Do you remember childhood incidences but forget things that happen within a couple of hours? This may seem ironic, but it happens to some people. It is as a result of short-term memory loss. While to some people it is nothing serious, others may need medical intervention before all the memories start fading.
This condition can be confusing to both the victim and the family members. It can cause anxiety and frustration if you don’t understand what is happening to you. Doctors say that there are different causes of short-term memory loss. We will discuss some of them and help you know how to handle the situation and recovery your memories.
What causes short-term memory loss?
The causes may differ from one patient to the other. While some people experience short-term memory loss due to medical conditions, others trigger it through substance abuse. Others experience it from brain injuries from an accident they may have been involved in.
Medical conditions such as brain tumours, strokes as well as cancer treatments can affect your memory. When your brain receives less oxygen than it should, it can tamper with your memory. People who struggle with epilepsy and seizures are also prone to this condition.
Some people use drugs such as Xanax or alcohol to feel better from their depression. This tamper with the normal functioning of your brain. Short-term memory loss is among the symptoms of Xanax use. Whether the cause is medical or self-inflicted, you can deal with the situation in the following ways.
Table of Contents
Engage your brain
Remaining mentally active will help you sharpen your mind. Forgetting things does not mean that your brain is inactive. If you engage it more through activities such as solving puzzles, you could overcome the short memory loss.
You can challenge your brain by solving crosswords or learning chess tricks. Introduce yourself to new activities such as playing an instrument that challenges you or using routes that don’t seem familiar. All these will sharpen your brain and trigger back your memories.
Socialize with others
Most people who suffer from short-term memory are usually depressed. Socializing with people around you will help you manage your stress levels. Let your friends and family be there for you and avoid isolating yourself from others. Through socializing, you can start remembering the things you did together. With patience and positivity, you can overcome it.
Remain focused
Enhancing your level of concentration can help you overcome short-term memory. If you have to read, get rid of any distractions that may affect your focus. It could be a buzzing phone or a noisy environment. Ensure that your working area is quiet enough for you to remain focused and enhance your memory.
Chew gum
Research shows that chewing gum when working on a project or learning enhances your capacity to retain learned information in the brain. It makes your brain more active and has a positive impact on the areas that are responsible for your memory. Stick to a specific flavour of gum and maintain the habit while busy studying or working.
Doodle as someone speaks
Doodling as you listen to someone improves your focus and helps you retain the information better than just listening. Inform someone that you are doodling to help you remember so that they don’t feel like you are not paying attention to them.
Take charge of any health conditions
Since some short-term memory loss can come from health conditions, always visit the doctor to manage your situation. Take your prescription as recommended and remain in contact with your doctor. If you notice that the medicines are affecting your memory, make the doctor aware so that they can find alternatives.
Seek support
Accepting that you addiction problems will help you save your memory. You can always find help in recovery clinics to break the drug tolerance. Start abstaining from drugs today with the help of professionals and enhance short-term memory loss.
Remain organized
This condition can make you forget the smallest details such as forgetting to lock your house when you go out. Remaining organized will help you not forget essential information. Assign a specific place for particular items to help you keep track of them. For instance, maintain the same shelves to place items such as your keys and phone. You can write the areas so that you refer back every time you get confused.
Maintain a specific routine
A routine will remind you of the things you should do each day. Write down what you do at particular times of the day. Sticking to that routine will make remembering easy for you and help you get back your memory. Maintaining a journal with everything written down according to the dates and time will make the days feel normal.
Don’t hesitate to ask
Sometimes, short-term memory loss can be confusing. Ask the people around you to repeat themselves to help you remember what they said. Repetition is the best tool to trigger memories. It will also reduce the pressure and frustration of forgetting things. Most people understand and don’t mind repeating themselves if you ask politely.
Make use of mnemonics
This is not a trick that only works for students during exams. It can come in handy if you have short-term memory loss. Learn to attach a particular word with an object or an image. Memorizing things in this order will make it stick in your brain. It will help you start remembering things you tend to forget.
Chunk information
For such a person, lots of information can be too much to handle at once. You don’t have to remember everything. Start by separating data into small groups and work on memorizing them first before the entire information. For instance, if you are struggling to remember someone’s phone number, start by memorizing the first three digits, then you can move on to three others once the first three stick in your head.
Final thoughts
Short-term memory loss is a reversible situation that can pass with time if you use the techniques above. Do not despair or feel withdrawn from people willing to help. Getting support from loved ones will help you express your feelings and remember information in bits. All the best!
