View Full Version : Fear of forgetting/memory loss
Charlee123
11-11-12, 18:11
I have developed such a fear that i am suddenly convinced i am going to loose my memory. I panic so much and feel constantly anxious that i cant relax or think straight. I told the doc and he said i needed to up my sertraline which so ar has made me feel even more paranoid and anxious.
I hear my own voice question things like whats his name? Whats that? How do you get there? And i have to answer it and if i cant a rush of adrenilin comes and causes me panic and distress for a few moments.
Its ruining my life.
Marietta08
11-11-12, 19:57
Hi Charlee, I also worry about losing my memory. It started 4 years ago and got really bad, I thought I had Alzheimer's for sure (even though I was only 24 at the time). I was worrying and doubting everything, worrying that I was going to forget how to do things and who people are, names, where I was and what I was doing. It was absolutely horrible. I went to the doctor and got referred to a therapist. I only had a few sessions with her and then I tried to work on things on my own, like questioning my thoughts and that, Cognitive Behavioural techniques.
It's got better now but I still worry about it sometimes. Like you. I have to answer questions like what's someone's name is and how you do things. I go over what I've had to eat for the last few days. It helps me to write the answer down, so I know that I've answered it.
Maybe you could ask the doctor to be referred to a therapist. Or maybe change your medicine if it's not working? I've never had Setraline so I don't know much about it. I used to take Prozac but now I take Trazadone Hydrochloride for anxiety in general and depression. I hope it helps to know that you're not alone worrying about this. :)
Charlee123
11-11-12, 20:26
Oh my i have just burst into tears your the only person who is describing how i am! Thank god im not alone. Im 26 and its been going in since a panic attack 10 weeks ago. I also torture myself buy having to go through what i did on everyday of the week. Of ourse its normal to forget little bits but when i cant i have major panic overload! I hope i can try and get better as i keep fearing i will forget who my gorgeous kids are. Its crazy lol x
Marietta08
11-11-12, 21:26
I know, it's so horrible when you get in such a panic. And it's hard when noone else around you really understands about your fear. I'm glad it helps to know you're not alone.:) I have to go now but if you want to talk more about things, I'd be happy to talk to you, on here or by private message. :) x
Charlee123
12-11-12, 07:32
Thnaks. I have to take kids to school in an hour and im a nervous wreck! I will inbox you later xx
Charlee123
13-11-12, 08:38
Thanks for that horrid reply! I rung nhs direct as u freaked me out. They assured me i need councelling and im not ill
Being anxious really does affect your memory and concentration so much. I am constantly forgetting things and know it is just because of my anxiety. Sometimes it even takes a while for it to register what people are saying to me. My husband can ask me a question and often has to wait 10 minutes for an answer! :D I don't worry that is anything else as when I get a break from the anxiety (not very often) I am fine. I hope this reassures you, you are not alone :hugs: x
Charlee123
13-11-12, 09:11
Yes when i think about it more i become more aware of my feelings but when i dont i feel ok. I just cant channel my brain to stop thonking the worst!
A lady above commented who has now been banned luckily commented saying i would get a second opinion which scared me so much! I rung nhs direct as i was worried and the nurse was very reassuring and suggested changing meds and CBT.
X
I think someone started a thread a few weeks ago on the same thing (see, my memory is so bad I can't remember who it was!). Please don't worry about it, especially a a mum with young children it is so hard to remember everything because you have so much on your mind. One of my sons had a hospital appointment and I got all the way to the hospital before I remembered I had forgotten to collect him from school! :D
---------- Post added at 09:21 ---------- Previous post was at 09:19 ----------
And don't worry about what the person whose's post was deleted said, it is just anxiety and possibly meds :)
I am terrible. my memory is awful. I put things in places and forget where they are.
I have paniced so much about losing things in the house i thought my husband
would give up on me.
I try not to panic, but I cannot rest untill I have found what i am after.
