Fight Depression and Recover your Memory Loss
During the course of one’s lifetime, it is a common understanding that as one ages, memory deteriorates. It is a fact of life, an event that is waiting to happen, and for those approaching past the middle years, is a dreadful outcome of what was once a dependable data bank.
Alzheimer’s may be waiting round the bend, for if we let history take it’s course, 10% of today’s middle-aged American will be experiencing memory loss in 10-15 years as part of the aging process.
But recent studies have shown that memory loss in adults may not always be equal to having Alzheimer’s. There are at least four other possible causes for difficulty in remembering:
Loss of hearing:
As one ages, and depending on how one has lived his or her life, (excessive exposure to loud music, work-related noise or one-time exposure to extremely damaging loud noise), deafness can develop. Thus, the elderly may develop difficulty in hearing and in differentiating speech, which results in giving wrong answers to questions.
Loss of focus: When you are used to doing several things at the same time, such ability can diminish as one ages. One can forget some details, while concentrating on doing other things such as watching TV or listening to the radio. Such memory loss is just due to the reduced ability to multitask and definitely not Alzheimer’s.
Longer recall times: First dates, first car, and first love … those experiences should be quite unforgettable, but when they are piled deep into the brain’s archives, they maybe difficult to instantly remember. This is certainly not Alzheimer’s, but just longer time that the brain recalls and goes through its archives, searching for information through years and years of data.
Depression: The last and possible cause of memory loss is depression. When one is depressed, there is fundamental lack of concentration because whatever is making the person depressed, takes up the entirety of one’s focus. As we age, we can develop anxiety due to the fear of weakness, loss of control and death. This anxiety may lead to depression and as such, may exhibit loss of memory, thought to be signs of Alzheimer’s.
Just recently, the Memory Disorders Clinic of the Medical College of Wisconsin and the Marquette University School of Nursing discovered that depression was the cause of memory problems of senior citizens and not Alzheimer’s.
Dr. Piero G. Antuono, professor of neurology at Medical College of Wisconsin, who practices at Froedtert Hospital
Furthermore, all but one of the 28 scored high in the depression test. According to Dr. Antuono, the results of the clinical test showed that memory loss may be tied to anxiety and depression. If the depression is addressed, the memory issue may be addressed as well.
In addition, he noted that the test has shown that if one has a memory problem, especially senior citizens, the symptom may not lead to Alzheimer's disease. He made an analogy to having a severe headache, which when it manifests, is very seldom a sign that one has a brain tumor.
As the best physicians would recommend, consult your general practitioner for symptoms of depression, when memory loss manifests. You may observe the following as signs of depression:
-Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" moods
-A loss of interest or pleasure in activities, including sex
-Restlessness, irritability, or excessive crying
-Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness, hopelessness, pessimism
-Sleeping too much or too little, early morning awakening
-Appetite and/or weight loss or overeating and weight gain
-Decreased energy, fatigue, feeling "slowed down"
-Thoughts of death or suicide or suicide attempts
-Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
-Persistent physical symptoms that don't respond to treatment such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain
If you or your loved one displays memory loss together with one or all of the symptoms above, do not immediately conclude Alzheimer’s disease. Have an assessment of your brain and memory function. Changes in lifestyle, environment or a healthy diet may just do the trick against depression, and get one’s memory, back on track.
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