Mahathir’s memory loss is stress-related

Forgetfulness is a normal part of ageing. As people get older, changes occur in all parts of the body, including the brain. As a result, some people may notice they don’t remember information as well as they did. Emotional problems, such as stress, anxiety, or depression, can make a person more forgetful. Trying to deal with these life changes leaves some people feeling confused or forgetful.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

There are three schools of thought regarding PPBM Chairman and Pakatan Harapan’s ‘Calun PM’ Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

First is that Mahathir is Machiavellian and is doing many U-turns from his previous positions to suit the current political predicament he is in. Machiavellians, of course, are clever and they can twist and turn and, as the Malays would say, hidup di dua alam (or are amphibious).

Frogs and snakes would be examples of creatures that are amphibious or can hidup di dua alam.

Second is that Mahathir is getting too old and is nyanyuk (senile), which is why he keeps forgetting what he said and did in the past and keeps changing his position or contradicts himself so many times.

Third is that Mahathir has repented, taubat, changed, reformed, turned over a new leaf, become a ‘Born Again Muslim’, or whatever. And this is the excuse the Pakatan Harapan supporters, in particular the DAP Chinese, give as to why they support the problem to become the solution or appoint the fox to guard the chickens.

DAP says Mahathir is the ‘New Mahathir’ because he says the opposite of what he used to do when he was PM for 22 years and not because he suffers memory loss

Their excuse is that this is the ‘New Mahathir’ (who says things opposite to what he used to do when he was Prime Minister) and is no longer the ‘Old Mahathir’. That is why he cakap tak serupa bikin and not because he is nyanyuk.

The United States National Institute on Aging of the United States Department of Health and Human Services explains this in great detail, which you can read below. Age is merely one factor for memory loss. Nevertheless, this does not mean you are suffering from a disease of some sort, such as Alzheimer’s Disease.

This is what the United States National Institute on Aging study says:

Emotional problems, such as stress, anxiety, or depression, can make a person more forgetful and can be mistaken for dementia. For instance, someone who has recently retired or who is coping with the death of a spouse, relative, or friend may feel sad, lonely, worried, or bored. Trying to deal with these life changes leaves some people feeling confused or forgetful.

The video below shows Mahathir’s mental state and how he struggles to remember something that has just been discussed and agreed a few minutes ago.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPfUClEudys

Mahathir needs help to remember and struggles through a press conference to announce what had just been discussed and agreed

Mahathir’s declining memory and reduced mental capacity became more prominent in 2015 at the height of the 29th July coup d’état. At that time Mahathir thought there was no way Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak could survive beyond July 2015 and that Muhyiddin Yassin would be taking over as Prime Minister with Mukhriz as his new number two.

The 29th July coup d’état failed and two more attempts were made in October and December that same year. These were the votes-of-no-confidence in Parliament and during the Umno general assembly respectively. Both also failed and Mahathir went into depression.

In February 2016 when Mukhriz was forced by the Kedah Palace to resign as the Menteri Besar, Mahathir practically broke and three weeks later he resigned from Umno.

At that stage Mahathir should have called it quits and accepted the fact that it was game over. But Mahathir was no longer in touch with reality and he had this illusion that Najib could still be ousted and Mukhriz could still become Prime Minister.

Mahathir’s third coup d’état attempt in the December 2015 Umno assembly failed and that badly effected his mental state

That was when Mahathir’s mental state began to get worse and he started forgetting things.

In the past, Mahathir always got things his way. However, since 2015 when Mahathir started his war with Najib, nothing is going his way anymore and it is badly affecting him. The bottom line is Mahathir cannot stand losing. In his entire political career, Mahathir has never lost, even when he took on the Rulers and the Judiciary.

Today, he is losing every step of the way and Mahathir cannot take the stress of losing or accept the fact that Najib is still Prime Minister till today when he was supposed to have been ousted on 29th July 2015.

Pakatan Harapan is trying to portray Mahathir as being physically and mentally fit. But the truth is Mahathir has had to seek medical treatment 47 times over the last three years while mentally he is losing it.

But then why does Pakatan Harapan still project Mahathir as their Prime Minister designate in the event they win GE14 knowing that he has a serious mental issue? This is because they do not intend to make Mahathir the Prime Minister. They just want to use Mahathir to gain Malay support and to garner Malay votes. After that they can discard Mahathir.

First of all, Mahathir needs to win a parliament seat, which may not happen. Secondly, His Majesty Yang di-Pertuan Agong must consent to Mahathir becoming Prime Minister, which will not happen. So why worry whether Mahathir is a mental case or not when by Polling Day it does not matter any longer anyway?

**********************************************************

UNITED STATES NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Do Memory Problems Always Mean Alzheimer’s Disease?

Many people worry about becoming forgetful. They think forgetfulness is the first sign of Alzheimer’s disease. But not all people with memory problems have Alzheimer’s. Other causes for memory problems can include ageing, medical conditions, emotional problems, mild cognitive impairment, or another type of dementia.

Age-Related Changes in Memory

Forgetfulness can be a normal part of ageing. As people get older, changes occur in all parts of the body, including the brain. As a result, some people may notice that it takes longer to learn new things, they don’t remember information as well as they did, or they lose things like their glasses. These usually are signs of mild forgetfulness, not serious memory problems, like Alzheimer’s disease.

Memory Loss Related to Emotional Problems

Emotional problems, such as stress, anxiety, or depression, can make a person more forgetful and can be mistaken for dementia. For instance, someone who has recently retired or who is coping with the death of a spouse, relative, or friend may feel sad, lonely, worried, or bored. Trying to deal with these life changes leaves some people feeling confused or forgetful.

The confusion and forgetfulness caused by emotions usually are temporary and go away when the feelings fade. Emotional problems can be eased by supportive friends and family, but if these feelings last for more than 2 weeks, it is important to get help from a doctor or counsellor. Treatment may include counselling, medication, or both. Being active and learning new skills can also help a person feel better and improve his or her memory.