I have not said anything to GP about it as I have so many problems I don't think
they have time to listen.There is a tv in waiting room and a sign comes on the screen. It says GP allows 7mins per patient. :huh:
Charlee123
13-11-12, 10:41
Yea some times i just cant think straight like my heads all over the place. I am driving myself nuts because i have to go over things in my head e.g date, time, day of the week. Cos im scared i wont no. This has only begun since i watched 24hours in a&e and a girl came in with memory loss and it scared the crap outta me! Been worrying since :-/
Oh Charee, don't think i am that bad, but this morning i found something i had been looking for. I cannot remember putting them there in that paticular place. Have been
worried about finding them for 10 days.
I must start to remember where i put things in the future:doh:it is so frustrating
I am like this too. If something gets moved in my house and everyone is accusing everyone else about it although I know in my heart I didnt move it, I do start doubting myself, I start thinking, well maybe it was ME that moved it and I cant remember... Its awful but I think its because my dad got dementia before he died and im always worrying im going to go the same way although Im not old enough quite yet. Anxiety causes us to forget things, to panic and to not concentrate and than we doubt ourselves. I know its easy for me to say, but please try to be strong. There really isnt anything wrong with you and you wont ever forget your memory..its the anxiety that is causing you to think this way..Tasia X
Charlee123
13-11-12, 16:42
I have to add this isnt all the time. Im torturing myself because i am testing my memory in a way as my fear if dementia. When i used to fear cancer i convinced myself i had everything and i examined myself all the time. So basically im doung the same but in my head. My subconsious is talking to me and i tell it to piss off lol but it always comes back. Any tips on how to stop these thoughts?
Gotagetthroughthis
13-11-12, 18:32
When all my anxiety started and I was in my worst state of anxiety, I always had a fear I would go to sleep and wake up having forgot who I am and who my family members were, scary stuff.
That has pretty much settled down now since my anxiety is not so bad but I have actually got the worst short term memory ever now, I don't obsess about it all the time but it is not normal memory problems, it seems quite severe and its quite worrying.
Charlee123
13-11-12, 18:51
Yea my memory is fine thou i dont forget anything i just fear it. I feel the same like i will wake up and not no who i am, etc its a fear thats got out of hand. I have taken some diazapam tonight, i feel myself again on these and ive only started them today. Im waiting for councelling which is 7th dec.
When you say your memory problems arent normal what do you mean? Is it anxiety causing it for you?
My wife is like that and thankfully she has no mental inllness as two of us in the same house would be a nightmare.
she just isn't organised and leaves things allover the house and can never find them. I on the other hand having OCD am the opposite to the extreme.it gets quite comical sometimes.
i think with anxiety the mind races and starts to think about too many things at once and that sets off even more anxiety.
Charlee123
13-11-12, 19:02
Haha well that made me chuckle :roflmao:
Yep anxiety is a pain in the bum.
Hey, None of you will forget your familys or loose your memorys..unless you have a very bad bump on the head one day. (Ive been there too, but I didnt loose my memory, just got very dizzy for a few weeks). Its the anxiety that is keeping you all in this never ending circle of fear and anxiety.
i panic the same i think anxiety /depression plays tricks on your mind i find it best to not get involved in these thoughts when they start it is so hard when i think back and it takes me ages to remember then i decide everything ive done is pointless if i dont think about it remember/ it again then i work myself into anxiety depression . right now im trying to break that cycle one day life will be normal again and i cant wait :)
Charlee123
20-11-12, 18:09
Well guys ive had no horrid thoughts for 3 days now! Yay!
My therapist once said to me, "Not remembering is remembering". I have always said that to myself now and they are, to my belief, wise words.
This morning I poured my cereals in my cup and was about to put the tea bag in my bowl when I realised what I was doing :doh: :roflmao:
Charlee123
01-12-12, 15:18
the thing is, im not actually forgetting things, im just fearing it will happen because i feel so weird all the time like im about to just suddenly not no were i am or who i am, its scary. its always brought on in situations. i have been fine for almost 2 weeks, but it came on again yesterday and today ive been really bad and worried that i will just forget people :( ive been taken of diazepam which i was only on for 9 days which really helped, and im now on a slow release propranalol which is doing jack shit!
Granny Primark
05-12-12, 01:44
I am exactly the same as you magic.
Thing is years ago my dad at the age of 55 started forgetting things
Hed go out to get something and come back without it.
