I’m haunted by the possibility of developing dementia one day

[u/NoteFabulous3175]

According to the scientific literature, those with ADHD are nearly three times more likely to develop dementia than the general population. I’m only 21 years old, yet I think about that statistic almost everyday. The thought of loosing my mind scares me so much more than the thought of dying. I’m not exactly sure why, but it probably has something to do with witnessing my grandmother slowly die from Alzheimer’s disease, seeing how much my aunt suffers from her schizophrenia, and the time I spent working in nursing home and being physically, sexually, and verbally assaulted by elders with dementia as a teenager, as well as seeing the suffering of those elders. I’ve made peace with the fact that I will die one day, but my only hope is that day will come before the day I loose my mind. I want to spend my last few years of life conscious of my reality and in control of my mind, not slowly wasting away while my neuron’s degenerate and my mind deteriorates until I can no longer recognize myself in the mirror. Until I’m betrayed by my own mind and forced to spit in the face of my own morals by harming a loved one or caretaker. As if my ADHD hasn’t caused and will continue to cause me enough suffering in this life. Such a significant increase in risk of developing dementia just feels like rubbing salt in the wound. I’m not suicidal, but I think I would seriously consider ending things at some point during the early stages of dementia if I develop it one day. It wouldn’t be a choice made out of despair or fear. It would be a choice made out of love for myself and the life I lived, and perhaps what’s even more significant, it would be a choice I would get to make.

Anyone else a bit paranoid about developing dementia? Or how do you reconcile with the possibility of developing it one day?

[u/ToastedFrance]

I fear this too. Best thing I can do is keep my brain stimulated with puzzles and critical thinking.

[u/yk3rgrjs → u/ToastedFrance]

Best thing you can do is train strength and cardiovascular endurance.

Not joking.

[u/j48u → u/yk3rgrjs]

The next best thing (possibly even most important thing) you can do is get good/enough sleep. There's a huge correlation with every type of progressive brain disease with poor sleep throughout life. The plaques causing the progression are naturally removed only while sleeping.

Probably a much scarier thing to know for people with ADHD who usually have sleep issues, but you need to know it.

[u/ALLCAPITAL → u/j48u]

I needed to hear this again. Saw some of those articles recently. I’m indulging far too much in late night scrolling for my me time.

[u/knitterpotato → u/j48u]

oh god this is so scary as an adhder with a grandma with middle-late stage dementia who is trying SO hard to fix my sleep schedule but can't

(just almost pulled an all nighter after waking up naturally at 2 am after only 4 hours of sleep. i need some tips - i am desperate here :( )

[u/Bri2890 → u/knitterpotato]

Me too, I have insomnia and have had years of life where I barely slept. Alzheimer’s runs in my family. My mom is currently knee deep in anxiety as well since she has been the most involved with my grandmothers care. Not only do I have adhd but I also have chronic pain and MECFS so general exercise is also a challenge. I fear I’m cooked. 😞

[u/knitterpotato → u/Bri2890]

oh god i'm so sorry :(

my mom is also currently taking care of my grandma full time and it's so exhausting for her as well :(

i wish i could help more but my executive dysfunction can't deal with college and helping care for my grandma at the same time so i plan to take a gap year to help care for her

i can't imagine what it's like living with chronic pain or me/cfs but i hope you find some ways to at least make your insomnia a little better <3

[u/Bri2890 → u/knitterpotato]

Thank you, I am sorry too. I am sure your mom understands, or I hope she understands. That is nice that you are going to take some time to help. I know I certainly would not have been able to juggle so much in college. I went to class and that was it.

And yes, isn’t it odd to think someone can have both insomnia AND chronic fatigue? I thought surely I could live a normal life right in the middle of the two but sadly no. My insomnia isn’t constant, I can have months where it is not too bad and months I barely sleep at all. So, I’m too dang tired to do anything, and then when I lay my little head to sleep it doesn’t happen 😅 strange life

[u/notrolls01 → u/knitterpotato]

Set a schedule. And stick to it. It means going to bed and/or transitioning at the same times every night. Those times where you cannot fall asleep, get up for half an hour and do a task that relaxes you….any task. Then back to bed. Also, if you’re able to do it, within a half hour of waking, go out into the sun, without sunglasses. It helps set your circadian rhythm.

Also, humans evolved to wake in the middle of the night and go back to bed. This was usually about 2 hours in the middle of the night. We needed to stoke fires, both actual and not. We also went to bed when the sun went down so 10-12 hours of sleep was a thing, because we couldn’t see well at night and it really does conserve calories.

[u/ToastedFrance → u/j48u]

It's sad that no one ever takes sleep seriously, and when we do we're seen as lazy.

I find that a consistent sleep schedule does wonders. Wake up at the same time every day, you'll notice you have more energy, even if you don't get enough sleep. But I'm not saying enough sleep isn't important.

[u/areilla10 → u/j48u]

Oh shit. Well, I'm screwed, LOL. My inner toddler doesn't like bedtime.

[u/ILoveSpankingDwarves → u/j48u]

And that is why I would drink myself into a coma some time ago.

I would think I would sleep, but no, alcohol prevents you having deep sleep phases.

So all of you just stop the substance abuse.

[u/Specific_Ad2541 → u/j48u]

This is number 1. Get enough sleep. And more deep sleep. The latest studies have shown our brains don't start washing out plaques until after a certain number of hours of sleep.

[u/Mundane-Squash-3194 → u/j48u]

as someone with adhd and insomnia these sorts of facts keep me up at night (literally)

[u/luvvbugg91 → u/j48u]

Awesome, I sleep like shit. Someone else said exercise, I haven’t had the energy to work out as of late 😭😭😭😭 this post is the worst 😭😭

[u/calmingthechaos → u/j48u]

My sleep hygiene is still kinda shit, but I watched a video that said to take allergy meds at night (if you already take them) because there is some correlation between the histamine response and ADHD and sleep. I never bothered to actually look it up, but I have been doing that for months, and it does help me stay asleep. And I'm someone who used to have two-week long cycles where I'd either sleep for an average of three hours a day or I couldn't stay awake longer than was absolutely necessary. I no longer need a day to just sleep in order to function.