Hi All
Just thought I would write an update to maybe help anyone new to this disease who has been puzzled and confused by their relative seeing their spouse as an "imposter"
My Mom now also has a diagnosis of "Capgras syndrome",a delusion that someone close to you has been replaced by an imposter that looks like their exact double. Causes can be brain trauma, as in stroke (Moms case) and can be seen alongside dementia.
To recap Mom diagnosed with vascular dementia in April,two years post stroke. The worse and most distressing behaviour was the increasing delusion that my Dad is not my Dad half the time and there is a double of him living in house. This got to such a crisis point that she actually ended up stabbing him in the neck with a breadknife when he was the "other" one. She now on anti-psychotic drugs and whilst they worked fantastic at first they are wearing off somewhat and the imposter is now back ( doc reviewing her meds again in 8 weeks) Some people on this board did suggest she may have this condition and they were 100% spot on,thanks for the previous input.
Why I am writing really is, myself and my father could not understand why it was only ever him that she saw in double form. It was puzzling and we did wonder in the early days if it was just frustration at him as in you always hurt the ones you love and those closest to. It seems it is not the case, have been told when this syndrome occurs it is always the person in closest proximity to the sufferer that is targeted. Often then, as in this case it is the spouse but can also be other relatives or medical staff if in hospital or care home.
I have printed off some information for Dad to maybe end his enless question of "why is it only me? why am I the hate figure?"
I suppose in a logical sense Mom was attacking a stranger who was in her kitchen. I do find it hard to deal with her constantly asking who the other man is when Dad is standing there.
I try not to think about just how it must feel for her to be thinking and feeling like this and likewise how my Dad feels after 59 years of marriage. It is a very sad situation and just another part of a confusing jigsaw that newbies like myself are trying to make sense of. Dad does spend alot of time apart from Mom because he says he is stressed. Once bits of housework done he is either in garden of social club and she alone for long periods, I have noticed it is these times the "other" one appears more often. I can only do so much, see her every day mostly until school run time and all the docs and hospital appointments inbetween.
Anyway I have waffled a bit, as I said I do hope it helps anyone else with these strange sympom. Apart from the imposter she has other people living in the house (that dont exist) but she tolerates them more than Dad strangely!
I wish everyone out there a good day
Just thought I would write an update to maybe help anyone new to this disease who has been puzzled and confused by their relative seeing their spouse as an "imposter"
My Mom now also has a diagnosis of "Capgras syndrome",a delusion that someone close to you has been replaced by an imposter that looks like their exact double. Causes can be brain trauma, as in stroke (Moms case) and can be seen alongside dementia.
To recap Mom diagnosed with vascular dementia in April,two years post stroke. The worse and most distressing behaviour was the increasing delusion that my Dad is not my Dad half the time and there is a double of him living in house. This got to such a crisis point that she actually ended up stabbing him in the neck with a breadknife when he was the "other" one. She now on anti-psychotic drugs and whilst they worked fantastic at first they are wearing off somewhat and the imposter is now back ( doc reviewing her meds again in 8 weeks) Some people on this board did suggest she may have this condition and they were 100% spot on,thanks for the previous input.
Why I am writing really is, myself and my father could not understand why it was only ever him that she saw in double form. It was puzzling and we did wonder in the early days if it was just frustration at him as in you always hurt the ones you love and those closest to. It seems it is not the case, have been told when this syndrome occurs it is always the person in closest proximity to the sufferer that is targeted. Often then, as in this case it is the spouse but can also be other relatives or medical staff if in hospital or care home.
I have printed off some information for Dad to maybe end his enless question of "why is it only me? why am I the hate figure?"
I suppose in a logical sense Mom was attacking a stranger who was in her kitchen. I do find it hard to deal with her constantly asking who the other man is when Dad is standing there.
I try not to think about just how it must feel for her to be thinking and feeling like this and likewise how my Dad feels after 59 years of marriage. It is a very sad situation and just another part of a confusing jigsaw that newbies like myself are trying to make sense of. Dad does spend alot of time apart from Mom because he says he is stressed. Once bits of housework done he is either in garden of social club and she alone for long periods, I have noticed it is these times the "other" one appears more often. I can only do so much, see her every day mostly until school run time and all the docs and hospital appointments inbetween.
Anyway I have waffled a bit, as I said I do hope it helps anyone else with these strange sympom. Apart from the imposter she has other people living in the house (that dont exist) but she tolerates them more than Dad strangely!
I wish everyone out there a good day
Last edited: