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Thread: Fear of forgetting/memory loss

  1. #31
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    Mar 2014
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    Re: Fear of forgetting/memory loss

    Quote Originally Posted by Reb90 View Post
    I realise this is old but this is me on and off. Little tiny every day things will happen like leaving drink in kitchen while carry dinner in, I hadn't put shampoo on hair but instead spent half hour laughing at YouTube videos. But I worry I'm losing my memory. I'll also test myself of meals ive eaten & especially lately ive had a million interviews and remembering where ive been (got offices mixed up because they're all so close!) I panicked yesterday.
    Something to keep in mind here is that anxiety & depression are known to affect neurotransmitters in our brain. The one you probably hear most about is Serotonin. This one has a number of features in the brain and one is short term memory.
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    For free Mindfulness resources, please see this thread I have created to compile many sources together http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=168689

  2. #32
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    Feb 2016
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    Re: Fear of forgetting/memory loss

    Hi good point about neurotransmitters and Serotonin.

    Here's a story from my own experience, for what it's worth ...

    My 88 year old mother has spent half her life worrying about Alzheimer's. She used to read books about it when she was much younger than me. When my father died 3 years ago she struggled to cope and was convinced she had it. She was so busy worrying that she wasn't looking after herself properly (not eating or drinking properly etc) and ended up in hospital with delirium (not Alzheimer's).

    She's now in a rest home getting the care she needs and gradually her memory is returning and all her years of worrying were for nothing.

    Her own mother died at 95 and had some memory loss but that could be expected at her age.
    I definitely think stress and anxiety can cause poor memory but when you have HA it becomes a merry-go-round.

  3. #33
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
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    77

    Re: Fear of forgetting/memory loss

    Reb, I completely understand. You start to worry (probably because you're already stressed) and the more you worry the worse it gets. I thought I was definitely losing my mind over 7 years ago. Once I said goodnight to my grandma during the day and I had no idea why I said that. It really scared me. But it did get better. It starts to improve once you calm down but I know how hard it can be to calm down in the first place! I do still worry about it sometimes now (have been worrying a bit lately) and I also do that thing of thinking over which meals I had yesterday and the day before etc. But I try to remind myself now how I really worried before and then it got better. Hope that helps a bit.

    WiseMonkey, I've heard a similar thing to that (might have been on here but I'm not sure), where if you forget to put bubble bath in when you're running a bath that's just something you might forget but if you forget you've run the bath at all, then it's more of a problem.

    Also someone I know said that her mother was forgetting things because she had really low levels of some kind of vitamin (I think that's what it was). I'm glad your mum is doing better now. I sometimes think to myself that if I get to 95 and I'm still alive then I really will wonder why the hell I worried so much!

  4. #34
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
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    27,320

    Re: Fear of forgetting/memory loss

    Quote Originally Posted by WiseMonkey View Post
    Hi good point about neurotransmitters and Serotonin.

    Here's a story from my own experience, for what it's worth ...

    My 88 year old mother has spent half her life worrying about Alzheimer's. She used to read books about it when she was much younger than me. When my father died 3 years ago she struggled to cope and was convinced she had it. She was so busy worrying that she wasn't looking after herself properly (not eating or drinking properly etc) and ended up in hospital with delirium (not Alzheimer's).

    She's now in a rest home getting the care she needs and gradually her memory is returning and all her years of worrying were for nothing.

    Her own mother died at 95 and had some memory loss but that could be expected at her age.
    I definitely think stress and anxiety can cause poor memory but when you have HA it becomes a merry-go-round.
    Hi Lesley,

    The example with your mum demonstrates a good example, how all the focus we put on symptoms makes us think they are something far more than they are.

    Before we were ever anxious, how many of us had lapses of memory or concentration? I know plenty of people without anxiety disorders who have done things like this, including myself before my anxiety started. I could be "zoned out" and someone is talking to me and I realise and reply 'sorry, I was miles away' yet on a thread on here that would become 'Am I getting Dementia??? Freaking out!!!'.

