During the course of Alzheimer's disease, there will also be psychological symptoms. In the beginning, the change might be simply a slight alteration in mood. Increasingly, patients have felt irritable, and they may have difficulty controlling their emotions. But for others, mixed feelings prevail — especially feelings of sadness.
Depression in Alzheimer's disease is a frequent disorder, one that is particularly severe in the early stages of its development. In this state, patients manifest apathy, which can best be described as a lack of interest in stimuli from the environment. They get used to taking a raincheck on doing ordinary things because of lethargy and a sense that life has no real point anymore. Apathy may include negative thoughts and loss of vital forces; therefore, patients feel drained.
As well as that anxiety disorders may also be present. Every case is different, but the one common thread is that the sick person shows visible changes in personality as the disease progresses. Whenever signs occur, everyone detects something has changed in the person who just struck down. As the victims are confronted with various sorts of difficulties, it is crucial to give them psychotherapeutic support in dealing with the disease.
