M Is For Memory Or Lack Thereof!

For the first 30 odd years of my life, I was gifted with a picture perfect memory. I could remember entire conversations verbatim, what people wore the first time I met them, and a plethora of other information. I was always a confident person, and part of that confidence stemmed from my good memory.

My memory loss was due to chronic depression, brought on by stress! What a bummer I hear you say, well tell me about it. You're already at you lowest, and your confidence is taking a beating with all the dark, negative thoughts wandering around your brain. So, to add this to the pile, for me at least, was cruel and unusual punishment. So what did I do when my perfect memory, I relied on so much, turned into a sieve?

 

I compensated by writing everything down in one place - no point spending frantic hours searing for a scrap of paper - I used a handbag size notebook that I kept with me at all times. When, in a normal conversation I was stuck for a simple word, I would replace that word with thingamajig, thingmabob or whatchamacallit and call it a technical term! As soon as the person, I was having the conversation with, would say the word I would remember it. Now, when I meet someone new and they introduce themselves I'm up front and tell them that I'm really bad with names. Thankfully, my visual memory is more or less intact, and I remember faces.

Many people suffering from depression also suffer from short-term memory loss. This is due, in no small part, to the fact that the depressed brain has trouble concentrating and doesn't take in information properly. So of course, that information can't be recalled later, as it was never stored in the first place.

On an up note, I'm here to tell you that it does get better. I now remember that I've forgotten something!