Why does depression cause memory loss

by Onyinye Ogbuka

Why does depression cause memory loss.

It causes memory loss because the depressed part of your brain is also where your memory resides. However, in its early stages, it causes short-term memory loss.

What are the symptoms of depression.

Memory loss; when you are depressed you are unable to remember things. Like in this situation, you decide to go on a date with a friend and forget and end up standing the person up because you had experienced a memory loss. It can be you forgetting where you kept something in the house; for example, your purse.

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Confusion: Depression affects pattern separation ability negatively because a patient is unable to remember the exact event that has happened previously, most times, it’s sort of blurry in their minds. Psychologists call this difficulty in pattern separation. This is your inability to separate familial situations or objects. For example, you visit someone and you have difficulty remembering the house even though you have been there a million times.

Sadness: To be more precise, unwarranted sadness. Depression makes you interpret everything as negative. This is bad because you truly will find no joy even in the things that are meant to bring joy. At Mildstrings, we have found out that when something like this happens, good news most times remind you of your failures and how you can never measure up. This is the worst thing that can ever happen to anybody because people will have issues sharing their joy with you especially if you have displayed this particular behaviour over an extended period.

Loss of interest in your fun activities and hobbies: You don’t just feel like going out, you don’t feel like seeing the movies, you don’t feel like doing anything even the things you are passionate about like painting, dancing or cooking. These are activities that you undertake with friends and you have lost interest in these activities not because you levelled up or you don’t feel like it. If It has happened on more than one occasion, then it’s depression.

Unusual fatigue; Most times, you wake up mentally weak and this affects your body’s disposition. You are unnecessarily tired: you have not done anything stressful but you can’t just resist the desire to just hole yourself up in your room.

Lack of appetite leads to weight loss; It can also be the opposite. Food is known to be a mood lifter. When you are depressed, you want to feel good, and escape the negative emotions in your mind. You decide to seek temporary relief in food and before you know it, you are eating everything in sight. Each time you finish eating, the negative emotions come back and you want to keep them at bay and be always happy so you continue eating and you add weight. Funny enough, ninety-nine per cent of the time, you don’t eat healthy stuff, you eat junk, and this, in turn, affects your health. When you are depressed and you turn to food as a source of comfort, you are more likely to eat junk. Junks containing sugars are associated with the reward centre of the brain that makes you feel good

You can also decide not to eat and you lose interest in the joy and satisfaction that eating brings and as such you have little appetite leading to weight loss.

How do you manage memory loss?

At this point, you are forgetting things, so in order not to forget things you can do the following; 

  1. Stop procrastinating; since it’s easy for you to forget stuff. You have to execute things immediately and forget about them rather than procrastinate and forget to not do them at all.
  2.  You can also get therapy; Mildstrings offers therapy for people experiencing memory loss due to depression.
  3. Memory aids; reminders like an alarm clock, stick-it notes and a diary will go a long way in helping you manage your memory loss.
  4. Joining organizations and leading a more active lifestyle will help you deal with memory loss; You are going to be faced with situations where you have to recall things right off the spot. This will help you a lot.

Can depression cause memory loss?

Yes, Depression can cause memory loss. Short-term memory loss.

Can Depression be treated?

Yes, it can be treated.

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