What Kind Of Mood Are You in Today?

Let’s just be honest with one another. My mood can fluctuate. I will admit it, freely and openly. I am menopausal, and I blame EVERYTHING on that! If you’ve been through it, you know what I’m talking about. If you have NOT been through it (and female, of course, duh), then you just wait. It messes with everything in life and sometimes that can bring about moods much like those on the candy bars in the picture.

While we are being honest, let’s talk about caregiving and what it does to the mood. Certain days and situations make me cranky, and no one wants to be around me. I have learned that being a complainer is a waste of time, as most people really are not listening while you are spouting off all your thoughts. When I realize they aren’t listening, that makes me irritable. And, I ask you, who wants to ever be confused.

Confused…that is a constant state of being for my Momma who has mid-stage Alzheimer’s. Yesterday was a particularly hard day for her. She seemed to think she had done “something wrong,” as she put it. Of course, Momma had done nothing wrong, but she just wasn’t feeling well. This caused her to be more confused than normal, and this confusion affected her mood. It hurt my heart to see her worry.

I helped to change the mood by finding an episode of Golden Girls and Matlock to entertain her. In just a few moments, Momma was laughing at Sophia Petrillo and commenting about how good looking Andy Griffith was in Matlock. Tensions released, moods calmed, and Momma started feeling better. She was less confused. Mission accomplished.

We all have days where we are cranky, confused, a complainer, or irritable. If you are a caregiver, you find those days more often than you like. If you have dementia, those days are amplified and made more difficult. UGH! Ain’t no fun! (Yes, I like using the word “ain’t”!)

Hope that gives you Something to Ponder.

_____

Photo ©Snickers

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Carol Howell

Carol Howell is a Certified Dementia Specialist and Endorsed Life Coach with an emphasis on Creative Music Experiences. After her husband’s closed-head injury in 1996 and her mother’s diagnosis of Alzheimer’s in 2006, Carol began her study of the brain and the various forms of dementia that exist. Through her not-for profit company, Senior Life Journeys, she is actively involved in the lives of individuals who are caregiving for a loved-one with dementia as she helps them develop caregiving techniques. Carol’s latest book, Let’s Talk Dementia-A Caregiver’s Guide, is an Amazon #1 Best Seller, and it is an easy to read guide for caregivers of individuals with dementia. She also wrote the best seller If My Body Is A Temple, Why Am I Eating Doughnuts? It tells of the amazing miracle that caused her to lose 100 pounds. You can follow her blog—Something to Ponder—at www.seniorlifejourneys.com.

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