| How to Deal With a Drug Addicted Family Member or Loved One Posted: 19 Feb 2017 04:00 PM PST When someone abuses drugs, it affects everyone he or she knows. These effects are often felt most by family members and loved ones. Addiction can have emotional, psychological, and financial effects on those closest to the person. If you are in this situation, there are things you can do to both support your loved one and take care of yourself. Although learning to deal with addiction is a long process, it will be worth it in the end. EditEducating Yourself About Addiction - Search online for information about your loved one's form of addiction. The best plan for addiction management and rehabilitation may vary according to the substance on which your loved one is dependent.
- Focus on information from sites with a medical or scientific orientation. Look for trustworthy sites such as government or university information.[1] There is a lot of information on the web, but not everything you read about drug addiction is true or realistic.
- Learning about the characteristics of your loved one's drug addiction can help you understand what to expect. It can also provide guidance on how to best address the situation.
- NIDA's DrugPubs Research Dissemination Center provides resources on drugs, drug abuse, and treatment.[2]
- Recognize the complexity of addiction. Addiction is a complex and widespread problem. It can have both physical and mental dimensions. Understanding the complexity can help you cope with the situation.
- It is tempting to think that drug users just have poor morals or lack of willpower. But, there are underlying biological processes that make drug addiction very difficult to overcome.[3]
- Drug abuse and addiction is a widespread problem. In 2009, about 23.5 million people over the age of 12 needed treatment for addiction. Only 11.6% of this number actually received the treatment they needed.[4]
- Learn about treatments. Mental health professionals use a variety of methods to help people overcome addictions. Some of these include:[5]
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy. This type of therapy identifies triggers, and thoughts or behaviors which contribute to use. Therapists can teach strategies to change behaviors. They can help increase self-control, stop drug use, and deal with other issues that may occur.
- Contingency management. This is a behavioral approach that helps the client monitor their behavior. This helps them to slowly change the behavior with the use of positive rewards.
- Motivational enhancement therapy. This approach helps clients identify why they want help. It helps them see why they might be ambivalent toward treatment and stopping drug use.
- Family therapy. This approach involves the person's immediate family. It focuses on communication practices that can help or hinder someone's recovery.
- Find an organization that can provide support. Groups like Al-Anon, Ala-Teen and Nar-Anon which offer 12 Step programs for the families and friends of people who struggle with alcoholism and addiction.
- These groups offer support for dealing with the person struggling with addiction. Talking with people in similar situations can help you understand addiction and recovery. These programs also help you to recover from the emotional effects of a relationship with an addicted person.
- They can also help you heal from guilt and past hardships with your loved one who is addicted. It is important to find support for yourself as you try to help your loved one. The Al-Anon webpage has search tool to help you find a meeting near you.[6]
EditTalking with Your Loved One - Speak up. Talk with your family member about your concerns regarding his or her substance use. Try to do this in a way that is non-confrontational, supportive, and non-judgmental.
- Focus on your feelings rather than making accusations or judgements. For example, you might say: "I'm really worried that your drinking may be affecting your health," rather than "you drink too much. Don't you know it can destroy your liver?"
- You can ask friends and family members to voice their concerns as well. Help your loved one see how his or her addiction has affected him or herself.
- Tell your loved one how her or his behavior, goals, or attitudes have changed since she or he started using. Remind your loved one about goals he or she held before, or the person he or she wanted to be.[7]
- Encourage your loved one to seek professional help. Do not ignore the drug use of your loved one. Instead, acknowledge the addiction and the strain it is putting on the family or relationship. Respectfully discuss this with your loved one and encourage him or her to seek help
- For example, you might say: "I'm really worried that if you keep using drugs, something terrible will happen to you. I know it might be hard to give it up, but there are services our there that can help." You might even offer to help find a group, doctor, or therapist to get the process started.
- The earlier your loved one seeks treatment, the better the chances of overcoming addiction.[8]
- Inform your loved one about treatment options. Talking to your loved one about treatment options can help the experience seem less threatening. Let him or her know what you have found in your research. Help your loved one understand that many others struggle with addiction too.
- Let your loved one know that you will be supportive as she or he goes through the process of treatment and recovery.
