If you have just received a diagnosis of dementia, or are concerned that you have dementia, it is understandable to have a range of emotions and responses including disbelief, shock, sadness, anger, or anxiety. These are common feelings people experience after getting a diagnosis of dementia and are completely normal and understandable.

It may reassure you to know that these feelings are likely to lessen over time, and/or become areas where it can be helpful to talk with others.

Considerable stigma still exists around dementia which can make coming to terms with a diagnosis even harder. The stigma associated with dementia can cut into a person’s sense of self-worth and self-esteem. Fortunately stigma can be challenged and a growing number of people living with dementia are doing just that. For some people one of the most powerful ways of coming to terms with a diagnosis of dementia is to talk to other people in the same situation.  Discussing hopes and fears with others facing the same issues can help reduce some of the anxiety and sense of aloneness that a diagnosis can bring.