[Thursdy]

Does anyone else experience a loss of short-term memory often due to your worrying? I experience this quite a bit and sometimes it just seems as if I try to remember something, my head is just a big clutter and the information gets lost somewhere. I remember reading somewhere that stress/anxiety effects memories.

[Storm]

<font color="blue">Hi,

I'm not entirely certain myself if this problem is directly influenced by anxiety, but I definitely suffer from short-term memory loss in a big way. I can literally forget something moments after I've been told. Having OCD, you can imagine how this adds extra concern to my day--I worry constantly if I've forgotten to do something! For me, my memory loss seems to have gotten worse as my anxiety peaked over the past few years. I know I wasn't always like this. I've often wondered if it may have something to do with anxiety, or perhaps some form of ADD? I'd like some more info, too!

~Storm</font>

[Myzen]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
Does anyone else experience a loss of short-term memory often due to your worrying? I experience this quite a bit and sometimes it just seems as if I try to remember something, my head is just a big clutter and the information gets lost somewhere. I remember reading somewhere that stress/anxiety effects memories.

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

Hi Thursdy,

One thing that can happen is that we don't take things in because we are too busy being anxious about being anxious. For me, this wasn't so much about memory loss as about paying attention.

Some people call it "Being on another planet" and I think that all the illnesses we deal with on this board are like that to some extent.

I hope it get easier for you, Myzen

[Mahali]

I agree. The more anxiety I am experiencing the worse my memory.


Kim

[obsids]

Bah... I chalk it up to my brain being preoccupied by other things. Sometimes people can say things to me and I hear the words but nothing registers... my brain doesn't even process it, and I have to ask them to repeat what they said.

When I get anxiety attacks, I get fairly random and very rapid flashes of memories. It seems like when I am anxious, my brain is too busy in recall mode to pick up the current events. Does that make any sense?

[jmo531]

Well, recently a study was published where they have linked memory loss to stress. Since anxiety is stress, it's safe to say that this is the source of the memory loss. They say that it effects the short term memory. I hope this helps. Hang in there. Your not alone.

[GreyGoose]

I've suffered from Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Panic Attacks (PA's) and even had a nervous breakdown about 8 years ago (no fun!) and during periods of anxiety or stress, I know it affects my short-term memory quite a bit as well as other pesonality features such as not knowing which word goes where so I end up stammering through a sentence, etc. I think this is perfectly normal. What meds are you on (if any) at the moment and which ones have you tried for your anxiety?. I used to take Buspar but it did very little for me and now I just take a Lorazepam or Xanax as needed.

- Regards

[walk_alone2202]

Yes. I'm often anxious, so I usually have a very bad memory. I've wondered why a few times, but then I realised that it was due to my constant worrying.

[Thursdy]

i am not on any meds as of now and havn't ever been on any before. i used to see a therapist a couple months ago and he recomended a small dose of the right ssri (to be selected by a psych), but soon i stopped seeing him and i never took the step to get medication. the more days that go by, the more i am tempted to call the therapist and follow through with the meds. i jsut dont like the idea of being hooked on medicaiton like that.

[colors]

Hi Thursday,

Yes this is happening to me, probably more so then to you. I have decided to seek therapy, as a means of combating the problem. I have even forgotten my telephone number. I forget how to spell words.

I like to think of myself as a computer. I am overloaded, and so my mind has to move some things to deal with so much. I know like a computer, I truly never forgot anything, just miss filed them temporarily.

I have to deal with the issues troubling me. Then I can erase those issues, making more room for me again.

I hope this helps you. I found some help from the main page under PTSD, as I have this. I don't know what may be troubling you at the moment, but to read of some of your symptoms may help you. I know I found relief in the articles and links. I feel better knowing it is a part of the anxiety and stress I have been thru.

Hope this helps.

Colors