How to cope with memory problems

Lately I have been doing really stupid things because of my poor memory. Today I left my stove on for 11 hours when I left the house. I did this a few weeks ago too. I have made a decision to not allow myself to cook anymore, because of the safety involved. But I have also done stuff like left my door unlocked, left self harm objects in bed with me, drank left out milk. The other day I almost used my dogs frontline in a recipe, because I use an old vanilla extract bottle to keep the leftovers. Luckily I had the letters in bright red FL on there. I figured it out.

I know I usually have a poor memory, but I can't risk my entire apartment and other people's lives (and my dogs life), because I can't remember to turn off my stove. I have no idea how it happens. What I'm doing when I take the food off. How I don't just turn the knob. Like it's obvious.

The first time I left what was cooking on there. It was veg broth, then when I got home 2 hours later after suddenly remembering the chicken broth was cooked to almost nothing, but otherwise I was lucky. Today I made myself egg beaters. I got done making the food, but I have no real memory of taking it off the skillet or even eating it. I remember pulling the bread out, because I felt the one edge and I thought maybe it was getting stale. I was gone at a family function for 11 hours. And I got home and I saw the light on and then saw it was turned to med-high. I freaked out. I got lucky twice now, I'm not risking it anymore.

Does anyone know how to like work on this stuff? Is it a communication problem among the system? Am I switching too frequently? Is it just poor memory period and nothing to do with dissociation? Is there anything I can do to communicate at least really important stuff?

for some people the things you posted about is normal, for others its physical problems like stress, poor diet, lack of sleep, anemia, alzheimers, or any number of physical health problems, or learning disorders, or any number of mental problems and disorders, for some people its even things like suicidal, self injury.

only your treatment providers can answer why *you* are doing the things you are doing and why *you* cant seem to remember to do things you were able to do before this.

these would be great topics for you to discuss when you go inpatient. one of t he things inpatient programs work on is discovering the answers to why a person is being a danger to their self or others. and you have posted one of the reasons you have been fighting to go inpatient was because you were not being safe.

Im sorry if this doesnt answer your questions but only you and your treatment providers or in your case your soon to be inpatient treatment providers can answer those questions for you.

I agree with amandalouise, the inpatient will help you to work with your system better. I recently went through a lot of tests, mri, eeg, blood work and others. My therapist suggested I do that to see if my memory problems might be physical. Everything checked out ok. But I still forget to turn off the oven, that I let my dog out, what day it is, the names of people I know, their children's names, etc. It has gotten worse in the last few years. I would like to suggest that you make a list of the things that you want to work on. Just so you don't forget something important. I sometimes have to make a list when I go to my therapist because when I get there I shut down and am very defensive. Than when I leave I remember something that I really wanted to talk about. When I have the list it helps keep me focused and will make my session more productive. I hope everything works out for you. Hugs

Thank you Claritytoo, good idea to write stuff down, because when I get in stressful situations all power goes out the door.

I also agree with amandalouise. Finding the answers to these questions can only come from inside work and work with your therapist and inpatient treatment.

When I was switching a lot and losing time was a common occurance my system made a group agreement to use sticky notes and leave each other messages. We had them all over the house. It actually got kinda fun over time.

It wasn't a perfect solution, but the important stuff, like turn off the stove, lock up, take out the dog, lock the car, take a shower, go to see the therapist or psych doc actually got done.

This is only my experience. It worked for me and mine. I wish you the best.

O yes as we speak sticky notes (bright yellow and orange) are lined the wall in front of me. They have become my lifeline. And my dogs, because otherwise I would feed her four times a night. Usernames and passwords are right beside them.

Luckily I have a team who can deliver my morning meds and my evenings I take at anytime between 8-1am, but I only have one dose at a time, so I can't overdose.

Not sure how it happened within us, but as growing up early on we had a one that i guess was created just to keep us coping and out of harms way.. That one stays in the head, but never really takes over the shell.
Very hard for me to explain, but she's like a book that we all need when something comes up and we need to know something to answer or need to go and make sure things are turned off. or doors are locked, or anything like that... she coexists with most all of us, there are still a few that none of us have met, and she isn't able to coexist with them for reasons unknown. but that only happens in short periods and not very often..

LydiaB, I noticed changes to my memory starting about 5 years ago. I went to a neurologist then and just went back this year, as I noticed new things and/or an increase in intensity. I've had neuro psych test, MRI, and EEG. I've had complete blood workup due to thyroid but nothing to really connect it to physical stuff. I do struggle with anxiety (and most likely hypochondria) and memory issues is a symptom of that. I've also been at a very stressful job for 4 years now and that's also a cause of memory issues. I've never believed my memory problems have been related to anxiety or stress, but after all the tests this year, I'm starting to think that may be the case. I'm scheduled to see the neurologist again in three months. My plan of action is to do everything I can to ensure my lifestyle supports good memory. Diet, exercise and meditation. I'm starting slow, but I believe these will help me, and I hope that I can report a difference to the doctor in three months. I also am dissociative. While I don't think my memory issues are related to that, I do believe mindfulness is also a problem of mine (and possibly a result of the dissociation). So mindfulness is an area, coupled with meditation, that I'm working on.

I just wanted to say I have this problem, you are definitely not alone.