It's normal to feel upset or angry, sometimes this can be very difficult to cope with. Here are some things you can do to help yourself feel better:
Talk about it
Don’t try to hide your feelings. Talk to someone you trust.
This can be hard when the person you’d like to talk to, like your parents or grandparents, is also finding things hard. You may worry that it might upset them to talk about dementia, or that they are too busy to talk. But they would much rather you talked to them than be upset and worried.
Some children find it helpful to speak to friends, or other people who know about dementia. If you can’t think of anyone you can talk to, visit the links page for ideas about where to get help and support.
Be yourself
It’s normal to feel happy and to laugh, and to enjoy the other things that are happening in your life. Don’t feel bad about being yourself.
When things go wrong, remember that it’s not your fault. You didn’t do anything wrong.
Ask questions
If you see, hear, or read something that makes you feel worried, scared or upset, ask someone about it.
If they don’t know the answer themselves, they can help you to find somebody who does.
You can read about feelings and experiences that other children and young people have shared at the bottom of this page.
Find out more below:
- What is dementia?
- Which illnesses cause dementia?
- Who gets dementia?
- Will I get dementia?
- What happens to someone with dementia?
- Why do people with dementia change so much?
- Why do simple things become difficult for people with dementia?
- What does it feel like to have dementia?
- Can a person with dementia get better?
- What can I do?
- What if things go wrong?
- How can I cope with my feelings?
- Tell us what you think
This information was updated in November 2021 and is due for review in November 2023. Please contact us if you would like a version with references.
