Hello MysticalZita,

so sorry that you are struggling with this. You didn't mention a history of brain injury or ECT or illness which could affect cognitive function so I'll assume that's not a factor for you. People can struggle with memory for various reasons. Some of the causes are reversible. You can ask your local MD to refer you to a neuropsychologist or speech-language pathologist for cognitive assessment. If the tests indicate that your memory is within normal limits or within functional limits, great! If not, there is cognitive therapy available for those deemed stimulable for progress.

One thing to think about is whether the issue is memory, attention, or both. Attention (focus) is the foundation for all of our cognitive abilities including memory. If your attention is impacted by anxiety or something else, you of course would struggle to recall info since your mind was distracted and the info wasn't properly stored.

You might like to read about 'working memory.' There are different types of memory. One of the examples you gave (forgetting what you were about to say in conversation) is a working memory problem.

Do you take any medications? The best person to check with is your pharmacist. They know a lot of additional things about drugs and drug effects which doctors do not. If you are taking any meds, bring your list to the pharmacist and ask if any of those drugs are known to impact cognitive function.

You didn't mention your age. That may or may not be relevant.

You may wish to consider:
- nutrition (blood panel can screen for deficiency)
- sleep (very very important for cognitive function)
- cognitive stimulation (leaving home if possible, interacting with others regularly, reading, crossword puzzles, Sudoku, word searches, use non-dominant hand for daily tasks such as brushing teeth, turning lights off etc)
- mood (depression and anxiety can affect cognition)
- overall physical health....any changes?
- history of trauma?

If you are dealing with a reversible issue, there are folks trained to help you resolve that. If it is not reversible, there are ways to compensate for changes in memory. I encourage you to have a candid conversation with your MD about your concerns. The longer you worry, the higher your anxiety level, which we know can affect attention and memory. You could try a problem-solving approach to this change. You said it's been about 5 years? That's a long time to worry, maybe even the chat with your doctor will take some of the weight off your shoulders.

I wish you peace, hope, and a bright future!