Gloria's nephew Bob was afraid something was very wrong. She just wanted to sleep all day and night. Being active and learning new skills can also help a person feel better and improve his or her memory. Treatment may include counseling, medication, or both. Emotional problems can be eased by supportive friends and family, but if these feelings last for more than 2 weeks, it is important to get help from a doctor or counselor. The confusion and forgetfulness caused by emotions usually are temporary and go away when the feelings fade. Trying to deal with these life changes leaves some people feeling confused or forgetful. For instance, someone who has recently retired or who is coping with the death of a spouse, relative, or friend may feel sad, lonely, worried, or bored. Memory loss related to emotional problemsĮmotional problems, such as stress, anxiety, or depression, can make a person more forgetful and can be mistaken for dementia. Once his doctor changed his medicine, Al felt more like himself. It turned out that Al was having a bad reaction to one of his medicines. He wasn't eating or sleeping well and didn't want to see friends. He was having a hard time remembering things. Al's storyĪl didn't know what was happening. Not eating enough healthy foods, or too few vitamins and minerals in a person's body (like vitamin B12)Ī doctor should treat serious medical conditions like these as soon as possible.Head injury, such as a concussion from a fall or accident.
Some thyroid, kidney, or liver disorders.Tumors, blood clots, or infections in the brain.Medical conditions that may cause memory problems include: These problems should go away once a person gets treatment. Memory loss related to medical conditionsĬertain medical conditions can cause serious memory problems.