You might want to consider doing a ketogenic lifestyle. There is lots of emerging research on the metabolism mind connection, and specificity about mental health. Not eating glucose raising foods doesn't hurt you, and it can have a marked improvement on brain health.
this post was submitted on 29 Nov 2025
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Oh hi I'm a psychiatric nurse!
Most important: Pick the three people you trust most in the world, put them in order of who you want making decisions for you the most (you also need to consider who will be the most level-headed & put your needs before their own emotions), then talk to your doctor about what paperwork you need to sign for that. Then talk to those people at length about how you want to die and what would make you feel the safest and happiest day-to-day until it happens. Think about what routines have brought you peace in your life, what things you do for fun / relaxation, what kind of music you like to listen to, etc.
If you're up to it, I also highly recommend Wellness Recovery Action Planning. It's more designed for people who are more likely to recover, but it'll give you a template to go off to communicate your day to day needs in a written format for your legal decision makers and healthcare professionals to make you feel safe and comfortable as you progress through these next few stages. It'll also have some spaces for you to mention any specific triggers (a lot of the time we find out someone has PTSD from sexual assault after a trip to the bathroom unexpectedly turns into a cage match and it would be nice to get a heads up instead). And if you do this have a special section just for music; it's the part of your brain that's likely to keep working the longest. Make two playlists, one to dance / have fun to, and one to relax / sleep to.
I wouldn't fuss too much on the gun thing unless you already have one / have been used to having one for most of your life. If you were never a gun person before you're unlikely to randomly just go out and buy one.
Good luck and I really hope you're able to find trustworthy people to make decisions for you because without them to actually carry out your wishes, literally anything else you decide on now is completely moot.
I'm not OP but loving your response!
First things first - you need to get someone you love and trust and get them power of attorney. You will eventually lose competence to make decisions for yourself and will need someone to be able to legally do so on your behalf.
As for guardrails, senior proof your home once and you'll be fine.
Oh my... That's horrible, I wish you well.
Elder care lawyer
So sorry to hear. I have worked with many cases similar to yours. First things first, as most have said you need to find someone you trust to be you power of attorney. Depending on where you live in the world this can look different so I would consult with a expert to make sure you are doing it correctly.
This disease is scary because you slowly lose yourself. Depending on how it progresses you may eventually forget everyone you know. You may maintain long term memories but likely your short term memory will be completely shot.
This means you will often be on a short loop of 5-15 minutes as it progresses. Quality of life is highly dependent on very patient, kind, and understanding caregivers. It extremely exhaustive taking care of a person on this short loop.
Hearing the same story thousands of times. Constantly correcting behavior and a lot of supervision is needed. Often your emotional state is completely dependent on those around you. If everyone else is happy, you will be.
The good news is you may have a long time before this happens. Enjoy life and prepare for the worst. They could find some new treatment soon so you are not without hope. Definitely time for a bucket list.
I have seen people with middle-late stages of Alzheimer's. They have problems even with chewing food. Shooting gun? Impossible even in theory. Dead cat would be deadlier using the gun.
If you just want to get rid of some intrusive thoughts then get rid of a gun right now. You have much more serious problems than that.
I'm very sorry to hear that. What is your family support situation look like? That's one of the most important factors.
Do you know anyone that you trust unconditionally?
You should assign someone durable power of attorney so that they can make decisions and manage your finances. Start planning medical and care decisions right now.
Otherwise, why do you think you would buy a gun? That’s not really common among people with dementia. Does your state have medical marijuana? Get a medical marijuana card. Most places, that will disqualify you or make it difficult.
Make sure someone is getting you evaluated regularly. Mental illness is also a disqualifier for gun purchases. A dementia diagnosis won’t necessarily disqualify you, though (except in Hawaii and Texas).
Also, check if your state has passed Donna’s Law.
With regard to the gun thing, contact your state police (in the US), they should be able to help.
Not even that, contact the respective state DOJ and have them put you on the restricted list.
You can still buy kits for old designs or anything designed before a certain year, can't remember exactly.
I’m sure it depends on the state. Where I am, state police manage firearm shit.
This is it here. I'm in Tennessee. We have to fill out a form to purchase a gun from a shop. It's the back ground check for the purchase.
Anyway.. I was denied once because the state left off some letters of my name for my driver's license. #LongNameProblems
Anyway.. what I wrote didn't match what the state had. And I was denied.
So my suggestion is the same as yours... to have the tbi (or equivalent) flag them as medically unwell and to always deny.
Granted that won't matter in person to person sales . But it's something at least.
Omg no. Now you have 2 problems
US authorities can't be trusted imo.
You could wear a chastity belt to prevent yourself from screwing anyone.
