselves understood
the physical effects of dementia, which may have eroded their judgement and self-control
loss of inhibitions and decreased awareness of rules about appropriate behaviour learned in early childhood.
Dealing with aggressive behaviour is not easy, and there are no simple answers. However, it is possible to make it less of a problem through a gradual process of identifying what triggers the aggression, and finding some effective ways to deal with it. It is important to remember that all behaviour is a form of communication. If we can establish quickly what the person is trying to communicate, it may prevent them from feeling frustrated and acting aggressively.
Key tip: don't take it personally
Any form of aggression can be upsetting, but the most important thing to remember is that the person is not being aggressive deliberately. The behaviour may appear to be targeted at you, but that is probably just because you are there. The fact that the person is aggressive towards you doesn't mean that their feelings towards you have changed − just that their reactions have become different as the structure of their brain has changed.
Although the emotion at the root of the aggressive behaviour may persist, the person with dementia will probably quickly forget individual incidents.
Below is a step-by-step plan to manage and get to the root of aggressive behaviour.
Step 1: Find ways to react to aggressive situations
In the long term, prevention is the best solution for aggressive behaviour (see Step 3), both for you and for the person with dementia. If an aggressive situation does arise, don't blame yourself. Instead, concentrate on handling the situation as calmly and effectively as possible, using the following tips.
At the time:
Before you react, take a deep breath, step back to give the person space, and count to ten. You may need to leave the room until you have both calmed down.
Try to stay calm and don't enter into an argument. A heated response will probably make the situation worse.
Reassure the person, and acknowledge that you can see they are upset.
Try to distract their attention.
Try not to show any anxiety, as this may increase the person's agitation − although if you feel threatened, this is easier said than done. You might be able to plan some strategies in advance that you could use in such situations.
If the person is physically violent, give them plenty of space. Unless it is absolutely necessary, avoid closing in or trying to restrain someone as this can make matters worse.
Ask yourself if whatever you are trying to do for the person really needs to be done at that moment. If you are able to give them a little space, come back in five or ten minutes and try again gently − you maybe able to avoid a confrontation.
If you need to, call for help.
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