- Expect his or her reaction to be negative at first. Hearing that your loved ones want you to change and disapprove of your behavior is a hard thing to hear. Understand that your loved one may not be receptive to your concerns. She or he may deny that there is a problem or offer excuses for the behavior.[9] Prepare to hear these things and offer support, but maintain your position.
- Help when your loved one is ready. It may take some time before your loved one is ready to accept that she or he has a problem with addiction. It is important to remain supportive and remember who this person is apart from the addiction.[10]
- Be ready to suggest places to get help, call and make an appointment, or attend appointments with them.
- Your loved one may make several appointments then cancel them before attending. This is normal behavior for those struggling with addiction. Help remind him or her of why treatment is important.
EditSeeking Professional Help - Look into local detox clinics and rehabilitation centers. When your loved one is ready for help, you can make this easier by helping find treatment. Ask a health professional or search online for local facilities that treat people with addictions.
- A detoxification program involves treating the physical effects of dependence on a substance. The body has been functioning for a long time with the drug in the system. So, it can cause serious harm if a person quits "cold-turkey." The detox process usually takes place under the care of a physician. The medical team systematically and safely rids the body of the addictive substance.[11]
- Many people have other conditions that contribute to their addictions. Find a detox center or hospital that can address all aspects of health for your loved one. This can make the difference between temporary and permanent recovery.
- Your family member can also receive treatment on an outpatient basis. This involves seeing a mental health professional who specializes in the treatment of addiction.
- Search for support groups. Your loved one may need to attend group or independent therapy. Many organizations have regular meetings to promote drug-free living and provide a support network. These groups often offer anonymous support. There are also organizations that can help you find treatment and other resources for a loved one:[12]
 - The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) offers information on drug treatment facilities. This includes residential, outpatient, and hospital inpatient treatments. You can call 1-800-662-HELP.[13]
- The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK) can help with many issues, including suicide prevention and drug and alcohol abuse. They can help you find resources.
- The National Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health America offer self-help support for patients and families dealing with a variety of mental disorders.[14][15]
- The American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry can help you locate a near by physician you specializes in addiction.[16][17]
- Faces & Voices of Recovery helps people struggling with long-term addiction and recovery. They try to help on a community level by providing resources to care.[18]
- The Partnership at Drugfree.org helps teens, and can also offer parents information and support. Call the helpline for parents at (1-855-378-4373).[19]
- The American Society of Addiction Medicine can help you find treatment options and access addiction resources.[20]
- Speak with a professional therapist or counselor. Aside from learning about resources for your addicted loved one, it can be helpful for you and other family members to speak with a therapist or family counselor.
- Living with a drug addicted loved one can put significant stress on others in the household. Family therapy can help confused or stressed parents, children, or romantic partners.
- The purpose of family therapy is to identify behavior patterns that are unhelpful or reinforce the drug user's behavior. The therapist helps the family to overcome these obstacles and build a new way of interacting. The therapist can help the family learn to cope with relapses. He or she will also provide information about how to handle emergencies. This includes overdoses or addiction-related violence.[21]
- Many schools have counselors to help parents deal with children who have an addiction. There are also therapists who specialize in helping children and teenagers with addictions.
EditPersevering and Setting Boundaries - Offer emotional support without enabling the addiction. "Rescuing" your loved one, financially or otherwise, is not helpful. It only enables him or her to continue their behavior. Be clear that you can offer support, but only if he or she is serious about treatment. Here are some examples of healthy boundaries you can set:[22]
- Do not give money to your loved one to allow him or her to continue to buy drugs or alcohol. But, do remind your loved one that you are ready and willing to help him or her find treatment.
- Tell your loved one that you can offer emotional support, but that you will not allow her or him to use drugs in your home.
- Let your loved one know that you are there for him or her, but also that you will not drop everything to deal with a drug related problem or emergency. Your loved one must learn to help him or herself.
- Tell your loved one that you hope she or he can attend events with you. But, also emphasize that if she or he does not show up because of drug use, plans will continue without him or her.
- Develop effective communication skills. Relationships can develop communication patterns that make it harder for everyone to express themselves. Learning to share your thoughts and feelings effectively can help a lot.[23]
- Effective communication lets you to focus on conversations that make progress toward seeking help. It helps you avoid spiraling into negativity, blaming, threats, or shouting matches.
