Absent-Minded? You May Have Early-Onset Alzheimer's.

This includes those in their 20s and 30s. And that's not a joke or hyperbole. There are documented cases in youths. It’s not as rare as we’d hoped. And although we would tend to call it by another name when in a young person, this could well be a sobering moment of early detection. Read the symptoms: https://www.nia.nih.gov/h…/what-are-signs-alzheimers-disease

Oftentimes we miss the early detection of dementia and Alzheimer’s, because we are really only thinking of them as old person’s diseases (or someone ELSE’s diseases).

But I have noticed a rapid rise in severe cognitive degeneration among a lot of younger people. This might be missed by friends and family or even considered a flighty personality trait. But it’s bigger than that. Given my profession, there are a lot of people who reach out to me. I am organized and document a lot. And I do my absolute best to follow-up with people. The vast majority of the time, most people don’t at all remember what they themselves said.

I’m not talking about inconsequential side notes or a forgotten appointment. I’m talking about major revelatory deep emotional discourse that they themselves shared. It could be their stated reason for living, for training, the “why” for their efforts at personal growth. I’ll place a mention of it in my notes and on occasion reference it. Many people have literally no clue they ever said it. And again, I’m not talking about in a moment where they are distracted or overwhelmed with busyness. I’m talking about in an acute and targeted conversation, they have no memory of their own words, actions, thoughts. And this forgetfulness is indeed linear with age.

This whole subject occurred to me when following up with a guy who has many times reached out to me for help. At first, I found it odd that he would kind of space out how HE had contacted ME. But over the past 10 years, I realized his absent-mindedness is accelerating. He genuinely has no recollection of many notable things he’s said, especially his many requests for me to help direct him. And it's not that he's self-centered or narcissistic. He genuinely doesn't remember. But it's not just him. I realize, when consulting my client notes, people are forgetting their whole lives.

The propensity is widespread. It makes sense, since we in modern society have increases in other health-deteriorating factors. Brain health is largely reliant on the creation of BDNF from physical activity, the removal of waste products during sleep, and the reduction of neural inflammation influenced by sensible eating. Since people generally don’t sprint or lift weights, and on average they have impaired sleep, and on average they don’t eat anti-inflammatory nutrition, risk factors are climbing. Driven, confident, and incredibly intelligent people may be able to mask the symptoms better than less-driven, self-conscious, and less intelligent peers. But it’s something all of us need to take seriously.

Some absent-minded moments are just daily fatigue. But years of that add up to something that amplifies deterioration. Be on the lookout. You may have early-onset Alzheimer’s.