Our mind is the home to our memories. It keeps every type of memory- good, bad, happy, or sad. But sometimes, we start forgetting things, people, places, or even a recent event. Why does this happen? Is it associated with any disease? How to treat it?
This article provides you with all the information about memory loss and how to diagnose and treat it. Visit the best Mental Health Clinic in Brooklyn at Doral Health & Wellness, or log on to www.doralhw.org.
What is Dementia/memory loss?
Memory loss is when the mind starts to forget things from the past or the present, too. It happens for a short or long time, depending on its cause. It can affect your daily life activities.
It can be caused by aging, brain trauma, substance abuse, heredity, vitamin & nutritional deficiencies, diseases, etc.
While memory loss may sometimes be temporary, if you find yourself forgetting things more often, you should consult a doctor about it.
Diseases associated with memory loss
Many mental diseases are linked with memory loss, such as
- Lewy body dementia
- Fronto-temporal dementia
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Progressive supranuclear palsy
- Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (mad cow disease), etc.
These diseases can be cured and managed by prompt diagnosis and treatment.
Symptoms of memory loss
The earliest warning sign is when you start forgetting things- such as forgetting the next thing you are about to do or forgetting where you kept your car keys.
Some other symptoms to look for:
- Forgetting frequently used words like TV, washing hands, etc.
- Start mixing up words for common things, like calling a fridge a cupboard.
- Start getting lost in familiar places like relative houses, parks, offices, supermarkets, etc.
- Taking a longer time to do routine tasks
- Mood and behavior changes, such as increased irritability, anger, aggression, etc.
- Don’t remember the names (of people, foods, things, and places) that you like.
Diagnosis
Memory loss can be diagnosed by a primary health doctor/mental health professional. When you visit them, they might ask you things like- ‘when did you start forgetting things,’ ‘whether it happens often,’ and ‘how you tried to deal with it.’
The other questions they might ask you might be related to
- Your general health and lifestyle
- Any recent injuries or illnesses
- Medications you are taking
- How much do you drink alcohol/ smoke
- How you’ve been feeling emotionally/mentally
- Your diet, exercise, and sleeping habits
After all these questions, they might order blood tests or a physical exam to check for any medical issues. To check for the cause of memory loss, they might run brain scans (like MRI or CT scans) to check if there is any damage to any part of your brain. They can also perform cognitive tests to check your memory issues closely.
Treatment
The treatment of memory loss very much depends on its cause. In most cases, it is reversible. For example, memory loss that happens due to nutritional deficiency can be fixed with a supplement. In some cases (like Alzheimer’s) where there is no cure, special services like home care, health aids, and nurses, and care home facilities, etc., can be provided to assist those patients.
Prevention
Some tips can help you prevent memory loss. These are:
- Reduce sugar intake (processed/refined sugars and food with high quantities of sugar)
- Maintain a Healthy Diet
- Give Time for Self-care and Meditation
- Maintain a Healthy Weight
- Get Good Quality Sleep
- Practice Mindfulness
- Drink Less or No Alcohol & Quit Smoking
- Train Your Brain
- Manage Your Stress Levels
- Exercise Daily.
You can’t remember everything.
Forgetting something is painful when it is important to you. And if it happens often, then it is a sign that you should not ignore. Take precautions, or if you are worried, consult a doctor. We encourage you to reach out to the Doral Health & Wellness Behavioral Health Department to connect with our compassionate team. Call us to book your appointment now!!!! For further inquiries, call us on +1- 718-367-2555 to get a consultation. We have some of the finest psychiatrist doctors who listen to your concerns, examine your symptoms, and create a treatment plan to improve your condition as soon as possible. If you need help learning coping methods, register your information and make direct contact with our doctors and psychiatrists to learn those methods, log on to www.doralw.org. Visit us at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11212.
