Memory Problems – Possible Causes
By Rhonda Q. Freeman, Ph.D.
One of the common concerns that individuals pose to their physicians is related to memory.
“Why do I feel like I struggle with my memory more than most people?” The answer depends upon several variables and can be discovered in the course of an appropriate assessment. This is a question that is not just presented by those over 65 years old but by younger individuals as well.
Let’s explore some common reasons why one might have cognitive difficulties that have an impact on functioning.
In younger groups of individuals, the precipitating event is frequently traumatic in nature (head trauma). Sufferers of head injury, even mild that results in no hospitalization, can experience problems that limit their ability to function as they had before the injury. Common complaints after such events include concentration difficulties, reduced motivation, slowness, disorganization, and memory problems. As one might imagine, this can interfere with the individual’s ability to return to work and significantly impact quality of life.
Now that research has been dedicated to the area of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), we are finding that several individuals have struggled with this neuro-developmental condition throughout life and have not received the proper treatment/education to assist them. It is a condition with an onset during childhood that impacts an individual’s ability to regulate attention, mood, and oftentimes behavior. This deregulation of cognition often impacts memory; therefore many such individuals report forgetfulness and feeling disorganized. ADHD will often impede motivation and task follow-through, although the actual ability to perform the task is intact. Such individuals report repeated difficulties at work and at school as a result of the symptoms of ADHD. This does not preclude one from being successful in those settings with such a diagnosis but it does often cause the individual to feel they have to extend more effort than their peers to perform the same task.
In conclusion you can see there are many reasons that one may experience cognitive difficulties throughout the lifespan. This list above is by no means exhaustive as there are several conditions that can impact one’s thinking ability. Through a neuropsychological evaluation, which is a series of tests and an interview completed with a psychologist with a background in neurological conditions, one is able to determine the cause of your concerns. This will allow your physician to properly treat the actual condition that is affecting functioning.