Finding the silver lining in a dementia diagnosis

A study claims dementia forces you to appreciate life and makes relationships stronger.While you can understand that nobody wants to get a diagnosis of dementia, being able to recognise that there are some positives to it can really help you cope.That’s what a study presented at the Alzheimer’s Association Conference in Toronto has said.In a study of 48 men and women with early dementia or mild cognitive impairment, participants were asked a series of questions about their quality of life and personal outlook. They used what is known as the Silver Lining Questionnaire (SLQ), which measures how much an illness has a positive effect on different areas in your life.They discovered that many people found they had higher levels of tolerance of others, courage to face problems in life, stronger relationships and valued life more highly.‘The overall assumption is this diagnosis would have a uniformly negative impact on a patient’s outlook on life,’ says Professor Gregory Jicha, of Kentucky University. ‘But we were surprised to find that almost half of respondents reported positive scores.‘The common stereotype for this type of diagnosis is depression, denial and despair. However, this study – while small – suggests positive changes in attitude are as common as negative ones.’Have you found that your diagnosis has had some positive effects in terms of relationships or life outlooks? Let us know in the comments box below…Source: Telegraph.co.uk