Early Memory Loss - Things you Should Know

Early memory loss can happen to anyone at any age. The symptoms of early memory loss can mimic other disorders including depression, dehydration, head injury or head trauma, brain tumor or even the effects of chronic alcohol abuse.

Early memory loss can also indicate Alzheimer's disorder which is probably what most people fear and the conclusion most people jump to. But the symptoms of memory loss are so similar to so many disorders it can be hard to know the root cause of memory loss without a medical intervention.

If you're experiencing memory loss, your doctor can help you determine if your memory loss is something to be concerned about or it is just a normal part of life. Memory loss can happen to anyone at any time for a variety of reasons including age and stress and even just being too busy and not get enough sleep.

Normal memory loss can include forgetting where you put something, such as your car keys or your wallet. Everyone misplaces things that normal. But if you find misplaced items and bizarre locations that they do not belong such as finding your car keys in the dishwasher, this is a red flag that your memory loss may be abnormal.

Other normal memory losses include forgetting someone's name. Some people remember faces and not names as a normal course of their life. Some people forget someone's name the second they hear it and if this is normal for you and has always been normal for you the odds are pretty good this is not a sudden development or a change in your cognitive abilities. However if you can't remember the name of your spouse or your children, this is another red flag to be concerned about.

And most people can't remember entire conversations verbatim. Most people only remember the parts of the conversation that were relevant to them or that stood out in their memory. This is a completely normal way for most people to function. But even if you can't remember the entire conversation you should remember having a conversation. If you can't remember any part of the conversation this is an area to be concerned with.

Depending on the root cause of your memory loss you may also start displaying other symptoms such as mood swings or change in personality. If you find yourself moody with no discernible cause or becoming paranoid, scared, anxious, angry or confused this could be due to a memory loss brought on by Alzheimer's or any of the other lesser-known root causes of memory loss.

Don't wait for your symptoms get worse and don't expect them to get better on their own. Your memory loss is being caused by something that needs to be treated and diagnosed and that won't happen without your cooperation. If you're worried about your memory loss talk to your doctor and find out what's really going on.