Should You Worry About Sudden Memory Loss?

When is Sudden Memory Loss Serious?

As the years pass and we grow older, it's normal for some of our memories to fade. The brain has a tendency to prioritize things that are relevant to our immediate, present situation, so a bit of trouble remembering details, dates, or faces isn't a medical problem – it's just a fact of life. However, some people (no matter their age) experience a phenomenon known as sudden memory loss, and it can be a frightening experience. Whole swaths of a person's memories become suddenly irretrievable, and sometimes there is no immediate or obvious proximate cause or explanation.

Sudden memory loss sometimes has benign origins, and is a temporary side effect of a temporary condition that will resolve itself on its own. Sudden memory loss can be caused by:

1.       Medication. Certain drugs, such as antidepressants, can cause short-term sudden memory loss.

2.       Alcohol. Abusing alcohol can lead to sudden memory loss in a small window of time (this is often called blacking out).

3.       Transient Global Amnesia. This is a rare but frightening experience in which someone suddenly wakes up without any idea of how they got where they are or what they're doing there. Luckily, it's harmless and usually not an indication that there is something else wrong with the brain.

There are serious ailments that can cause sudden memory loss, as well – and in these cases, it's important to get medical attention right away.

1.       Transient ischemic attack. Just about everyone knows that someone who suffers a stroke experiences sudden memory loss, but there are also episodes called warning strokes or mild strokes that, in medical terminology, are known as transient ischemic attacks. These cause stroke-like symptoms, including sudden memory loss, but don't permanently damage anything. If you experience something like this, it's important to seek medical help right away.

2.       Emotional trauma. Sometimes horrible experiences, such as those that stem from war or acute physical or emotional abuse, can cause the brain to repress memories – mimicking the effects of sudden memory loss. In modern parlance, we would consider this an effect of post-traumatic stress disorder. While many people have suffered memory loss from emotional trauma, few seek the help of a therapist or other psychiatric professional to deal with the other effects of trauma, such as resultant mental illness.

3.       Epilepsy. When a person has a seizure (especially a grand mal seizure) their brain temporarily stops making memories, so there is usually a large gap in their memory during the time period surrounding the seizure. Due to oxygen deprivation, epilepsy can also cause retrograde or anterograde amnesia – meaning it can cause sudden memory loss about other time periods, as well.

NEUROFEEDBACK FOR MEMORY LOSS