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Post by ellief on Jan 15, 2014 16:23:12 GMT
So, I've been really struggling with my memory since getting ill. I wondered if anyone else does too? I couldn't tell you what happened last week, or what day a certain event happened on, or what was said to me in appointment.
i have BPD, anorexia and psychosis, I don't know if it's particularly a part of any of them. I'm not talking about dissociative states on not remembering, because I have those as well. But when someone recalls something accurately I can remember, but if someone just asks me I'm clueless, whereas in dissociation if someone tells me what happened I tell them it didn't.
Anyway anyone know any ways to remember what happened? Or even just feel the same?
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JC
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Post by JC on Jan 15, 2014 16:54:09 GMT
From what you've described, I'm not sure I've experienced what you do.
My memory used to be really bad though. It isn't great today and I do attribute that to my illness.
I may be wrong and I don't know if anyone else can confirm this, but I watched a mental health programme a year or two ago where I think they said that the reason some people with a mental illness also have a bad memory is actually because it's a defence mechanism applied by the brain to block out painful or stressful experiences.
It makes sense that over time, this will include everything else as well.
I've found this to be the case with me. Before, I couldn't remember what people had told me to do hours before and certainly couldn't remember what happened yesterday.
As a Mental Health organisation have actually shown an interest in me and have made me feel like I'm being helped, my memory has gotten better in terms of things I need to remember, although I still have trouble remembering what day it is or anything that's unremarkable to me.
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Memory?
Jan 16, 2014 19:20:33 GMT
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Post by ellief on Jan 16, 2014 19:20:33 GMT
Thank you both. Yes sounds similar an example would be today my friend asked me to tell my other friend what my psychiatrist has told me about sleep and tiredness, he had been there too but was seeing if I could remember. And I said I couldn't remember at all even talking about tiredness. But once he explained what the psychiatrist had said I could remember him saying. It's hard because it means any thing helpful said to me disappears.
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JC
Newbie
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Post by JC on Jan 16, 2014 20:53:03 GMT
Yeah, that sounds familiar to me.
When I used to see a psychiatrist before I boycotted the NHS Mental Health Service for good, it was lucky that someone was with me at meetings because given a couple of hours, I would forget most of what happened and what was said.
The person who went to the meeting with me would say the Psychiatrist said something specific and I'd say
"Did they?"
No record at all and it still happens to me today. In my case, it's the stress and anxiety that just wipes my memory of the event and I can believe it is a natural defense mechanism of the brain.
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Post by Helen on Jan 20, 2014 19:42:32 GMT
My memory has definitely declined since being ill. I'm fairly sure as JC said that it has been my brain protecting itself but it gets reeeeeally annoying. When you are young people expect you to act young and remember everything... But I just can't do it and my university work has been adversely affected by it. But hey, what can you do?
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jan 23, 2014 8:16:14 GMT
Tbh, This is something I've been noticing myself too, used to have a fantastic memory, then it went downhill after after everything that happened in 2009 (when my MH took a turn for the worst) then got even worse when I had Chase!!
I have noticed I can't remember much anymore. It snnoys me, but what will be will be!
xxx
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Post by Helen on Jan 23, 2014 10:19:42 GMT
Maybe we should research techniques for improving our memories and we could create a resource or blog post about it. There must be some way, hmmmm.
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Memory?
Jan 23, 2014 12:48:09 GMT
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Post by ellief on Jan 23, 2014 12:48:09 GMT
Im sooooo relieved im not the only one! Thanks guys! Yeah, somehow there must be a way to make it better slightly, cus seriously, how do you do things that make you well if you can't remember what they are?
If I find anything helpful I'll keep you posted!
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Post by Helen on Feb 6, 2014 21:19:00 GMT
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Post by ellief on Feb 8, 2014 10:36:29 GMT
Ok, amazing! Thanks! If it works for you I may try it!
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