What is aphasia, the speech order that 'Die Hard' superstar Bruce Willis suffers from?

By Divya Bhonsale | First Published Nov 17, 2022, 3:55 PM IST

‘Die Hard’ actor Brice Willis is suffering from ‘aphasia’, revealed his long-time friend and co-star Sylvester Stallone. Here is everything about the speech disorder that you need to know.

Hollywood star Sylvester Stallone revealed that his long-time friend and co-star, actor Bruce Willis, is going through a rough patch in life, since the time he was diagnosed with ‘aphasia’, early this year in March.

The 67-year-old actor, Bruce Willis, who is popularly known for his role in ‘Die Hard’, has been leading a retired and quiet life since the time he was diagnosed with the speech disorder.

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According to a report in the Hollywood Reporter, actor Sylvester Stallone said, "Bruce is going through some really, really difficult times. So, he's been sort of incommunicado." He added that he feels sad for not being able to with his friend, Willis.

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Early this year, when Bruce Willis was diagnosed with ‘Aphasia, his family issued a statement that read: “To Bruce's amazing supporters, as a family, we wanted to share that our beloved Bruce has been experiencing some health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which is impacting his cognitive abilities. As a result of this and with much consideration, Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him."

Sylvester Stallone was one of the first friends of Bruce Willis who reached out to him after his diagnosis. He had also posted a heartfelt note on his social media for Willis.

Meanwhile, what exactly is ‘aphasia’, a speech disorder that Bruce Willis is suffering from? As per Mayo Clinic, it is a brain disorder that impacts a person’s speech and communication.

What is aphasia? According to health experts, aphasia is a condition that usually develops in a person after suffering from a stroke or a head injury. But, it also develops in some cases due to a slow-growing brain tumor. The severity of the disorder depends on various factors including the extent of the brain damage and the cause. Experts suggest that the only treatment available for aphasia is to undergo speech and language therapy. According to doctors, this disorder affects the ability to communicate in a person. It can also have a mental impact on one diagnosed with it.

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Types of aphasia: There are largely eight types of this speech order, diagnosed based on multiple factors. These include Broca's aphasia, Wernicke aphasia, Transcortical aphasia, Conduction aphasia, Mixed aphasia, and Global aphasia.

Symptoms and signs of aphasia: Although aphasia develops over a slow period of time, there are some signs that a person suffering from heart ailments, epilepsy, brain surgery, migraines, etc, must watch out for. These are:
-   Speaks in incomplete, short, or incoherent sentences
-   Speaks gibberish sentences or those that do not make any sense
-   Is confused with words
-   Finds it difficult to pick words to speak
-   Has difficulty understanding a conversation

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