Have you ever gone into another room only to forget why you went in there in the first place? This could be a sign of a memory problem or just simply being absent minded. Everyone has had some type of memory problem before. It could have been that you forgot where you parked your car or you went into the grocery store to get an item and then forgot what it was you went in for. Memory starts and occurs in the brain but is not limited by the brain. There are other factors that may play a role in your memory problem such as, emotional and environmental processes as well as physiological and social processes. If you are tired, have a normal illness, or poor nutrition habits, this could lead to physiological memory problems. When you are upset, lack motivation and are in a bad mood, this could lead to what is known as emotional memory problems.
There are several simple steps you can take to help you improve your memory. Start by writing things down. This is one of the easiest and simplest ways to remember. When you are introduced to someone, focus on their face and pay attention. Visualize what it is that you need to do. If you are going to go to the grocery store to get an item, visualize yourself going into the store, walking to the appropriate aisle and picking up the item that you need. Have a system set up. If you need to go into another room to put away some clothing, leave the clothing out beside the room’s door to remind you. Setting the alarm on your cell phone to remind you of important events is another effective method you can do so you won’t forget another event.
These usually are just short term memory problems of everyday life, but there are memory problems that are more advanced, such as Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s usually happens when we age and early signs you can look for in Alzheimer’s are: forgetting the people’s name that you are close to, forgetting something that just happened recently, storing things away in unusual places, a lack of interest in certain activities and unpredictable mood changes. If these things occur in a loved one, it is time for them to see a doctor, especially if these things seem very uncharacteristic of them.
Mild episodes of Alzheimer’s consists of personality changes, unusual mood swings, getting lost easily, repeating or asking things over and over and trouble remembering the names of common items. Alzheimer’s usually lead to long term memory loss and is very hard for the person to use the simple steps above for short term memory problems. If you can get your loved one to see a doctor, there is a new medication out that can help slow the progression on Alzheimer’s and it’s called ARICEPT. Explain to your loved one that taking medication will help them lead a more normal life longer than without it. Let them know that you are more than willing to go to the doctor with them if they like.
