Impulsiveness and dementia

I am becoming more and more impulsive. Let me tell you about a few things that have happened to me since my last post...

Last week, A package arrived, addressed to me. Upon opening it, I was surprised to see that it contained a large rubber Hippopotamus head!

After scratching my head for a while, I remembered that I had read a short news story on Twitter recently about a group of people with dementia who go on walks and socially distanced outings together, taking with them, a dear little knitted hippo named Campus, who they photograph at various locations to remind them of their outings.

I guess I must have ordered the head from Amazon as a trophy for my study, although I have ne recollection of doing so.

Suits me though, doesn't it? :-)

I also have two identical kitchen ceiling lights sitting in boxes in my conservatory. I contacted Amazon to complain that I had spent two weeks awaiting my "next day delivery", and they promptly apologised and refunded my money, with which I immediately reordered the item again. Next day, the light fitting arrived and I opened a cupboard to put it away until fitment. Lo and behold, there was one in there already! I am so embarrassed. I have no recollection of receiving it, and Amazon does not want it back. I feel like a fraud and a cheat.

Also, I am now fearless, and will pick up the phone and tackle Councillors, MPs, Medical Practice Managers and people that I would never have dreamed of tackling head-on in the past.

Now I simply do it without any hesitation whatsoever.

This mixture of impulsiveness and forgetfulness is new to me, and a little worrying.

I am told that a shrinking hippocampus is a sign of dementia, but NOT a sure sign of the type of dementia.

I have also read that an increase in impulsiveness is often associated with Frontal Lobe dementia and Parkinson's disease. Are most dementias a cocktail of different types?

Could it be a sign of low serotonin levels?

One thing I know. I need to monitor my spending habits and both my online and offline behaviour to make sure that I do not become a nightmare impulse buyer. I also need to take a deep breath and marshal my thoughts before committing myself to going for the jugular when dealing with jobsworth or obstructive officials (unless of course they deserve it). Please let me know if you have observed these propensities in yourself or others.