- Speak about yourself and your feelings rather than making accusations. For example, start sentences by saying: "I've noticed," "I'm worried," or "I feel." Don't focus on the other person.[24]
- Approach the person when he or she is sober.[25] You will be more likely to get a calm and rationale response.
- Try to keep your voice calm and even during conversations. Concern and compassion are helpful. Anger is not.[26]
- Emphasize your love and concern for the addicted person. This may help him or her feel less threatened and more cared for.
- Be assertive with your loved one about your boundaries and needs.
- If you have the opportunity to do so, speak with a counselor or therapist for more suggestions about effective communication.
- Avoid negative communication patterns. Along with improving your communication skills generally, there are several behaviors you should avoid. Stay away from these unhelpful actions:[27]
- Preaching at your loved one or manipulating him or her to change.
- Using guilt to try to get her or him to change or stop using.
- Coming to the aid of your loved one with excuses to save her or him from consequences.
- Taking on your loved one's responsibilities for him or her.
- Hiding his or her drugs or drug paraphernalia, or throwing them away. It is a better idea to tell your loved one that he or she must throw them away, or at least get these items out of your home.
- Fighting or arguing with your loved one if she or he is under the influence.
- Using drugs with your loved one.
- Cut ties if necessary. Prepare to maintain your personal safety by cutting ties if your loved one's behavior warrants it.[28] Behavior that may lead you to consider separating yourself from the situation include:
- Violent or abusive behavior toward you or others.
- Endangering the home or family with risky behavior. This could include using drugs near children or conducting drug deals on the property.
- Putting the family's economic stability in jeopardy. This could include draining the bank account or selling items from the home to pay for the habit.
- Cutting ties can require harsh measures. You may need to consider reporting illegal behavior to civil authorities. You might consider admitting a minor to an in-patient substance abuse program. You may need to ask your loved one to leave the home and not return until sober. In extreme cases, you may need to move without announcing your new address.
- Knowing the limits of your own ability to help your loved one is essential to preserving your own health and happiness. Without ensuring your own safety you cannot help your loved one. Set limits on your involvement in your loved one's addiction.
- Try to provide strong and positive family bonds for children. There should be obvious and consistent parental monitoring of children's activities. There should also be clear and consistent rules of conduct. The parents must be closely involved in the lives of their children.
- Drug addiction is difficult to overcome without professional medical or therapeutic help. Family members of drug addicted people often benefit from individual or group therapy. It helps them manage the stress that accompanies such a difficult relationship.
- Not every addicted person can be reached. Even if you do everything right, you may not be able to convince your loved one to seek treatment. Be prepared for this possibility. Try not to blame yourself if it occurs.
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| How to Stop a Cat from Pulling Its Hair Out Posted: 19 Feb 2017 08:00 AM PST Cats are fastidious when it comes to keeping their coat in tip-top condition. However, sometimes they go too far, pulling an excessive amount of hair out. This can lead to the cat having a ragged appearance to his coat or even having bald patches. To stop a cat from pulling its hair out you need to get to the bottom of why it's doing it in the first place. The answer to this is unfortunately not always obvious or straightforward.[1] EditAssessing if Environmental Allergens Are a Factor - Understand pet allergies. If humans have an allergy, say for instance hay fever, we tend to get sore eyes, a runny nose, and sneeze. Cats, however, react differently. The commonest manifestation of an allergy in cats is itchy skin, which in turns results in excessive grooming and pulling hair out.
- In much the same way that some people have a peanut allergy, or a seafood allergy, or get hay fever, a cat may be allergic to one substance and be fine with another.
- Explore possible environmental allergens. Potentially anything in the environment can be an allergen, if the cat is sensitive to it. Common allergens include house dust mites, grass pollens, tree pollens, and flea bites.[2]
- If your cat has an allergy to pollen, you may notice their over-grooming becomes worse in the seasons when that pollen is around, such as in the spring for trees, or summer for grasses. There is also a wide overlap in reaction to many pollens and so it might be the cat only gets relief in the winter, when there are very few pollens around to trigger the reaction.
