11 Causes Of Forgetfulness And Different Ways To Treat It

Jan 04, 2019

Forgetting something while you’re trying to get work done is an aggravating experience. You’re likely to think you’ve gone crazy! Don’t fret though: there is a remedy to your forgetful situation and all you have to do is determine the root cause of your forgetfulness.

Reasons for forgetfulness are often reversible, temporary issues. Unfortunately though, at times forgetfulness may be caused by chronic conditions though it may still be delayed or halted entirely. There may even be more than one factor that’s causing your forgetfulness! To help you determine what’s causing your forgetfulness so that you may fix it, continue reading for 11 common causes:

Being overly stressed and frequently distracted make it very easy to lose your track of thought and forget things very quickly. As stress builds, the hippocampus may weaken. This is a problem since the hippocampus is the part of your brain that takes care of spatial memory or your environmental memory. This type of impairment often results in you forgetting where you put something or just forgetting things in general

Brain cells called neurons are the main players that transfer information between each other in your brain, and aid in the learning process and also help you focus. If you are depressed, the process of neurogenesis, which is when new neurons are made, may be malfunctioning. Another brain process that depression may hinder is called pattern separation which plays a large part in memory storage.

When functioning properly, this process would induce your hippocampus to differentiate between specific situations. When you are depressed though, this process doesn’t work so well.

Smoking cigarettes thins your brain’s cortical thickness which is a significant factor in the rate of cognitive decline. The heavier a smoker you are, the more prone you will be to forget things and your risk of developing conditions such as dementia increase significantly as well.

Cigarettes aren’t the only culprit here though: Smoking Cannabis may be inhibiting your ability to remember things as well! The primary active compound in cannabis, THC, is very similar to other chemicals found in the brain that help maintain healthy brain function and its presence may cause different receptors in your brain to misfire! It is due to this that smoking marijuana gets its reputation for causing short-term memory loss.

When you sleep your brain is primed to store new information. When you encounter something new or learn a new fact, your brain will start to form the memory of it but it isn’t until you go to bed that this storage is completed. If you aren’t getting adequate rest, this memory storage will not function properly. If you’re not getting the recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep then you’ll be much more prone to forgetfulness.

When you multi-task, you may think you’re being more efficient and getting things done in a more productive manner, but it’s also a great way to become forgetful! If you’re always multi-tasking, you’re not likely to focus on one task with your full attention. As a result, it is common for multi-taskers to forget words, names, and miss whole parts of conversations with people!

As we age, we are unfortunately becoming more susceptible to developing mental conditions such as dementia. One of the main symptoms of this condition's onset is forgetfulness. Dementia is more of a catch-all term for mental conditions that result in forgetfulness due to declining mental function. The most commonly occurring form of dementia is Alzheimer’s which accounts for between 60 and 80 percent of all dementia cases.

Another factor that can result in impaired neurogenesis is regular alcohol consumption. Frequent drinking also may result in your brain cells experiencing oxidative stress, reduced antioxidant levels, which may lead to mental decline or increased susceptibility of mental disease. Your hippocampus may also be weakened as a result of regular alcohol use which makes it more difficult for your brain to process and store new memories.

In order for your red blood cells to stay healthy, adequate levels of the vitamin B12 are required. If you aren’t getting enough of this essential vitamin, psychiatric and neurological issues may begin to occur. As a result of a vitamin B12 deficiency, forgetfulness, irritability, memory loss, and depression may all arise and the risk of developing degenerative disorders such as dementia increases.

Hypothyroidism is the scientific term for when your thyroid isn’t functioning properly and doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormones. This hormone is very important for a plethora of processes in your brain which include focusing and thinking clearly. As a result of this weakened thyroid function, your memory may also be affected and you may notice an increased frequency of forgetting things such as what someone just said or names of people you just met.

As we age, forgetfulness may often begin to occur. Of those of us 65 or older, 40 percent are affected by age-associated memory impairment! That works out to nearly 16 million people in the US alone being affected by this! As we age, our brains go through many changes so some infrequent forgetfulness from time to time may be normal. Combine ageing with any of the previously mentioned factors, and you become much more likely to become forgetful!

Certain medications may cause you to be more forgetful when it comes to names, appointments, and words! Medications that may cause forgetfulness include pain medications, steroids, sleeping pills, and antidepressants. Statins used to regulate cholesterol levels may also result in a reduced mental capacity.

Forgetting words, names, and appointments is another possible side effect of a medication. If you notice yourself beginning to forget things more frequently, mention it to your doctor and see if there may be some alternative medications you can take.

If you find yourself becoming forgetful, try some of these tips:

• Names: Pay close attention to those you meet. Try to internalize a notable physical feature.
• Conversations: If you miss or forget large portions of a conversation, use your full attention and avoid multi-tasking!
• Keys: Pick a spot and keep your keys there. As this habit develops, you’ll forget them less.
• Items: Everything should have its place. Create a map if you still have trouble remembering.
• Songs: Give your undivided attention and play it on repeat if necessary.
• Memories: Keeping a journal can help you remember the more notable parts of your day.

If you find yourself forgetting things frequently, hope is not lost! By determining the root cause and making positive changes, you’ll likely find your memory begins to bounce back. Spread the word on these memory-affecting issues and if you have any other tips let us know!

Our content is created to the best of our knowledge, yet it is of general nature and cannot in any way substitute an individual consultation by your doctor. Your health is important to us!