Question:
I am suffering from problem of forgetting things. I forget to take bags with me which I bought for shopping, leaving ATM cards at the ATM after swiping them, and even my purse, documents etc. I also can’t remember names of persons I met even soonafterwards. I have these problems which are hurting my self confidence and now these forgetting events are getting more frequent which are making me more stressed….Please help me doctor to overcome this problem.
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Answer:
Having problems with memory is one of the most anxiety provoking things that can happen regardless of a peron’s age. Not knowing your age we will have to look a potential variety of factors that may account for your problems.
For one thing, memory can be affected by medications. Especially if you take a variety of medines the combination might cause you to experience some confusion. This is especially true when people overlook the dose they are supposed to take and end up ingesting too much. The irony is that memory problems can cause some people to mistake the amounts they should take.
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Another possibility is that Alzheimers has set in and is the major cause of memory problems. This disorder is one of several dementias that cause memory issues. At first, memory loss feels minor. At first it might be as benign as forgetting a word or two you are looking for. Gradually, it becomes more extensive and more problematic if Alzheimer’s is present. Usually, we think of the dementias as associated with older people but it can and does happen to those who are younger. Now, there are drugs that can delay the progress of this category of disease.
Another potential problem is depression and anxiety. It is well established that, when depressed or anxious, it is more difficult to concentrate with the result that memory is affected. With anti depressant medication and psychotherapy this usually improves as the depression reduces and ends.
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It should go without saying that alcohol and drugs can cause forgetting. There are many drugs of abuse that affect the brain in ways that are unwanted. Most often, memory improves once the drug abuse stops.
With regard to alcohol, depending on how much alcohol is consumed, a person can suffer permanent brain damage including memory loss. Even without things going that far, alcohol can cause forgetting during the time one is drunk. That is why people who drink too much often cannot remember what they did or said when under the influence.
This is not a thorough list. What you need to do is see your medical doctor, report the problem to him to her and start to get help. While it might seem scary to go for help, there are dangers of not getting help, including experiencing more anxiety because of not being able to remember things.
Best of luck
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