YOUNG MAN, BAD MEMORY; HELP !!!

Hi friends,

                 Today we shall discuss yet another interesting issue commonly seen among youngsters. I very often get clients in their twenties who report of memory problems which typically affect their studies or work. Many of them have already got several tests done such as vitamin B12 levels, thyroid hormone levels, hemoglobin and so on which are all normal. So what is this condition?

         As perplexing as it may sound, they do not have true memory issue. What they actually have is what is known as a registration deficit. Let us clarify this further using an example.

     

Consider these two scenarios:

Scenario 1: 10 names are written on a blackboard and then accidentally erased. Those names                                  are now lost and cannot be retrieved.

Scenario 2: 10 names were about to be written but for some reason were not written at all on the                              blackboard. There is no question of retrieving those names.

In both the above scenarios, the names are lost and not retrievable. A true memory problem is like scenario 1 where names are entered into the brain and then lost. This is commonly seen in old age conditions such as dementia. The registration deficit is like the scenario 2 where the names were not entered into the brain in the first place. This happens in youngsters due to concentration difficulties. But just as the final outcome of unable to retrieve names is common to both scenarios, so too, the registration deficit gives the impression of a poor memory.

So what are the common causes of this registration deficit? Well they include anxiety or depression usually.

SO THE GOOD NEWS THAT AUTOMATICALLY FOLLOWS IS THAT IT CAN BE EASILY TREATED !

So the next time you think of improving memory with vitamin pills or other memory boosters (that have no evidence), STOP, don't waste your hard earned money! You should rather ensure that hemoglobin, thyroid and B12 are normal and then make sure you don't have an anxiety or depressive disorder. In children, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder must, in addition, be ruled out.

ALWAYS REMEMBER! MEDICINES CANNOT MAKE YOUR MEMORY SUPERHUMAN, THEY CAN ONLY NORMALIZE IT IF THERE IS A DEFICIT!!

So what about people with superhuman memory abilities we see on TV? Well that is not attributable to any medicine or supplement, but to leveraging the brain's inherent capabilities by constant practice. Such techniques include organizing data, associating items with visual cues, making groups, use of mnemonics, understanding rather than just remembering and so on.

So, I hope that clarifies the situation.

Please let me know if there is any specific issue that you want me to address. Write in at stayhappy.prakash@gmail.com

So until next time, STAY HAPPY!

Dr. Sathya Prakash, MD, Dip. CBT

Consultant Psychiatrist, Psychotherapist and Behavioural Sciences Expert

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