anxiety and forgetfulness?

Does anxiety cause forgetfulness? I find myself absentminded alot lately. I've been diagnosed with anxiety 5 yrs ago. Lately since I've started grad school I've had incidents. For example, the parking lot has a gate and I tried opening it by swiping my ID card on the side (out of habit) but the gate was already open. I didn't even look to see if it was open or not. Also, one day I was planning on taking my clothes out of the washer and putting them in the dryer.. and I took them out of the washer but thinking that I was taking them out of the drier instead (since sometimes on campus apartments dryers don't always work properly). I realized I should have taken them out of the washer and put them in the dryer. I felt so stupid. Also sometimes when I'm in group conversations I'm so worried about what I should say to contribute to the conversation that sometimes I don't pay attention to what others are saying. I was also playing a card game called screw the dealer with friends the other night, and it took me awhile to understand the game since I had never played before. When it was my turn to be the dealer, I made mistakes. I hate when alot of people are watching me at once! I just freeze up. Is this anxiety? Please help!

Post Edited (confusedgirl22) : 8/4/2008 8:35:32 AM (GMT-6)

sometimes i think we do something so much that you don't pay attention anymore, i do this, but i do think anxiety meds do some of it to, a little bit of a feeling of being in a daze sometimes, like sit your keys somewhere different and totally blank out where you left them, i do daze out on conversations too, with my kids its nice sometimes when they argue, are my husband is ranting on about something, i think if your not interested in hearing it or if its to drawn out i phase out too. i don't if this helps

I have done similiar things............as your mind is thinking of other things you just lose sight of what is right in front of you.   I have found some strange things I have put in the frig.........

It is like putting down you keys and knowing right where you put them until you go to look in the usual spot and they are not there.  I have found mine in the door lock at least once.

Yup anxiety can cause you to just lose focus.

I think you like many of us...................hugs to you.
Kitt

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Kitt, Moderator: Anxiety/Panic & Depression
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I've found that my meds can make me a bit fuzzy and forgetful, espceically if I've got a lot going on. I try to write everything down becasue sometimes it can be gone in 5 minutes from my mind.

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Dee-38yrs old 

I'm right there with you. Lately I've been under a lot of stress and my anxiety/panic problems have come back full force. Now I'll be mid sentence with someone and not remember what I was saying, or I can't think of the name of something. I ask people questions I should know the answers to. It's just frustrating. I'm sure once the stress in my life calms down my brain will start functioning again.

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27 female

I've been getting monthly massages and that has really helped with my anxiety and muscle tightness. I go to Massage Envy. I think they are a chain. The site is www.massageEnvy.com. Check it out. I tend to carry a ton of tensio in my shoulders, contributing to my migraines. The massages help with that.

oh a massage would be wonderful! I get severe tension headaches...I have since I was a kid as sad as that is...so I'm sure a massage would help that. it would take me a couple of sessions to get used to it though I think...the part about a stranger touching me or whatever lol.

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27 female

lol...it took me a few sessions to get used to it as well. I also try to use the same person every time. She listens and knows just the right pressure to apply. Having a female massage therapist makes my hubby more comfortable too

hey everyone.
I'm really scared. I've started school here and met some really nice people. However if I'm talking in a group with them I get nervous and feel like people in the group are thinking low of me. I don't know why I feel like this I just do. Also, I forgot where I parked my car today and my friends were behind me since they needed a ride to our apartment and didn't have cars. I felt stupid because I spent 5 minutes looking for my car and my friends were there. I feel like I'm losing my mind. I freeze up and forget things when other people are with me especially. I don't know what my problem is. Is this anxiety? Please help.

Dear Confused,

Give yourself time and work on building your confidence.  You have made friends and they like you so stop the "stinkin thinkin" and believe that they like you for who you are. 

We have all lost our car in parking lots.  I have walked around pushing my panic button until the horn beeps.

