Dementia: 7 Common Myths Related to the Condition

One of the most common myths about dementia is that it is a specific type of disease. It’s not. Dementia is not a disease, it’s a condition. The term dementia is often used by medical professionals as a general or umbrella term for impaired ability to remember – in simpler words forgetfulness, not being able to think clearly or inability to make day to day decisions. Struggling to remember a word, forgetting the name of an acquaintance, inability to remember recent events and often misplacing your car keys are some of the common symptoms people with dementia show.

Another common myth about dementia is that it’s the same as Alzheimer’s disease. Again, not true. According to Medical News Today, Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia but there are other types of dementia such as: Vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, Fronto-temporal dementia and mixed dementia.

Even though dementia often affects people above 65 years, it is not part of normal aging and younger adults could be affected by it as well.

Here are 7 mythbusters related to the condition:

1. No, you won’t get dementia as you get older as it is not a natural part of aging.
2. Experiencing memory loss does not mean you have dementia. Forgetfulness is a natural part of aging, not dementia.
3. Dementia does not always affect older people. Sometimes people under retirement age can get the condition, it is called young-onset dementia.
4. Assuming that people with dementia can’t understand what is going on around them is incorrect. More often than not people with the said condition are aware of their surroundings. But, then again it differs from person to person as everyone has a different experience.
5. Dementia is not caused by family genetics. But there is a slim chance of a person developing dementia from their family members as there is a genetic component to some forms of the condition.
6. Smoking is a major risk factor for dementia but it does not cause the condition itself.
7. No, there is no evidence of aluminium causing dementia whatsoever.

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