He went for tests and my mum just said the hospital said he was fine.Then my mum died suddenly and I went down the doctors and had a word with him about my dad.
He said did your mum not tell you hes got alzeimers? I told him no and what the hell was alzeimeirs. He said well basically your dads losing his mind!!!!!
I was horrified.
I had him living with me as there was no where else he could go.
Id just had a baby and found it really hard. However there was no where else he could go.
Id tuck him in bed and say goodnight and hed say "I dont know whoever you are but your bloody good to me"
In the end he went in respite to give me a break.
The matron told me he was to ill to be in there and said it was best he went in permanently. Sad to say the only place that would take him was the local mental hospital.
However they were brilliant with him.
He died age 66.
I decided to work in nursing homes looking after people with dementia.
Ive had a word with my doctor about if its heredity. He says not. Stress can cause you to forget things.
There is a test you can do online. Ive done that test and I found out that ive got no sign of alzeimers. Thank God.
Sorry to have gone on.
Hi all and Lynn my dear friend,
Lynn you have brought a tear to my eye thi morning when talking about your Dad.
I think you would make a very good carer.
Do you know?this may sound silly --but I can relax somewhat doing this:-
No 1. I have to have a roll of sticky tape in every room.
No2 I have to have blue tack in every room
No3 I have to have a stapler in every room
No 4 Plenty of pens in every room, tissues and whipes.
Deodorant everywhere, upstairs and down.
I can only afford 1 mobile phone though.
i am frequently ringing that in the house.
If my hammer and plyers go missing I am so panicy because
I am always changing the pictures about on the wall.
I am what some people would call potty, but thats
how i am.
love to allxx
Granny Primark
05-12-12, 10:40
My dear friend Helen.
I have to have glasses everywhere.
Il sometime go upstairs and forget what Ive gone up for.
Your far from being potty!
Its called stress and anxiety so please dont worry.
Always here for you Helen.:hugs:
So glad I met you on that trip to Liverpool.:D:D:D
Same thing happened to me IM 23atm, it started from a panic attack, i always think if im doing it right or is that how i remembered it? on the spot while im doing things its comes on every often . i have doubts of myself , im not really strong minded. But im happy im not alone and that did relieve some stress, kinda seems like OCD or something.
---------- Post added at 02:55 ---------- Previous post was at 02:44 ----------
I have to add this isnt all the time. Im torturing myself because i am testing my memory in a way as my fear if dementia. When i used to fear cancer i convinced myself i had everything and i examined myself all the time. So basically im doung the same but in my head. My subconsious is talking to me and i tell it to piss off lol but it always comes back. Any tips on how to stop these thoughts? its funy cuz im the same way, i feared i had cancer or something look it up online and i look up symptoms and stuff and im pretty much scaring my self, thinking the symptoms are are linked to other things and diseases . just feels weird that ur going thru the same things i have been going thru.
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.
WiseMonkey
24-02-16, 20:14
We had a guy from the Alzheimer Association talk to us once and he told this story to illustrate the difference between forgetfulness and bad memory loss ...
A person parks their car in the supermarket car park and then goes into the supermarket to get their shopping. On the way out they just can't remember which space their car is parked in. After looking a while they locates it then drive home. This is normal.
Another person parks their car in the supermarket car park and then goes into the supermarket to get their shopping. On the way out they wonder how they got there and start walking home with the shopping. This is not so normal and needs further investigation.
I've always remembered his talk especially when I'm out shopping! Another thing that can cause temporary memory loss is having autoimmune conditions. You can get words back to front or say the opposite word to what you meant or just forget what you're saying at any given moment. This used to happen to me when I was teaching at 37...I'm 59 now and still getting it, nothing has changed for the worse. :)
MyNameIsTerry
25-02-16, 05:18
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.
WiseMonkey
25-02-16, 06:05
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.
Marietta08
25-02-16, 23:44
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!
MyNameIsTerry
26-02-16, 06:03
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?
Marietta08
26-02-16, 13:51
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.
Marietta08
18-03-16, 22:44
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. :)
charlee123 did you ever get over the fear of losing who you were and memory?? :huh:
Disappointment
08-05-18, 02:45
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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