I have been having memory issues, mainly word recall and feeling that I can't take information in. I feel like my concentration is lower too. It is happening all the time. I have been worrying about it and notice every time I can't get a word immediately, which just makes it worse. I can usually get the word within a few seconds, but sometimes it takes longer and because I am worried I will look it up. I used to be a zookeeper and am doing my Master's research right now which has been stressful, plus I have OCD and also this health anxiety. I have never had such issues before. I started volunteering at the zoo again last week to get my foot in the door again and I couldn't remember all the animals' names, even though I had looked some of them up a week before. I just blank on words and names I used to know without a problem and I have also started to feel dizzy and foggy. I also feel that I am switching my sentences around, but this only happens when I am thinking or talking to myself. It feels really bad, but I don't have health insurance right now (in the US) and am scared to go to a doctor anyway. I am 40, but my cycle is pretty regular, although with the stress of the research it has been a little off. I usually remember every detail of every day, but lately I look back and can't remember details at all; if I bought something etc. I am very very scared.
How common is dementia in the early 40s? Am I right that most cases are genetic? No one in my family has had early onset, and no one has had demetia at all as far as I know, even though many have lived into their 70s, 80s and even 90s. I am so scared that after years of anxiety I have finally fried my brain. The grad degree was really stressful and a few times I felt really burned out.