Short Term Memory Loss - What Causes It?

reduced mental capacity

Memory can be classified into short term or long term memory, however can the same be done for memory loss Short term memory loss as well as long term memory loss in the end both result from similar causes as both have to do with a decline in our memory power. In this article, we would look into some of the causes of short term memory loss, or rather, what are some causes for memory loss.

Alcoholism

Overconsumption of alcohol can cause one to have irreparable damage done to the nerves as it has been proven that alcohol is capable of causing damage to nerve tissue. Without these nerve tissues, our brain would have a diminished mental capacity as these nerves are part of the neuron pathways that are extremely essential for the preservation of our memory. As such, it is crucial that we be careful with our alcohol intake to protect our minds from unnecessary damage.

Medical Conditions

Dementia
There are two kinds of severity of dementia; one is chronic, the other is reversible. In both scenarios, dementia will cause a person’s mental functioning ability to degrade severely and cause a person to lose even basic motor skills, like speech and movement. Dementia also cause behavioral changes in a person, that makes them more aggressive than before or can make them extremely paranoid or terrified. Unfortunately, dementia can only be detected through a battery of blood tests, and has no permanent cure, but when treated properly, it can be kept in check at a not so worrisome condition.

Amnesia
Not quite the same as memory loss, amnesia is often associated with total loss of memory, which often occurs at old age. Going old causes us to loss much of our memory prowess and when illnesses and diseases set in; it would have a more long lasting effect as compared to short term memory loss. In milder cases, people who suffer amnesia would forget something for now, but remember it at a later time, be it hours or days but in severe cases, they totally forget about things altogether. Also severe cases of amnesia have been documented to involve patients who forget their own identities and personalities.

Side-Effect of Drugs

Drug use also has adverse effects on our memory. Statin drugs, which are widely used today to control our cholesterol level, can cause retrograde memory loss.
Memory loss either short or long term have their serious implications as memories are something that we can never find again when they are lost. Memories are like words spoken, kept and hidden, or given and lost forever.