memory loss

[medstudent2005]

hello

i am a fourth year med student. during undergrad, i had GREAT memory. Things just stuck to my mind like glue. Once I started medical school, gradually my short term memory totally disintegrated! I can do well on exams, because i feel like the questions keep me focused, but otherwise, i have become a total ditz (i'm female). I noticed this especially during my third year clerkships. When attendings would ask me questions, even stuff i had just read about, my mind would go completely blank. or when interviewing a patient, i would forget to ask the most basic things. or i would read a page, go eat something, and, on returning, start reading the same page, while thinking "this seems really familiar" this sort of worried me, but i never took any action, thinking it was just stress. However, I have noticed that this does not just happen in medicine. I forget car keys, glasses pushed up on my head, where i parked my car, that i have to pay money for insurance, i can't remember digits of a phone number that was just told to me, this that and all sorts of things. i just took an online short term memory test, on iVillage, yes, not the MOST reliable, but it just hinted to me that possibly this is not just in my head, but that i really do have a problem with memory (i got a score of "significant short term memory loss").

I am wondering if possibly this is caused by stress vs depression. Although i wanted to look the other way, I think I may have major concentration problems because maybe...gasp...i'm depressed. I feel apathetic about lots of things...never get refreshing sleep...low appetite...BAD concentration...errr, not looking good

anyway, any input?

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[john182]

hello



anyway, any input?

Perhaps the style of learning that is part of studying medicine is to blame. Less time is spent on creating those semantic links and more is spent on regurgutating facts and figures? Perhaps?

 

[50960]

To answer your question simply, yes this could be caused by stress and/or depression....definitely.

 

[purpledoc]

hello
<<SNIP>>
I am wondering if possibly this is caused by stress vs depression. Although i wanted to look the other way, I think I may have major concentration problems because maybe...gasp...i'm depressed. I feel apathetic about lots of things...never get refreshing sleep...low appetite...BAD concentration...errr, not looking good

anyway, any input?

Four primary causes of "bad memory" complaints in medical students:
1. Chronic anxiety (e.g. stress, or anxiety disorder)
2. Attention-deficit disorder
3. Sleep deprivation and/or poor diet
4. Depression

Go see a psychiatrist and get it sorted out, if fixing number 3 doesn't help. No more looking the other way! You'll be fine.

Cheers,
Purpledoc

 

[50960]

I agree with the purple one! In this situation the best person to see is a psychiatrist.