    A month or so ago I had an event just like this. I was shopping in a supermarket and a woman behind me came over to ask about some flowers in my shopping and whether there were any more left. I had scanned all my shopping through. After talking to her I turned back around, picked up my shopping and left the store. What did I forget to do there? I got outside and I tend to check my pocket with my wallet in is fastened. I couldn't find my wallet!!! Then I checked my trouser pocket and it was there. I always take it from my jacket and put it in my trousers to make paying easier. So, I thought 'why didn't I put it back in my jacket?' Then I looked for the receipt, which I couldn't find. I'm now half way across the car park trying to remember if I paid. To this day I still can't fully say either way. I assumed I didn't pay (although I could have left the receipt in the self service till) as there were too many elements showing I probably didn't. I had been further confused by how the security scanners didn't go off when I left.

    But when I considered this further I realised I had been feeling "spaced out" for hours before. I wasn't concentrating on things, I got distracted.

    I don't suffer from HA but in someone that did wouldn't they be thinking the worst about Alzheimer's or Dementia?
    __________________
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    For free Mindfulness resources, please see this thread I have created to compile many sources together http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=168689

  5. #35
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Posts
    77

    Re: Fear of forgetting/memory loss

    Quote Originally Posted by MyNameIsTerry View Post
    Hi Lesley,

    The example with your mum demonstrates a good example, how all the focus we put on symptoms makes us think they are something far more than they are.

    Before we were ever anxious, how many of us had lapses of memory or concentration? I know plenty of people without anxiety disorders who have done things like this, including myself before my anxiety started. I could be "zoned out" and someone is talking to me and I realise and reply 'sorry, I was miles away' yet on a thread on here that would become 'Am I getting Dementia??? Freaking out!!!'.

    A month or so ago I had an event just like this. I was shopping in a supermarket and a woman behind me came over to ask about some flowers in my shopping and whether there were any more left. I had scanned all my shopping through. After talking to her I turned back around, picked up my shopping and left the store. What did I forget to do there? I got outside and I tend to check my pocket with my wallet in is fastened. I couldn't find my wallet!!! Then I checked my trouser pocket and it was there. I always take it from my jacket and put it in my trousers to make paying easier. So, I thought 'why didn't I put it back in my jacket?' Then I looked for the receipt, which I couldn't find. I'm now half way across the car park trying to remember if I paid. To this day I still can't fully say either way. I assumed I didn't pay (although I could have left the receipt in the self service till) as there were too many elements showing I probably didn't. I had been further confused by how the security scanners didn't go off when I left.

    But when I considered this further I realised I had been feeling "spaced out" for hours before. I wasn't concentrating on things, I got distracted.

    I don't suffer from HA but in someone that did wouldn't they be thinking the worst about Alzheimer's or Dementia?

    Thanks for your example as well, Terry. I'm someone who would definitely be thinking the worst in that situation! I did forget to pay for my dance class once which worried me at the time but I was late arriving and rushed to get ready and warm up. I realise afterwards I hadn't paid.

  6. #36
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Posts
    77

    Re: Fear of forgetting/memory loss

    Quote Originally Posted by neiljmumwa View Post
    Sorry for you. Better consult for a therapy or yoga..
    I wasn't sure if you were replying directly to me but sorry for my late reply if you were.

    Thank you for your suggestions. My fear of forgetting things isn't as bad these days, although sometimes it comes back. I've had therapy in the past but at the moment I'm trying CBT myself. I've never done yoga but I've heard it's very calming for the mind.

  7. #37

    Re: Fear of forgetting/memory loss

    charlee123 did you ever get over the fear of losing who you were and memory??

  8. #38

    Re: Fear of forgetting/memory loss

    One way I overcame this fear is by buying a journal and writing about each day. I recommend this if you would like to remember your days in the future and see how you have improved. Meditating is also a way to relieve this fear for a short period of time.

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