I appreciate the humour, but perhaps not the best thread.
if you can't laugh at a tragedy, it could kill you.
I’m sorry 😔
Gosh, I'm so sorry this is happening to you. Yes you should do what the others have said about getting someone trustworthy in charge of your legal affairs while you're still able to sign them over.
Yeah, might be a good idea to get on the Don't Sell list. Otherwise a person in your situation might give in to the urge to commit Dumpicide and either use their diagnosis as a defense or be shot by the Secret Service and spared the long decline.
Honest question though: do you think you SHOULD own a gun?
He clearly doesn't. Hence the question.
I think you have missed what they were really asking.
It sounds like he's asking op if he believes he should own a gun. When he clearly said he wants to be blocked from owning guns.
Completely missing the point.
what is the point?
There are segments of the population that FEEL like it's a god given right to have guns.
People with dementia revert back to a specific mind state that doesn't register there is an issue, hence this person's question.
Somebody with Alzheimer's or any stage of Dementia may just walk down the street and buy a gun. Which is my real question.
Does this person FEEL like they SHOULD own a gun? If it's something they would normally not think about, it's unlikely that they would-at any stage of memory loss-go and get a gun.
These diseases don't completely change your personality and suddenly make you a different creature of habit, they just revert you back to certain spaces where your neural paths make sense and operate on that.
Perhaps they've been a gun owner in the past. I'm as lefty as they come, and I have owned guns in the past, and plan on having a gun again. There are people who hunt, who live in areas with bear and other dangerous animals, and there are those who have worked in fields where firearms are something you have. I have worked armed security. I enjoy going to gun ranges (though, as a general rule, I no longer do that. Too many dipshit right wing stains on humanity hang out there). I lived in a very rural area until April, and we would often target shoot out in the back yard. Owning a gun in the US is so normalized that if OP is in the US, and anywhere outside of major urban centers (and even then...), it is very possibly a concern that if they are not in their right mind, just popping down the local gun store (and there is almost always at least one local gun store around) or pawn shop, and pick up a 9mm or a .38 special. If I ever got a dementia diagnosis, this would also be a major concern for me. I would give my power of attorney to whoever I trusted most, and make sure the state was alerted that I should not be trusted with a weapon again. I've never considered this aspect until now, but OP is exactly right. It's far too commonplace a thing not to worry that in an episode you won't just go do that in the States. Our gun culture is absolutely insane.
Also, before the accusations fly:
There have been no children in the home The guns are in lock boxes Ammunition is stored separately I am not a "but the home invasions!" Nutjob
Okay, but again, you're missing the entire point of the conversation.
This is a person worried about losing their rational mind.
You're trying to describe rationality.
That's not how memory loss works. At. All.
You're making this about YOU, and it has nothing to do with you. Only the person who asked the question.
Firstly, that is how memory loss works. If they're a person who has a prexisting interest or history in a thing, in a moment of confusion they may well forget that it's not a good idea for them to go do that thing again.
Secondly, I'm not making it about me. I'm using myself as an example.
Thirdly, there's no "again" here. This was our first interaction about this.
Finally, the person who asked the question is clearly concerned about this aspect. You making this about YOU and YOUR assumptions on their history, personality, and general ethos does not help a person who is genuinely seeking help. Perhaps try answering their question ("how do I ensure I am on a no-purchase list for firearms?") instead of attempting to make this more than it is and making this a "the psychology of gun owners" debate?
No, it's not.
Someone who didn't own or had a penchant for guns in the first place wouldn't SUDDENLY get all crazy about guns as you're suggesting. It's simply not a thing.
Whatever your crazy insecurities are about this, it's not about the OP who is simply asking about being restrained in a way. Not because they are prone to it, but because they don't know what's going to happen.
You're just some insecure assholes making this about you. Fuck off.
Jesus Christ. Is there some kind of medication you're supposed to be taking that you haven't? Or perhaps a medication you're not supposed to be taking that you have taken too much of?
Re read what I said. I specifically said if they had that interest. My original comment was mostly agreeing with you that if they had that interest is when the concern kicks in. Seriously. You're so busy attempting to defend yourself that you've blinded yourself to the fact that no one was attacking you. Fucking chill.
Friend...you need to chill. Gonna leave it there because you seem to have issues regulating.
... Yeah. I'm blocking you. You're deeply awful.
Oohh, you are saying: if they ever felt like the should own a gun, or if in different circumstances they should own a gun there's a higher risk of them trying to own one in the future, right?
That makes sense, thanks
Yep. That's what dementia is like.
OP has been consumed and understands this, and is asking about this because they are wondering if they might fall into a state and end up doing something they would normally not do. It's a good question to ask.