do other's with ptsd suffer with short term memory problems on a regular basis

Ever since suffering the condition of ptsd , I have had problems with short term memory . I constantly misplace things ,( ex ) moblie phone or cell phone as its called in the US , bills , keys ect . I have trouble remembering appointments even sometimes when I write them down . I forget where I wrote it , or look at where I wrote it . Just wondering do others have simular problem's with short term memory and having ptsd .

I get ;like this sometimes. I figure it's too much in my head at once.

I like Miss. Jade get this way from time to time-- I even will forget passwords for bills, and have to get them changed... For me this is frustrating due to I am known for a "good memory" but when I am having a rough time with triggers or thinking things are going down the tubes, I have trouble with simple things- where did I put my keys, where is my phone, where the heck is my badge for work?? And aww bills-- I almost "forgot" about paying my bills after something recent with my S/O family and work coupled with it.... which then just stresses me out more.

It is like a part of me is in la la la land and then it hits that i need to get out, if that makes any sense.

I tend to agree with Miss Jade too--- "I am just stressed out and too much in my head"...... been thinking on somethinig too much or trying to figure out things.

I tend to have trouble with things that I say too--- I find that common with my S/O when he says I just said something, and I have no recollection of it at all... Also with what has been said as well, I could swear up and down someone said something, but they seriously don't remember or it was said some other way-- i find this often times under the "trigger stress" (meaning something that reminds me of long ago and is resurfacing with recent occurrence for me) as well which I would think would link to PTSD for me.

Some times when I note that I am starting to misplace or lose things (which upsets me on the other level of things are to be in their places to me) i try best to make a gathering spot for common things-- this goes here (keys, phone, work stuff, etc), or I get my bag and put every thing in it before i go to bed or after I get home from work.. Bills i try to write reminders or set reminders on my phone or do it all in one fell swoop of setting up accounts... I hear bill pay that is auto may help me out (). As far as passwords and what i say and what has been said and stuff-- i haven't found a solution to that due to i lose my paper (then i have to change it again!!) or i am too paranoid at the time of changing the password to write it down... but I don't think it is too uncommon, after all I believe that "regular stress" can cause this as well.... just need to find a way to cope with it.. For me it is frustrating... but it is something that is just a hurdle and not a crashing down world (right? or at least i tell myself)

edit-- i feel i need to say also since i made the comment "everything in it's place"- that I need certain things in their places (scissors some certain items need to be in places or i get bent out of shape), with living with my S/O i have became rather more disorganized than I have been ever (and who knows that could be bad habit rubbed off or part of my issue )... but whatever-- i am trying to work on that actually now, but am overwhelmed..

(((accrosstheborderline))),

Yes, this is one of the gifts that comes with PTSD. I tend to struggle myself and I find it very frustrating.

What made that worse is that I was taking Klonopin which is known to affect the short term memory. So while Klonopin is helpful to relieve the anxiety that presents with PTSD, it does have side effects, one being lethargic, hung over in the am, and short term memory loss.

Now that I have been off the Klonopin for a couple of months, my short term memory loss has improved but it is still there when the PTSD is arounsed by a flashback or stressful day.

Yup, you are not alone with that problem.

Open Eyes

yes.

Yeah, I already sort of had that issue before I got PTSD though now its worse of course.

I've started writing things down. Things that are going around my head that I need to remember. I will stick it on my door. That way, when the obsessive anxiety thoughts are going around my head ("I need to remember this, this, that") I can try and stop myself and say "you don't need to keep going over that, just look at your paper before you go to bed and in the morning" It does helps a little, but I still find myself doing it soemtimes of course. You can't just retrain your brain like that, right? But I figure any little help is more than nothing!

Yes. It seems that my mind is all over the place. I try to write myself reminder notes.

Yes you right regular stress can trigger short term memory problem's as well . I have always had short term memories even before the diagnose of ptsd . I also forget passwords all the time too have to change them . It's a fustrating problem and something I know you just got to manage some how .

I do the same thing , however I can lose the rememinder notes where I put them . Im trying now useing my sticky notes on the computer .

This is when this happen's too much to me , where there is too much going on in my head as well .

Totally! Like my short term memory has a short circuit!

Acrosstheborderline,

Very much so! I leave myself notes everywhere reminding me of things I need to do b.c my short term memory has been getting so bad.

I hope you find some relief from it soon

Im getting alittle bit better , as time go'es by, however my short term memory has never been as good as it was .

I have been noticing my memory is struggling . sometimes I get a headache trying to remember. Yes it is Very frustrarting. I send hugs and much empathy, for me knowing I'm not alone is the best part.
Elbie

I feel for you I have periods of memory problems and lost time. When this happens I try to remember to sit down and just start writing free form. There doesn't need to be any direction to it just write and read it later, sometimes I find the answer to what I missed in my free flow of words.
Try and give yourself time take baby steps and be kind to yourself, too much pressure can trigger you sometimes. I hope this helps.

Tamster

yes. i have it quite bad. i can forget something right after it is said/done. even if i deliberately try to remember it. in moments its completely gone. no thought of even forgotten anything. just gone.

this has been a problem for myself as well . However it's slowly getting abit better , but feel my short term memory will never be the same .

here recently with things of my world that have been triggers I have been having issues with Long Term Memory- as in, I am not sure when something happened a few years ago-- Even the therapy stuff I am like was it 2010 or 2011 --- It seems as if I have to try to make a time line, and even then I am drawing blanks-- this is not of the norm for me in the sense that I remember stuff quiet well.... even my short term which is the topic of this thread is having issues here lately with triggers..i.e. like the other day I forgot about almost everything but 2 things that were important to bring with me before leaving for work.... sort of lucky I had my wallet and keys!. just babbling i guess. i don't like it.

Somoene explained to me that "stress" is a primitive response to a threat - primitive in terms of it being largely outside of our conscious control. So for example if caveman was faced with a sabre toothed tiger, this response would keep him safe. All his focus and attention would be on that threat and keeping himself safe, so other messages coming in wouldn't be processed, (this includes remembering where you put your keys down).

I know my memory is appalling and it is so frustrating.

I write things down on my computer. Appointments I put in my calendar in my computer. Other things, I e-mail to myself.

Yes, I do have memory loss. It sucks. Some professionals have said it is because of ptsd, but others have blamed medications I am taking and still others say it is because of other medical conditions i have.

I do not know what causes it, but I do what I can to deal with it.

thanks very much for this , I have my days . I too leave myself reminder notes everywhere which help's .

I get told different things myself by medical people , mostly now I get told its stress all the time for me .

I have this problem at times too. I'm put things in a place where they wont get lost and then I can't remember where that place is. Also it drives me crazy when I have an aha moment and I completely forget what it was I wanted to say or remember in front of T. It also happens IRL were I'll be mid sentence I completely forget what what I'm talking about and where I wanted my thought to end. It's quite embarrassing and I try to 'cover it up' in front of whomever I'm talking to. Thankfully I post a ton on PC so when it comes to therapy I refer back to my PC posting before my appointments.

Thank you for posting this thread!

Exactly...it's like with PTSD ones mind is always on alert watching out for danger so it's kind of hard to focus on little things less important than the impending doom. I even write stuff down sometimes and then totally forget about it or lose the paper I wrote it down on. Doing chores is even worse I start one thing go to another thing, go back to the first thing maybe I start something new in the middle of that or go do something else entirely till I remember what it was I was doing in the first place if I remember.

I used to be able to focus on the same task for a long time...but not after the PTSD. I mean I have considered ADHD before but if it was that I think I would have had it as a child to.