Ahn Sun-young: "I cut ties with my mother after she grabbed my hair while I was pregnant"

Broadcaster Ahn Sun-young has revealed a painful family history, disclosing that she once decided to cut ties with her mother after being subjected to verbal abuse and physical assault during her pregnancy, only to later realize those behaviors were early symptoms of Alzheimer's dementia. Her experience—realizing a situation she once dismissed as simple family conflict was actually a precursor to a neurodegenerative disease—is highlighting the importance of social awareness and early diagnosis of dementia.

On the 23rd, through a video titled "These behaviors from parents could be early signs of dementia | The early signals of my mother's dementia that Ahn Sun-young experienced," posted on her YouTube channel 'Ahn Sun-young's Double Life,' she calmly shared the process of her mother's dementia onset and the reality her family faced.

She stated that after a video featuring her mother, who is currently suffering from dementia, was released, she continuously received questions such as, "She looks so normal, how can it be dementia?" or "Why does she have to live in a nursing home?" She explained that she wanted to personally clarify that the early symptoms of dementia differ significantly from the images the public commonly imagines.

She cited the time she was pregnant with her first child as her most shocking memory.

Ahn recalled, "I fell asleep and couldn't answer my mother's call, and she seemed to think I was intentionally avoiding her. She suddenly came to my house, poured out insults, and unable to control her emotions, she eventually grabbed my hair."

She confessed that she was extremely shocked by her mother's unexpected transformation.

"At that time, I even thought, 'This person is no longer my mother. I want to cut ties with her,'" Ahn said. "I did not meet my mother until I gave birth to my child. At the time, I simply thought her personality had changed, but looking back now, I realized it was all an early symptom of dementia."

Contrary to the common belief that dementia begins only with memory loss, there are many cases where personality changes, impulsivity, delusions of persecution, and emotional dysregulation appear first. In particular, behaviors such as harboring strong suspicions toward family members or repeatedly asserting unfounded convictions are known to be relatively common patterns of neurocognitive decline observed in early-stage Alzheimer's patients.

Ahn also explained that her mother's symptoms worsened as time passed.

"My mother began to suspect me, claiming her fur coat and gold watch had disappeared," she said. "She even went as far as trying to call the police, saying she would check the security room CCTV."

She shared her experience, adding, "Dementia was not simply a disease of forgetfulness. As past memories and present situations became mixed, there were many cases where she was convinced that the memories she believed in were facts."

After repeatedly confirming these abnormal signs, the family eventually sought a specialist for a detailed examination, and her mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's dementia.

"Fortunately, we discovered it at a relatively early stage and began treatment, which allowed us to slow down the progression to some extent," Ahn explained. "Even now, she is able to maintain a state where simple communication is possible and we can go out together about once a month."

Currently, her mother lives in a professional nursing facility. Regarding this, Ahn spoke candidly about the realistic difficulties faced by families caring for dementia patients.

"If you only care for the patient at home, the entire family can collapse," she advised. "Rather than feeling guilt, the most practical and wise choice may be to look into reliable professional nursing facilities in advance and even apply for a waiting list."

This connects to the 'crisis of care' faced by society as it enters an aging population. As the number of dementia patients steadily increases, not only the treatment of individual patients but also the caregiving burden on families, psychological burnout, and the expansion of social support systems are emerging as important tasks. Experts also emphasize that dementia should be viewed as a public health issue that the entire society must respond to together, rather than an issue for an individual or a family.

At the end of the video, her mother's healthy appearance from a broadcast eight years ago was also revealed. At that time, her mother expressed affection in a clear voice, saying, "My daughter is the best," and "My daughter living well is a part of my life." The screen added a subtitle that left a heavy lingering impression: "That mother, who was so vigorous and strong, was diagnosed with dementia eight years ago."

Ahn, born in 1976, married a businessman three years her junior in 2013 and has a son. Currently, she travels between Korea and Canada for her son's ice hockey training, while using her experience to help reduce prejudice against dementia and raise awareness about the importance of early diagnosis.