Hmm, am I forgetting something?
by Julie A. Fast
I recently posted a blog called Do People Black Out in Manic Episodes? I then read the questions from readers who asked, “Do people with bipolar disorder have memory problems overall?”
Here is my answer:
Yes, people with bipolar disorder can have trouble with memory, but it’s not always from the same source. Here are a few ways memory can be affected if you or someone you care about has bipolar disorder.
1. Memory problems from depression. The mind can slow down substantially when we are depressed. Retrieving information is hard when your body isn’t functioning on full steam. I find my thoughts are jumbled, and my brain is sluggish in certain depression episodes. Writing down your symptoms when depression helps you figure out how much your memory is affected. You can then read the list when the depression episode is over and compare your memory ability when you are stable to what happens when you’re depressed. This helps you know if your memory problems are mood swing related or from a different course.
2. Memory problems from mania. It’s VERY common to have memory loss after a massive manic episode. This is especially true when psychosis is involved. My blog ‘Do People Black Out in Mania‘ addresses this topic.
Think of it this way; When you drive a car at 25 miles an hour, it’s a lot easier to pay attention to what is happening around you. If you’re driving a care at 125 miles an hour, forget seeing what’s going on around you! That is what it feels like when we are really manic. The details can be lost in the adrenaline of the mania.
3. Memory issues associated with ADD symptoms. I get very scattered during certain mood swings- especially when I’m in a stimulating place such as a sports bar with a gazillion TVs. If someone tries to ask me a question during these times, I have trouble coming up with answers. I am easily irritated and can get overwhelmed with all of the work I have to do!
4. Memory problems from anxiety. Anxiety can change your memory ability as the brain is in fight or flight mode, especially during a panic attack. Once the anxiety is gone, the memory goes back to normal. Once again, writing down your symptoms when you’re anxiety and paying attention to memory ability will help you see what happens to the brain when you are anxious. My book Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder explains my symptom management plan and how I use symptom lists to manage my mood swings.
5. Memory changes due to medications. If you take anti-anxiety medications, even in small doses memory loss can happen. Blank spaces in your thoughts, not being able to retrieve words, etc are common. They should go away when the meds are stopped. I use anxiety medication for sleep emergencies, and if I take it just for a few days in a row, I have memory blanks. I am ok with this as it’s not permanent and I know the source. Once again, listing your symptoms when you start a new medication is imperative. It’s the only way to know if your memory issues are medication related. Please note that you should check the side effects of anything you take in your body for possible memory loss side effects. This isn’t only a side effect of psychiatric drugs.
6. Concussions and head injuries. These are the main causes of memory loss in my experience. If you were in a car crash, a contact sport or had a bicycle accident as I did, get help for concussion symptoms! My 2012 head injury increased my anxiety and profoundly affected my memory. It’s important to let your healthcare team know if you have hit your head.
It’s hard for me to say that bipolar disorder itself causes memory loss. Instead, I think it’s specific episodes such as catatonic depression and full blown mania where we notice the most changes.
Exercise: Check your memory when you are stable. Write down how well do you remember passwords, retrieve dates and times, make appointments and do other memory related events. Now, compare this to when you know you’re in a mood swing. This is how you figure out the cause of memory issues!
Recap:
– If it is episodic and you see memory changes when you’re in a mood swing, there is a good change it’s bipolar disorder.
– If memory loss is constant, look for causes outside bipolar disorder such as medications, a specific treatment, a head injury or, depending on your age, something such as Alzheimer’s. If you have overall memory issues- ALL OF THE TIME, it’s rarely bipolar disorder.
I have found that cranial sacral therapy from an experienced practitioner can greatly help memory loss symptoms. I have an Alexa sound system from Amazon.com to help me with dates, appointment and alarms and all of my friends know I need help in this area. We can improve our memory!
Share your memory stories below and let us know what you do to improve your memory!
Julie
Click here to read Three Bipolar Disorder Symptoms No One Wants to Talk About where I also touch on the topic of memory problems in bipolar disorder.
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Julie A. Fast
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