What is it?

[sakura1]

I have 'suffered' (been diagnosed) with anxiety and depression and this has blighted my life for quite some time now. Being 27, I have spent most of my life going through ups and downs like most of us. I have recently become more and more aware of the recurring pattern where my depression kicks in and becomes more apparent, relating almost every time to a change in job, life, etc. Taking this into account, I am concerned that my depression could be triggered by something else - my memory. Not being able to pick up information as quickly as I would like to, not remembering things, not being able to make connections between individual facts - even forgetting what I have typed up so far... - all this comes into play when I need to adjust and not getting there. I have raised my concern with my GP but was 're-assured' that depression/anxiety can sometimes/often have this effect where it makes us think that we suffer with memory loss, difficulties to remember, etc. My point still stands and I believe that my depression could be triggered by memory problems and not the other way round. I feel let down by my memory. Reading a book, I enjoy the content, but ask me about the author, names of the characters or just to describe the plot in a greater detail and you have me lost - same for movies,... it's like it all gently washes over me but nothing actually sticks and stays. I like to think I lead fairly healthy lifestyle, going to a gym, run, walk outside, perhaps could do more of this - but with this, I feel even more under pressure as I would have expected to feel better and results are not becoming apparent.

I think what I am arriving at is, what should I do, how to find out (with GP's help) whether my memory problems are caused by depression or is it the other way round? Is there any way of diagnosing the condition? I feel like I've read a lot on the subject but to be honest, once again nothing has stuck in my mind to relate to.

[Grannie G]

You must see your doctor sakura, no one here will be able to make a diagnosis and you are worrying so much it will possibly make your symptoms even worse.

Please make an appointment on Monday and let us know what happens.

Take care. x

[chucky]

Hi, I agree with Grannie G, you'd be better off asking the Dr for advice. Im on medsfor depression and sometimes i feel out of sorts so i look on the net put down my symptoms and sometimes come up with ridiculous results. I am also diabetic (newly diagnosed) and thought i'd read up on it and try to find out as much as i could about it. How wrong was i. I ended up worried sick i was going to get scirrosis of the liver, or lose my sight, lose a leg etc etc. All scenarious that COULD arise due to mismanagement of diabetis but unlikely. Your doctor is the only person you should listen to, they have all the info on you and your medical history, they can do blood tests, even by looking in the eyes the doc can tell if theres something wrong. I found i had little memory of the first few months before i was diagnosed with depression, and like you worried that there was something more serious going on. There wasnt, i was clinically depressed and my whole being was out of sinc. Speak to your doctor and tell him/her your concerns and how worried you are, they should be able to help allay your fears. Good luck.

[frazzled1]

I have 'suffered' (been diagnosed) with anxiety and depression and this has blighted my life for quite some time now. Being 27, I have spent most of my life going through ups and downs like most of us. I have recently become more and more aware of the recurring pattern where my depression kicks in and becomes more apparent, relating almost every time to a change in job, life, etc. Taking this into account, I am concerned that my depression could be triggered by something else - my memory. Not being able to pick up information as quickly as I would like to, not remembering things, not being able to make connections between individual facts - even forgetting what I have typed up so far... - all this comes into play when I need to adjust and not getting there. I have raised my concern with my GP but was 're-assured' that depression/anxiety can sometimes/often have this effect where it makes us think that we suffer with memory loss, difficulties to remember, etc. My point still stands and I believe that my depression could be triggered by memory problems and not the other way round. I feel let down by my memory. Reading a book, I enjoy the content, but ask me about the author, names of the characters or just to describe the plot in a greater detail and you have me lost - same for movies,... it's like it all gently washes over me but nothing actually sticks and stays. I like to think I lead fairly healthy lifestyle, going to a gym, run, walk outside, perhaps could do more of this - but with this, I feel even more under pressure as I would have expected to feel better and results are not becoming apparent.

I think what I am arriving at is, what should I do, how to find out (with GP's help) whether my memory problems are caused by depression or is it the other way round? Is there any way of diagnosing the condition? I feel like I've read a lot on the subject but to be honest, once again nothing has stuck in my mind to relate to.

Hi Sakura1,

I think i may be of some assistance here....but still, it will be best to see your GP. When i started with the caring for dementia and also with cancer caring, i THINK i became a bit depressed and i went to GP and was diagnosed with anxiety and given medication. I also had awful neuralgia and would get a chronic attack of it whenever i visited the Hospice. I didnt get any attacks in the Doctors surgery or even in hospitals....just always in the Hospice, as if the name somehow put me into a spin. My memory became bad, i couldnt remember any of my best friends ages which worried me, also loosing car in car park. So when i had opportunity to accompany someone to a memory Clinic i asked if i could sit in on the Test and i actually did it. I didnt see my results but i found it very simple, there wasnt a part of it i could not do. The following day the person i was caring for was ill and i went on to forgetting my best friends Birthday that same week. So i think stress and anxiety is the cause of memory loss in some cases. Regarding reading books and the movies, and it "washing over you"...i think this is common, as one "switches off" on purpose to escape from the real world.. But there is another disorder that is very common called ADD and also a few others where symptoms are similar but definitely not dementia. I hope this reassures you. If you want to test yourself get a friend to fold a napkin into a geometrical shape and see if you can copy it a minute later. Ask your friend to list 5 still life objects......e.g. ball,penny,desk,chair,newspaper....then that friend should make polite conversation with you for a few minutes....then suddenly ask you to repeat the list of life objects perfectly.. Then ask your friend to say a clock time...say 5.35....and get you to draw it. Then your friend should ask you whats the day/date?time? Who is the Prime Minister? Then count backwards from 100 in 7s......then in 3's.........Then ask you some random questions about your family members/relatives. You will probably find this test fun to do......What i do NOT know is if this test will work properly now you know what sort of questions you will get!! or does it have to be a surprise, completely different set of questions?? God i have made this sound like the test for Grammar school and that you should hire a tutor for it !