ABSTRACT
Agitation, withdrawal, aggression, wandering, confusion, noise-making and demandingness are the most common reasons for treatment with psychotropic medication and hospitalisation. Families are more likely to seek help because of crises created by behavioural disturbances than by intellectual impairment itself. Aggressive behaviour is injurious conduct involving the delivery of verbal abuse, or actual act of physical assault, etc. Seeking explanations for aggressive behaviour so often involves looking at the aggressor not as the culprit but as a person who has been unintentionally provoked. Aggression may be a defensive reaction to the threat of intrusion of personal space. Exposing a confused person to the painfulness of a present characterised by a loss of persons, places and things can result in anger and abuse as they live and know a reality of years ago. Abrupt and rapid approaches toward a vulnerable person especially if coming from behind or involving unexpected physical contact, can easily result in a hostile act of self-protection.
