Hello Friends,
As you know, two significant events occurred this week: I had a birthday, and Linda and I moved. The birthday was low-key due to the relocation. The relocation was stressful beyond words.
People did not show up as scheduled, incompetent movers, and problems with the new apartment. We are working through all the issues slowly and methodically.
My Alzheimer’s disease has affected how I handle stressful situations. Stress also affects me differently now that I have Alzheimer’s. I have dealt with stressful and high pressure situations my entire adult life. For the most part, I have dealt with stressful situations by remaining calm, creating a plan to resolve the issue, and implementing that plan.
A great example of a high-stress situation in my pre-Alzheimer’s days happened during a corporate sales meeting my company was producing. We were in a remote area (I can’t remember the country), and during an outdoor evening gathering an electrical circuit overloaded and a few lights went out. Immediately someone on my team began swapping those lights to a backup circuit. At the same time, a company vice president stood up and yelled at me (in front of about 150 people). I bit my tongue and calmly told him the lights would be on within three minutes. That didn’t suit him, and he continued to yell at me. I only apologized and reminded him about the inadequate resort power. The lights came on and the program continued. Later that night, the vice president apologized to me.
Today, my reaction to stress is different. I become anxious, agitated, and eager to resolve the issue. I also have learned to remove myself from the cause of the stress. If I do not remove myself (walk away), my reaction can be unacceptable and escalating. It takes several hours for my Alzheimer’s brain to calm down.
This is due to the areas of the brain that regulate emotions (like the prefrontal cortex and amygdala) being affected by Alzheimer’s; the mind has a harder time processing stressful events and returning to a calm baseline.
How do other Alzheimer’s patients handle stress? Please leave a comment.
I must give a shout-out to Rebecca, a Spectrum agent based in San Diego. She is a poster child for awesome customer service and satisfaction. Our new internet modem and wireless router arrived yesterday (a day late thanks to FedEx). After I connected the equipment, we did not have an internet connection. I called Spectrum support, and Rebecca ran several diagnostic tests and ultimately scheduled a technician to visit our apartment. Surprisingly, a technician arrived within thirty minutes.
During the lulls in our conversation, waiting for equipment to reconnect and reboot, Rebecca and I had a casual chat about San Diego. I used to travel there frequently, so talking about restaurants, beaches, and the zoo was a fun trip down memory lane.
Rebecca handled a stressful customer situation perfectly. I remained calm because I knew Rebecca would resolve the issue.
Alzheimer’s makes the brain much more sensitive to tension, causing temporary behavioral changes, and potentially accelerating the disease over time.1 Stressed, our brains naturally produce a hormone called cortisol. High levels of cortisol can cause shrinking in the hippocampus - affecting memory. Some studies have shown that chronic stress can increase the production and accumulation of amyloid-beta and tau proteins.2
Early yesterday morning, I walked about half of a mile from our apartment to purchase breakfast. Even with an extremely high temperature, the walk felt good. Not only did I get a bit of physical exercise, but I also interacted with a few people. I enjoy social interactions.
In closing, I want to express my sincerest gratitude to my sister, LeAnne, for posting an essay on Sunday. I appreciate her happy birthday wishes. Additionally, my brother is being treated for a severe knee infection caused by Haemophilus parainfluenzae. Glenn is receiving high-level care at a top medical center. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.
I hope everyone has a great weekend. Thank you for your continued support. Linda and I are grateful.
Justice NJ. The relationship between stress and Alzheimer's disease. Neurobiol Stress. 2018 Apr 21;8:127-133. doi: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2018.04.002. PMID: 29888308; PMCID: PMC5991350.
Matos TM, Souza-Talarico JN. How stress mediators can cumulatively contribute to Alzheimer's disease An allostatic load approach. Dement Neuropsychol. 2019 Jan-Mar;13(1):11-21. doi: 10.1590/1980-57642018dn13-010002. PMID: 31073376; PMCID: PMC6497016.