- Other substances act as irritants (subtly different from an allergy, but producing the same effect). This might be things like spray deodorants, perfumes, or hairspray that are used near the cat and land on its coat, causing irritation.
- Eliminating possible environmental causes. Unfortunately, it is notoriously difficult to diagnose the exact allergen which the cat is reacting against. Blood tests or skin prick tests that can be run on dogs, yield almost random (and very unreliable) results in the cat.[3] This means your veterinarian will reach a diagnosis by eliminating other possible causes of skin irritation (such as parasites, food allergy, and behavioral causes) and then seeing if the over-grooming settles with treatment.
EditTreating Environmental Allergies - Minimize exposure to suspected allergens. Remove as many possible causes of allergy or irritation as possible. Do not spray aerosols near the cat, stop using scented candles (the odor clings to fur and can trigger grooming to get rid of it), air fresheners, and vacuum daily to decrease house dust mite numbers.
- The effectiveness of this approach may be limited if the cat reacts to pollens, in which case drug therapy may be required.
- Use anti-inflammatories to decrease irritation. The vet will first make a judgement call as to whether treatment is necessary or not. The drugs used to decrease itch can have side effects and your vet should make an educated decision about whether the benefits outweigh the risks.
 - If the cat is pulling its fur out and making the skin inflamed, red, infected or ulcerated, then drug therapy is indicated. If it's a case of a few shorter furred areas, then it probably isn't. The decision to treat or not is one for you to decide in consultation with your vet.
- The drugs commonly used are anti-inflammatories. Corticosteroids such as prednisolone are cheap and effective. An average sized cat is usually given a 5 mg tablet once daily with or after food for 5 to 10 days (depending on how itchy he is) and the dose reduced to one tablet every other day for the duration of the pollen season.
- Where possible, medication is stopped over the winter. Whilst cats are relatively resistant to the side effects of steroids, when compared to people or dogs, the risk include increased thirst and appetite (leading to weight gain), and an increased risk of developing diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes). You should discuss your cat's individual risk of side effects with your veterinarian.[4]
- Treat your cat with antibiotics if its skin becomes infected. Antibiotics may be necessary if your cat has pulled the fur out and made the skin sore or infected. In this case the skin may glisten, or appear moist, there may be a sticky discharge or the area smells.
- You can help at home by gently bathing the infected area twice a day with a salt water solution and then patting the skin dry. To make up a saltwater solution, boil the kettle, then dissolve one teaspoon of regular table salt into one pint of previously boiled water. Keep this solution in a clean container and soak a clean ball of cotton wool each time.[5]
EditInvestigating and Treating Other Possible Allergens - Explore the possibility that your cat has a food allergy. Another common cause of skin irritation, which results in pulling out fur, is food allergy. When the cat eats a food they are allergic to, this triggers a mechanism which makes the skin intensely itchy. These allergies are usually to a particular protein in the diet (like a nut allergy in people).
- Put your cat on a new diet if a food allergy is indicated. The good news about food allergy is that by avoiding the food allergen the cat can be 'cured' and stops being itchy. However, once again, there is no reliable lab test for food allergy. A diagnosis is made by putting the cat onto a low allergy or hypoallergenic diet.
- The easiest way to put your cat on a hypoallergenic diet is to speak to your vet about a prescription diet. Diets such as Hills DD, Hills ZD, Hills ZD ultra, or Purina HA are made in such a way that the protein molecules it contains are too small to physically bridge receptors in the gut wall that trigger an allergic reaction.
- The alternative is to analyze all the food your cat eats and then find a food that contains NONE of those previous ingredients.
- It can take up to 8 weeks for the previous allergen to clear the system and the symptoms subside, so don't expect a quick result. Whilst on the dietary trial, you must feed the hypoallergenic diet exclusively, so that you don't accidentally give a treat containing an allergen.
- If the cat does have a food allergy, your choices are either to continue feeding the hypoallergenic diet, or to add in one new food every fortnight, and wait to see if the itching restarts, before declaring that food is OK for your cat.
