My Loss Of Memory: Is It PTSD

[chauncy]

I am 38 years old and have been diagnosed with depression, anxiety, agoraphobia and PTSD. Fun hu?

I am wondering if anyone out there has experienced severe memory loss associated with PTSD. I don't have any recollection of my childhood, being in high school, getting married and divorced. I have no memory of living with my parents, its like I just met them a few years ago.

Just wondering if I am alone in this?

 

[amethist]

Hi chancy

Welcome to the forum

Most sufferers of PTSD do have some kind of memory loss, whether it be day to day stuff or long term from way back. It is the minds way of protecting you from some of the trauma. But having this kind of loss, you would have to ask other members, and read more of the articles and threads on the forum.

PTSD is the umbrella term for all the other symptoms collectively, as suffering with any of these individually, they can be cured, but when you have them all together caused by an original trauma, then that is when PTSD kicks in, unfortunately.

You are definitely not alone with any of this.

Take care and good luck.

Amethist

 

[intothelight]

Hi Chauncy,

Amethist is correct, that the multiple diagnosis is basically the collective summary of PTSD symptoms. Memory loss is common, as I too have months and years that are missing. I would encourage you to read the articles in the forum as they have a lot of valuable information that will help you to understand PTSD and its effects.

This site is an excellent place for support, and the sharing of information and ideas. It is such a relief when you find that you are "not alone".

Welcome and take care.

ITL

 

[Kendra]

Most of my memory of my childhood and teenage years are missing. The only things that I remember from my childhood are the abuse and the nightmares. I feel as if some other girl lived my childhood and I just know about it. I feel like I was never a child even though I know that I have once been one.

 

[Castalure]

I was first diagnosed with PTSD 27 years ago. My short term memory and memory in general have been greatly affected. The depression and anxiety that I am suffering are surely contributing to my memory problems.

Very often, when I watch tv I will not remember the names of celebrities. It may take me anywhere from 5 minutes to 24 hours to remember their names. I also have a tendencies to forget the names of people that I have known for several years. Those names I will normally remember after 10 minutes or so.

Short term memory is a pretty big problem. My spouse will tell me her work schedule for the next two days and I will immediately forget it. The same goes for anything else that she schedules. This memory issues is a catch 22.

The more memory issues I experience, the more I get stressed. The more I get stressed, the more memory issue I experience.