Symptom 10. Emotional Instability – The Emotional Rollercoaster
With Korsakoff Syndrome, life can often feel like an emotional rollercoaster. The symptom of emotional instability manifests as a continual series of highs and lows, peaks and troughs, seemingly without any discernible triggers or causes. This feature of KS can be especially challenging to manage, as it introduces an element of unpredictability into daily life.
The world of emotions becomes a labyrinth for the KS patient, with emotional responses often disproportionate or disconnected from the situation at hand. They may exhibit extreme joy, sadness, anger, or anxiety at the drop of a hat, leaving those around them walking on eggshells, never quite sure what mood swing is coming next. These intense emotional shifts can be perplexing and distressing for the person experiencing them, creating a sense of feeling out of control.
These sudden mood changes can sometimes be linked to the brain damage caused by thiamine deficiency, specifically in the limbic system, a brain network that governs emotional responses. The erratic emotional behavior may also stem from frustration related to other symptoms of KS, such as memory lapses, confusion, or difficulty with motor coordination. (10)
