I commented to a friend recently on my mother's habit of pulling out her personal phone book on good days and dialing friends and family. She informs us, then, of her latest whereabouts on an art museum tour, in a motel, or in a research facility, and then chats of the ordinary as if nothing about the call is extraordinary.
My friend noted that this reminded her of her mother's 'drunk dialing,' and others have also remarked on the similarities with phone tears they've been on when inebriated. I wonder what short circuits underlie this habit, and whether or not the two conditions--dementia and drunkeness--are at all alike in a brain sort of sense. Maybe the common denominator is simply a lack of impulse control.
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We can hope that it may similar. Maybe getting old with dementia wouldn't be so bad after all. Kidding really!
From what I've seen of dementia, seems like a 'bad drunk' to me. On 'dialing days,' however, her friend noted correctly to me that at least that day her delusion seemed quite pleasant. One day, she positively beamed with surprise and pleasure that they had allowed me to come aboard the cruise ship before it sailed to Hawaii.
Sad no matter what? Definitely. I will continue my researches for anything which helps to get the brain intact to the finish line.
I've often thought it must be similar to being in some kind of altered state, either alcohol or drug-induced. Like you suddenly don't know where you are? Or who you're talking to? Maybe a bit more like a bad trip. Either way it must be terrifying for the person affected. But as you mentioned, sometimes it must be pleasant as well, if the delusions are of something good. The cruise to Hawaii sounds great! And when my father thought there was a tiger on the bed next to him, he didn't seem at all disturbed by it, he thought it was interesting.
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