Can anxiety/stress affect memory?

[Mojo61]

I'm worried because I seem to be forgetting a lot of things lately. Yesterday I had an appointment at the doctor that I completely forgot about even though I remembered it on Monday. Then I'm always losing things like my car keys and my purse. And quite often I go upstairs to get something only to forget what it was by the time I've got up there, and then I have to come back downstairs to remind myself!

I'm sure I wasn't this bad before the anxiety started, but I'm also going through the menopause so perhaps it is all connected? Either that or I'm losing the plot!

[BikerMatt]

100% anxiety can effect your memory.
All the best.

[Shazamataz]

Yes I believe anxiety comes with memory issues. I experience similar on a regular basis.

[Oosh]

Anxiety does a really good job of distracting you from the things you're doing too, concentration suffers.

[Mojo61]

Thank you everyone. It is just what I wanted to hear and it has reassured me that I'm not losing the plot

[Magic]

I am the same with memory and anxiety. It's so frustrating.
I buy things twice on a regular basis as I forget where I put things

[Buster70]

Yep I'm with you lot on the bad memory it's a running joke in my family that I forget we're I'm going when I take them somwhere like shopping I just drive past , I've also been buying in double cleared out my wardrobe and there where matching pairs of jeans I can't remember buying , I've also got a nagging worry that I've forgot somthing or should be somwhere when I haven't basically trying to remember things I haven't even forgot , take care all

[DoodleDoo]

Don't worry :-). Although I hane no idea whether it is the anxiety or the meds, my memory is shot now. For work I write everything down in the online task system - things I need to remember can be the result of a 1hr meeting with 5 people ... Sometimes it is only when
I review the tasks next morning that I even remember something today that happened yesterday. Was never like this before!

[Magic]

I have to tell you, I am getting worse. It's no joke.
I am a big worrier of checking. Bedtime I stay up to check that all is well.
Doors locked, taps of lights etc. I am always late getting to bed.
Yesterday morning I went shopping with hubby , usual groceries.
I am a slow person. eating, walking everything I do is slow.
Anyway I knew my husband would be getting impatient, so I rushed.
Got back home. did not go upstairs until about 11.45pm.
What was that smell??? I had left my hair straighteners on in the spare bedroom!! They had been on all day!!! we have a downstairs loo, so not been upstairs, and my husband has no sense of smell. I dare not tell him. They had singed the duvet cover which is white. OMG. I am thinking. What if we had gone away or something???
This is ME who always checks everything. Not good at all. sent my anxiety through the roof.

[Carnation]

Of, I've done that loads of times with my hair straighteners Magic.
And, I am like you, forever checking everything.
I have to, because Mr C is the absolute worst.
I found the car keys in the fridge one day.
He also drives straight past a place we are going to.
And he seems to hoard keys of all sorts in his pockets..........

I think tiredness which anxiety can cause, effects this.