Stress is one of the evils of our time. Many people are stressed by a job in which they are under a lot of pressure, however, despite all the methods we can use to eradicate it, at the highest level, stress can lead to significant memory loss.
There are two types of stress that can lead to memory loss: acute and chronic. Why is this happening? Because stress has a significant impact on memory: it affects both the generation of new memories and their preservation and recovery.
- On the other hand.
- Remember that well-managed stress can have a positive side.
- In fact.
- That’s what the Yerkes-Dodson Act says that adequate levels of stress can improve memory and intellectual performance.
- The most curious effects of psychology: the “Inverted U”.
- If we meet environmental requirements with moderate stress.
- We can improve our performance and reduce memory loss.
The effects of stress on memory are different depending on whether it is acute or chronic.
But what happens in cases of acute and chronic stress?It all depends on the situation and the type of stress we face, so let’s see how we can integrate all this into a puzzle so we can solve it.
What is acute stress? The one who suffers temporarily and intensely, that is why this type of coercion is also called transitory, has a limited time. It will not extend longer than necessary, otherwise we will die.
Think, for example, that we’re at work and we have an urgent project that can’t wait, we may be stressed by the amount of work we have, but once we finish it, the stress will go away.
One of the characteristics of this type of stress is known as “tunnel vision”. That is, we focus on certain stimuli that increase our discomfort. We can’t see the situation clearly, so it increases stress. However, what kind of vision is transient.
The view? Tunnel? It is not as negative as we think because it facilitates the consolidation of certain memories that are in our memory, in fact, according to the law of Yerkes-Dodson, this type of stress can improve the creation of new memories, provided that the tension does not reach very high levels. In this sense, many specialized students benefit from this effect, since in the last days leading up to an exam, they are able to retain a large amount of information.
Acute or transient stress only affects memories that are already in memory and have no impact on new ones.
But when these moments of high stress become frequent or very intense, memory deteriorates, especially in the formation of new memories and the consolidation of old ones.
Chronic stress causes significant changes in memory and can even cause brain damage. In the former case, stress could be considered occasional. But what if this state is maintained for a long time? For example, if stress at work prevents us from sleeping well, if we cannot relax at home or at a party, we may be suffering from chronic stress.
When we suffer from acute stress, we experience a strong state of anxiety that eventually disappears, that is, we manage to relax. This does not happen with chronic stress, in this case unexpected seizures, headaches and other symptoms that can affect our body may occur, the stress level is not so intense, but we cannot relax.
This type of stress can have very serious consequences. Can it cause depression, social isolation, inability to enjoy? If we suffer from chronic stress at work, it becomes something of a torture chamber. We have a feeling that we cannot grow in this environment, that we are stagnant and at the same time we have a very serious memory loss.
Chronic stress increases the risk of heart disease
Although acute stress can be positive in some cases, it can stimulate us, improve our performance and make us much more effective, it is important to consider the memory loss that can occur.
It is important to distinguish between acute and chronic stress, because it requires all our attention: its effects are very hidden in the short term, but much more important in the long term, if it lasts a long time it can not only lead to depression and constant discomfort, but also possible dementia in the elderly.
In this type of stress memory loss is much more severe, more severe and with worse consequences, so it is important to try to minimize the stress we live every day, this should be moderate stress while we are working to acquire tools that help us. We’re moving away. We often face stressful situations, but the truth is that we can automate certain procedures, such as relaxation, so that this consequence does not occur or allow us to rest.
Images courtesy of Ottokim.