- Assess whether your cat has a flea allergy. A common cause of skin irritation are parasites, especially fleas. When a flea bites it injects saliva into the cat's skin, which acts as a potent allergen. If your cat pulls its hair out, it is a basic requirement to treat the cat monthly against fleas, and use an environmental spray to eliminate flea eggs and larvae in the house.[6]
- Examples of effective products are fipronil, available without a prescription, and selamectin, which is called Revolution in the US and Stronghold in the UK, and is available with a prescription only.[7] Use a treatment regardless of whether you see evidence of fleas or not. This is because it only takes one flea bite to trigger the reaction, and since the flea doesn't live on the pet, he may be long gone and yet the cat is still itchy.
- Identify possible causes of a behavioral problem. When a cat grooms the body releases endorphins, which are a natural form of morphine. This makes the cat feel good and many cats over-groom specifically because they get hooked on the endorphins. This is especially true if the cat feels stressed for some reason because the licking offers a form of stress relief.[8]
- Try to identify why the cat is stressed. Perhaps there has been an intruder cat in the house, or you've recently got a new pet. Addressing the underlying cause is likely to be the answer.
- In addition, you can use Feliway, which is a synthetic version of the feline pheromone (chemical messenger) which makes the cat feel safe and secure. Feliway comes as a spray and a room diffuser, and the later is the best option because it works constantly in the background.[9]
- If your cat pulls out hair, a vet check is always wise in the first instance, to check for pain and discomfort which could be causing the cat stress. The vet can also discuss with you a change of diet and proper parasite control for your pet, all of which will be helpful.
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| How to Keep a Sharp Mind and Good Attitude Posted: 19 Feb 2017 12:00 AM PST No matter your age, there are times when memory lapses seem to get you down. Fortunately, there are ways to keep your mind sharp, which can also help improve your attitude. Keeping a sharp mind also enables you to figure situations out more effectively and make wiser decisions as you age. There are numerous ways to keep your mind sharp while keeping a positive attitude. EditBuilding Cognitive Skills - Exercise daily. Exercise has a whole host of benefits for your mental and physical health, including warding off depression and bolstering the immune system.[1] But physical fitness also has been shown to increase mental sharpness as people age.[2]
- Especially past the age of 40, daily exercise helps maintain acuity in the prefrontal cortex of the brain. In one study, elderly men who were aerobically fit were able to outperform men who were unfit in decision making tasks.[3]
- Eat a healthy diet. Brain and heart health may be key to maintaining memory stores as we age, and might even contribute to warding off dementia.[4] Avoid saturated and trans fats, which damage brain blood vessels, and be sure your diet includes:
- Healthy fats, such as olive oil and omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish like salmon.[5]
- Antioxidants, which contribute to optimal brain functioning; even dark chocolate counts![6]
- Plenty of fruits, veggies, and whole grains, which can help reduce your risk for a stroke.[7]
- A moderate amount of alcohol. You heard that right: for adults, a small amount of alcohol can help fight off dementia by maintaining healthy cholesterol and insulin levels in the blood.[8] But be careful to keep the alcohol to a moderate amount: too much alcohol has the opposite effect, and can even lead to a loss of memory (known as a "blackout").[9]
- Get enough sleep. The fog of exhaustion will cloud your mental ability, but a well-rested mind is able to perform at its optimal ability.
- Our brains store daily memories while we sleep, so you need rest in order to remember even mundane details of daily life.[10]
- You might even consider taking a short nap after learning something new or important, to help store it in your long-term memory.[11]
- Use your mind instead of a calculator. Math helps strengthen reasoning and problem solving skills, and you can easily practice, especially simple things that you can easily total up in your head or on a piece of paper. Many people haven't done long division since grade school; give it a try sometime.
- When you are in the grocery store, try keeping a running total of the items in your cart. You don't have to add the exact amount; round each price up to the nearest dollar. When you get to the check-out you'll find out how close you were!
- Don't stop learning. A study out of Harvard found that advanced education is associated with stronger memory as a person ages.[12] Even if you didn't go to college, you can continue your education yourself throughout your life.
- Go to your local library to gain more knowledge. It is a great place to relax, gather thoughts, and focus on studying. If you have any spare time, carry a book over to the park or stop in at a family restaurant. It all aids in building a sharper better mind, and improves your attitude.
