Proof of this is the loss of memory by depression, the depressed brain disconnects us from reality to scare us away like a drifting ship, drags us into its neurochemical storm, locks us in a cave where the outside world becomes unstable and indefinite, where is it difficult to concentrate, remember, react, think, respond?
When we talk about depression, we almost instantly see a person lying on the couch or in bed with the curtains closed. We associate this psychological disorder with immobility, discouragement and vulnerability. However, depression in many cases is “portable”, there are thousands of people who face their responsibilities every day with this invisible injury interfering in almost every aspect, in any activity.
Depression negatively affects episodic memory and memory of lived events.
Because depression goes beyond a certain emotional state, this condition is an internal disorder, it is physical exhaustion, it is reluctance, it is apathy, it is the despair that is imposed as a Trojan horse in the mind and it is above all a deterioration of cognitive functioning The latter is certainly a relevant aspect that is not always mentioned, however , it is essential to take this into account in order to constitute a more comprehensive, adjusted and sensitive therapeutic approach.
Difficulty understanding the indications and even more so to propose them. Problems understanding what we hear or read Having someone’s name on the tip of the tongue and don’t remember having a white while driving without remembering where we were driving Know that people are angry with us because we don’t respond Experiencing more and more misunderstandings with those around us because we are unable to focus attention, remember what they tell us , make simple deductions, etc.
As we see, depression memory loss goes beyond oblivion, is living in a mental haze, where everything seems too distant or too diffuse to draw attention and understand what is going on, where we are, what is being asked of us. this creates shame, social misunderstanding and, worse, aggravates the sense of depression.
Why is all this happening?
Stress is, on average, another factor that promotes the risk of depression. The feeling of threat, fear, pressure, vigilance, anguish? All these dimensions promote the release of glucocorticoids, the most common being cortisol.
A brain governed by the impact of cortisol works differently, do neurons accelerate?, and promote processes as well known as rumination, anxiety, obsessive thoughts ?, in the face of this hyperactivity what is happening is very graphic, to reduce this overreaction, exhaustion and even neuronal death, these cells begin to “disconnect”.
Information stops being transmitted with such agility, things are forgotten, memory weakens, and the brain suddenly slows down to go into “pause” mode.
Depression memory loss also originates in a very specific brain structure: the hippocampus, this region, among other functions, is responsible for storing memory, however impressive, this area is most affected by the effect of cortisol. as a target where all the toxicity of glucocorticoids goes. If the depression becomes chronic or if we experience recurrent episodes, its size will be smaller and smaller.
However, it is important to note that the hippocampus is one of the structures characterized by great plasticity, with adequate therapy, memory exercises and cognitive strategies, you can return to your original size to improve our attention, memory, etc.
Anhedonia is a reality that characterizes people suffering from depression, with this psychological disorder we lose the ability to enjoy the simplest things, to feel interest, pleasure, motivation, energy to start something new, to leave home, to undertake, to undertake. Connect?
Dopamine circuits are responsible for “rewarding” us. For this kind of thing, for activities that the brain considers positive. However, a depressed brain is an organ in which dopamine does not work effectively, so everything changes and everything changes. We lose motivation and most importantly, does a deficit in this neurotransmitter also involve changes in the serotoninergic, glutamatergic, opioid and endocannabinoid system?
If all these neurochemical systems and processes don’t work as they should, are we losing curiosity, the ability to pay attention, the agility to learn, store new data and retrieve it, to make decisions effectively??
Depression memory loss is a fact, however, each person will feel it in a particular way, it is known, for example, that in mild to moderate depression, cognitive deficit is recoverable through cognitive therapies, exercises, self-help groups, etc.
However, in the most severe cases a multidisciplinary strategy is needed, where pharmacological approach is associated with psychological therapies, memory work therapies and even dietary supplements based on magnesium and B vitamins. Similarly, we cannot ignore the importance of supporting our environment. Understanding, closeness and sensitivity are critical for people with depression.