Mild Strokes |
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An often unsuspected cause of mental and physical incapacity is a series of "mild strokes." These may start when a person is in the 30's or 40's striking silently at night or passing almost unnoticed as a sudden dizzy spell, a momentary blackout, or just a few moments of confusion. The stroke itself is not severe enough to compel the patient to seek medical aid, but some permanent brain damage remains just the same. A formerly kind, gentle person may suddenly become highly impatient and irritable with little cause. His judgment is often impaired, and a strong man may become weak and be prone to tears. Suspiciousness is common. A person who has had a tendency toward emotional instability, held in check heretofore by will power, may suddenly develop a psychosis. Some become sloppy in dress and befuddled in thought, others lose their moral sense and become involved in sexual indiscretions. Sometimes the victim merely loses interest in his family and friends and lives secretively, constantly hiding things that through forgetfulness he cannot later find. When symptoms are mild, as they often are, the person may get along very well, provided he doesn't live in a city. Surveys show that a sufferer of cerebral vascular disease can get along better in the slower-going farm and small-town areas. Fast city living, with its dashing cars, hustling pedestrians, and tight time schedules, serves only to confuse a tired, slowed-up mind and body. The situation is complicated even more because city dwellers are reluctant to admit they want to slow down. Our lack of natural defenses for the brain makes the problem of a series of small strokes one of the most difficult ever tackled, but medical authorities believe that it can be solved. |
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