- Take a class at a local community college. The best courses are those that are both mentally and socially demanding, such as photography or quilting.[13] You will also have the added benefit of meeting new people and forming new friendships!
- Flex your mental muscles. You can improve your mental ability in domains such as logic, problem solving, mental orientation and corrective thought process by working puzzles and doing difficult mental tasks. Challenging yourself mentally can help increase your rational thinking skills, giving you more confidence problem solving in a given situation.
- Try crossword puzzles.[14] Older people who do crossword puzzles have better scores on a variety of cognitive tests than those who don't. Although researchers aren't sure if the puzzles cause better mental ability or if people with better mental ability just tend to do puzzles more because they can, it can't hurt to try![15]
- Try computer games. In one study out of Harvard, a game called NeuroRacer was found to improve elderly participants' ability to multitask, retain working memory, and maintain attention.[16]
- Engage all of your senses. Scientists have found that using all of your senses activates different parts of your brain, which can help you retain a memory. In one study, people were shown images presented with or without a smell, and were found to be able to recall the images with a smell better than those without.[17]
- In practical application, this might mean using mindfulness techniques to notice the sights, smells, tastes, feelings, and sounds around you in a given situation, to help recall the event more clearly later.
- You can also try sucking on peppermint candy, as peppermint oil has been shown to help aid recall and alertness.[18] Pop a mint in your mouth when you're reading new information or learning something you want to remember later.
- Try using your opposite hand to do everyday things. This can be a real challenge, especially if you attempt writing and printing, but it is a great way to force yourself to focus while engaging both sides of your brain.
- Sit down and start writing on a piece of paper using your off hand. It will probably start out like scrawl, but you will become more aware of your tense shoulders and gain more control with time. This exercise is also used for epileptic patients.[19]
EditKeeping a Good Attitude - Find a special talent. No matter what your stage in life, everyone can learn something new and develop a talent or skill. Developing new skills helps to bolster your self-confidence.[20]
- Try a sport like skiing or golfing, or join a choral group or amateur comedy club. Relax your expectations and don't strive for perfection; just have fun and meet people while giving it your best shot.[21]
- Some skills, such as learning a foreign language or computer coding, are also great for bolstering your mental sharpness.[22]
- Express yourself creatively. Creativity has more than one advantage when it comes to keeping your mind sharp and keeping a positive attitude: creativity forces you to think and flex your mental muscles, and the results of your hard work can reinforce your self-confidence and help you enjoy your daily life.
- Try your hand at writing poetry, sewing, taking up a musical instrument, gardening, or painting. If you don't feel artistic or creative, baking or writing in a journal are also great ways to express yourself requiring less technical skill.
- Try applying creative approaches to daily tasks like shopping on a budget or creating a new recipe with dietary restrictions or limited ingredients. Keep a good attitude about your ability to find solutions in every-day situations.[23]
- Serve others. Especially as you age, giving back to your community can give you a sense of purpose and identity that contributes to a positive outlook on life and a good attitude toward the aging process.[24]
- Try serving meals at a homeless shelter, volunteering at a senior center to write letters for residents, or working with youth or children at your local faith-based organization. Having a regularly scheduled volunteer job can help you make friends and help others.
- Reframe your experiences. It is true that as you age, you will not be able to do everything you could do when you were younger. But instead of seeing those as failures, reframe them as natural, and refocus on things you can do.[25]
- Reframing involves looking at your current situation with fresh eyes. In many ways, attitude is everything: you can reframe a negative thought or experience to make it positive. For example, you may not be able to recall things as well as you used to, but instead of seeing that as a personal failure or an embarrassment, recognize it as a natural effect of a life well lived.[26]
- Practice gratitude. Scientists have done hundreds of studies on the benefits of a grateful attitude, which include boosting your happiness and life satisfaction.[27] There are several strategies you can try to increase gratitude:
- Write a letter of thanks to someone who has made a difference in your life, and deliver it to them with a gift.[28]
- Spend time writing. Every day for a week (or more), write down at least three things that you experienced that you're grateful for. They can be big or small. Write how it made you feel. Making this a daily practice, perhaps writing every night before bed, can help you cultivate a grateful attitude.[29]
EditSupplementing Your Memory - Write things down. Since you can't (and don't need to) remember everything, you should prioritize your mental space and use shortcuts to help you remember things you don't need to memorize.[30] Writing things down is an important way to ensure that you don't miss appointments, forget medications, or other important things that you can't risk forgetting.
