Self-fulfilling Prophecies?

There was a time in the early 80's when talk about a self-fulfilling prophecy was prevalent. You didn't want to voice any fears about something bad happening because someone would warn you to be careful of a "self-fulfilling prophecy". For a while I wasn't even sure what they meant, but I came to understand that it meant that if you believed in trouble, the trouble would find you. 

I didn't worry about any self-fulfilling prophecies when I was younger, but around the age of retirement I voiced the idea that "Now when I had all the time I wanted to read all the books I wanted, I suppose I'll go blind." That hasn't happened, yet, but I have lost part of my sight in one eye. So, a self-fulfillling prophecy?

But my biggest fear was that I would have dementia the last years of my life as my mother did. Yesterday I read a Healthline article* listing eleven early warning signs of dementia. 

 1. Subtle short-term memory changes.

 2. Difficulty finding the right words.

 3. Changes in mood.

 4. Apathy

 5. Difficulty completing tasks.

 6. Confusion.

 7. Difficulty following story lines.

 8. A failing sense of direction.

 9. Repetition.

10. Struggling to adapt to change.

11. Poor judgment.

I haven't noticed too many problems with most of these - yet. But I definitely have a problem with short-term memory and finding the words I want to use. I sometimes have trouble following something we are watching on TV but I think that's because I fall asleep for a few minutes and miss out on parts.

I don't think I repeat things but you'd have to ask Hubby Dearest about that. I do know I probably bore him relating everyday minutiae. And I don't think my mood changes are any different than they have been for forty years, but again, you'd have to ask him.

Is it apathy or only old age that makes me more content to stay home than go out?

So maybe I'm not slipping into dementia yet, but it is one of my biggest concerns. I don't want to be a burden to anyone. I've always been "too damned independent for my own good" as my father once told me. And I want to continue being as independent as I can. 

I rather quickly discarded the idea of self-fulfilling prophecies back in the 80's, perhaps because of my age then, but more, I think, because I didn't believe thinking negative thoughts could manifest calamity.

I do believe health problems have more to do with the way we have lived our lives but mostly due to the genes we have inherited. Therefore - que sera, sera.

(*You can find the article herehttps://www.healthline.com/health/dementia/early-warning-signs#dementia-warning-signs: )