If your in MN and it is snowing, all the cars look the same in the huge parking lots...........they are all white and fluffy. 

Hugs

Kitt

 

confusedgirl22
I am forgetful sometimes... I did not know if it was anxiety or something else. I have the anxiety where I am always worrying about something so sometimes when someone tells me something I may not hear it or remember it cause I was worrying about something else.

P-Fit,   I never thought of a massage, I am overweight and don't want people to massage me cause I am a fattie I figure it might gross them out or something. But the thought of a massage sounds so good right now... I wish I could get over the fear or anxiety of having someone touch me for a massage.

Karen

I am consstantly forgetting everything
I dont think it is anything but the anxiety
We all know what you are going thru ..LYN

Lil sis
I lmbo thinking of you losing car and all those horns lol
Loveas
Big sis

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  _{^{DX With Crohns,Pyoderma Gangrenosum,Anxiety/Panic,Fibro & Other DD}}

Confused,

I think the huge adjustment to graduate life is increasing your anxiety levels too. Just remember that everyone else is in the same boat, whether they show it outwardly or not. They're so wrapped up in making sure they get done what they need to that they're likely not to remember your actions - slip-ups or not - longer than just a few minutes.

I understand how uncomfortable it is to feel that everyone is watching you. Just remember that they won't remember what you do in nearly so much detail (or embarrassment) as you do yourself.

Hang in there, and congratulations on tackling a tough lifestyle like graduate school!

percycat

In order to avoid the " where did I park my car scenario" this is what I would do... Write it down.. Look around for landmarks... a huge tree.. park near it if you can... or whatever it is that is easily recognizable and then write it down in your notebook.
I find that with my anxiety and forgetfulness I have to write everything down... the trick is not to forget the darn note... which is what I tend to do nowadays....
Grad school is sooo much to get used to... the bar has been raised and so it is natural for you to feel more anxious. I bet if you opened up a little to your classmates, you would find that they are all feeling the same thing. No one is there to judge you ... believe me , they are all wrapped up in their own thoughts and agendas, and worries... Don't be so hard on yourself. ! Maybe just confide in one person and think up a code word that means... oh no.. I'm lost or not sure what's happening. You may find that you will find some of your best allies or long lasting friendships in Grad school... because it is so hard on eveyrone. As you would like everyone else to give you a chance... assume the best of them too.
Keep you in my prayers ... P.S. How I envy you being to attend Grad school . I had always wanted to get my masters and PHD but life had other plans for me...
Mary

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51 yr.old retired RN,Crohn's D for last35 yrs..severe esophagitis, migraines,strictures,urethral stricture,depression,probable MS.,RLS, arthritis, PTSD ,general anxiety disorder.

Thank you all for your responses. I am feeling better. I am able to get things done during the day now that I'm on wellbutrin but do find myself forgetting things (especially when I'm nervous). For example today one of our professors was upset because one of the student's cell phones rang in class. He said if it happened again he would stop the lecture, end class early and just walk out. Well when I got back to my apartment some of the guys in my hall were crowded in a circle and saw me coming by, and asked me if the professor did the same thing last yr. I got nervous that they were all looking at me.. (I couldn't remember if he walked out of the class last year or not), but I said yea. I just rushed to say something so they wouldn't look at me. But now thinking about it, I realized he didn't walk out of the class last yr. I'm just scared that one of the guys is going to ask another student about that professor and what he did last yr and that student is going to say "what is she talking about..he never walked out last yr!" Was what happened due to anxiety? I'm really confused. I just freeze up sometimes. Is that normal for anxiety? Advice please!

Hey Confused,

Glad to hear  your doing better on the wellbutrin. If you don't remember something it is best just to say "I am sorry, but I don't recall if he walked out or not".  That way your teling the truth and in reality no one remembers every thing if it was not a major event that stuck in your head.

Your doing great so keep on and be proud of yourself. You have my support.

Hugs

Kitt