- Try keeping Post-it notes or a white board in the office with daily tasks and reminders.[31]
- Use a calendar or planner to keep track of important upcoming events and deadlines, and keep a running shopping list to take to the grocery store.
- Repeat important details. Repeating things you are told can help to fire pathways in your brain to ensure that you can remember it better later.[32]
- When you meet someone new and they introduce themselves, repeat their name right then, and again at the end of the conversation. You can do it casually: in the beginning of the conversation, say, "It's so nice to meet you, John." Repeat again at the end of your conversation, "It was great talking to you, John."
- Repeat important instructions from your doctor, and if needed, write them down to ensure you remember accurately.
- Meditate or practice yoga. By learning to calm your mind and focus your attention, you can improve your mental clarity which has positive effects on your memory and attention span.[33]
- In one study, participants who practiced mindfulness for 20-30 minutes daily scored better on standardized memory tests than those who took a nutrition class.
- Mindfulness is a meditative practice that involves sitting and breathing slowly while focusing on physical sensations such as your breath moving in and out. Try to meditate twice a day for 10-20 minutes at a time.[34]
EditAccepting Help - Recognize that you may need help at some point. As we age, our mental abilities will decline whether or not we try to maintain a sharp mind: it's just a fact of life. It is important to surround yourself with people you trust so that as you age, you can trust them to make important decisions for you should the need arise.
- As people age, they are more likely to remember events that did not actually occur. Having a younger person that you have known for a long time, like a grown child, can help you supplement your memory if you need to recall an event from years past.[35]
- Assign a guardian. Before you need one, decide who will serve as your guardian when and if your mental abilities decline. You should hire a lawyer to file appropriate documentation when the time comes.[36]
- If you do not assign a guardian, the courts will usually appoint your nearest relative, which could be a brother, sister, spouse, or child. If you have troubled relationships with anyone near you (which is very common), it makes sense to appoint your own so that this important decision is not left up to the court.
- Write a will indicating your final wishes for your property and end of life care. If you should lose mental functioning, your will ensures that no one makes decisions that go against what you hoped for your future and keeps you in control.[37]
- Make health decisions now. You can make big decisions about your future health and care now and put them in writing so that you're your guardian will have to keep your preferences in mind.[38]
- Your lawyer will help you navigate the process, but will most likely recommend an Advance Directive, which includes a Living Will, Power of Attorney or Proxy (generally, but not necessarily, your guardian), and your preferences for resuscitation and intubation (such as a Do Not Resuscitate order).[39]
- Ask for help. If you think you might be experiencing a neurological condition such as Alzheimer's or dementia, reach out to those you love and ask for help. There are treatment plans and healthcare options for you to help you if you are battling these conditions.
- Symptoms of Alzheimer's can start at any time, but before age 65 it is known as "younger onset Alzheimer's."[40]
- It is normal to feel anxiety, fear, or worry if you are experiencing increasing memory loss. But talking to your children or loved ones now can help you ensure that your future is secure. You can lead a productive and fulfilling life even after a diagnosis.[41]
- Read books and newspapers to gain knowledge.
- Share your views and ideas with others. Help others solve their problems and you will experience different situations.
- Concentrate on the things you need to remember by making an image of that in your mind.
- Join a new club. Trying something new and different will allow your mind to work in different ways, so in effect you will become a sharper minded person.
- Learning a new language is considered by many as a good workout for your brain. Furthermore, learning a new language could help with your future employability prospects.
- It's important that you keep focusing on new things daily and take proper sleep. Meditation, yoga and nutritious diet make you feel relaxed, healthy and positive.
- Read often. This will help you improve your comprehension skills.
- Make a red point on a wall and focus on it. It will definitely improves your concentration power.
- Sleep 7-8 hours daily.
- Watch out for people that try to do your thinking for you. However, keep your mind open for good advice. When you have a sharp mind, you'll recognize good advice.
- Don't be a people pleaser, for the wrong kind of people will take advantage of you. If you stay sharp, chances are that won't happen to you.
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