Sudden short-term memory loss can be caused by emotional or physical trauma, stress, or drug use. It is characterized by an inability to recall recent events and personal details, but is usually reversible. Trauma to the brain, stress, and drug use can also cause memory problems.
Sudden short-term memory loss can be attributed to factors such as emotional or physical trauma, stress, or drug use. While most people experience momentary forgetfulness from time to time, memory loss is different in that it has an unusual cause. While not necessarily permanent in nature, impaired memory can be a very frustrating and life-altering experience.
This type of memory loss is characterized by a sudden inability to recall recent events and otherwise simple memories. A person with this condition is likely to remember events from a long time ago, but may not recall events that immediately preceded it or their partial memory loss. This type of impaired memory is also referred to as acute memory loss because it is not permanent and is usually reversible.
Signs of sudden short-term memory loss include an inability to remember recent events, familiar people, and can also include a person’s inability to remember personal details about their life. For example, it is not uncommon for a person suffering from a traumatic brain injury to not remember who they are, or for a person recovering from a traumatic accident to be unable to recall the events immediately preceding the accident. Even when these facts are presented to the sufferer, he or she may not possess the ability to recall them. Eventually, specific memories of previous events often return, but sometimes they don’t.
Emotional trauma, such as abuse or extreme fear, can cause sudden short-term memory loss. This is seen as the mind’s way of protecting the psyche from unpleasant events that it would otherwise be unable to deal with. In a therapeutic setting or through hypnosis, memories are usually able to return as a person gains the tools to confidently deal with the trauma.
Trauma to the brain caused by conditions such as stroke, loss of consciousness, or concussion can also cause short-term memory loss. Many times this is due to insufficient oxygen needed for the brain to function optimally. When the cause of the trauma is treated, the memory often returns.
Stress can also cause memory problems. This may also be because people under emotional stress tend to experience bouts of insomnia and poor sleep patterns, which contribute to cognitive decline. While closely related to emotional trauma, this type of sudden short-term memory loss differs in that it is often avoidable, whereas sudden emotional trauma is generally beyond the control of its victim. It is when stress is relieved that normal recall skills begin to return.
Drug-related memory loss is also common. Illicit drugs are known to cause memory impairment, but prescription drugs can also have the same effect. Some research even suggests that sudden memory loss may be experienced by cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment.
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