Mind blanking out episodes, forgetting things within a few seconds. Please help

[akiyamamio76]

I'm a 20 year old Asian (forgive my English) with anxiety and depression. There are times when my mind blanks out completely and forget what I was thinking. I become confused, disoriented and I can't think of anything which lasts for a few minutes. It's like the switch of my brain has been turned off. It happens at least 2-3 times everyday. I always forget things within a few seconds. My mind is really foggy and slow. I have to focus really hard to recall things. When I'm perfectly calm, my memory goes back to normal.  I don't do drugs or smoke. I'm not dehydrated and I'm eating well. I take multivitamins everyday. Blood tests are normal. Alzheimer's doesn't run in our family, both mother and father side. It all started last month. I've noticed that it's getting more frequent now. I feel demented. Has anyone experienced the same symptoms? Are these normal symptoms of Anxiety and Depression? or am I developing Alzheimer's? Multiple Sclerosis? Stroke? Brain Tumor or what? What's going on with me? Please tell me this isn't Alzheimer's. I'm really scared to death. I'm only 20 years old. My life is just starting. I'm too young to die. Please, I need serious help. It's ruining my life.

[PCM]

"Please tell me this isn't Alzheimer's."
It not, symptom of anxiety. Had this on an off for years. If you have low blood sugar it shows up more often when stress or hard work is involved, when your tired, Funny how even small details are remembered once the symptoms relax, meanwhile when you need to remember, the recall is not there..gone blank many times.

 

[Daisy131]

oh man i do this all the time. i'll go into my friend's office at work, and totally blank on what i'm going to tell her. and when i'm really anxious, i have no idea how i string together sentences- i feel like a space cadet.

it's actually an official symptom in the DSM for generalized anxiety disorder: difficulty concentrating or mind going blank.

[Bama21]

First of all, your English and writing are a lot better then a bunch of people I know who have lived in this country all their lives.   

Secondly, no...that's not a symptom of something wrong with your brain.  With anxiety, the tendency is to constantly focus our attention on ourselves.  Anxiety symptoms are VERY distracting.  When I was badly anxious, there were times when I could barely form a complete sentence.  My mind was like a blank slate.  You're fine!

[tigerpaw]

Well disorientation, confusion and short term memory loss was part of my anxiety at times. 

Most important can you think of anytime when your anxiety started?  School pressures, life changing issues?

Anxiety often has triggers.   Maybe some therapy could help.

[Daisy131]

i agree with tigerpaw. for the longest time i thought my anxiety was caused by just faulty wiring. i know now it was triggered by stress and the fact that i am wired to be more susceptible to it. my mother is a chronic worrier- guess where i got it from? and my grandfather used to go to garage sales to buy medical encyclopedias and would spend hours looking up symptoms- hello hypochondria!

therapy has done wonders with helping me learn what triggers the anxiety and how to control it. i have really really good days and not so hot days, but i'm learning what i can do to help the not so great days.

but your mind blanking is really truly a part of anxiety- you are WAY too young to be worried about Alzheimer's.

if it makes you feel any better, one of the pharmacists i work with did a presentation on Alzheimer's. it's more than your mind blanking- like forgetting what to buy at the grocery store, or losing your keys. it's forgetting you even WENT to the grocery store, or that you even KNOW how to drive. it's a little bit more than forgetfulness.

maybe doing some brain exercises will help- there are tons of puzzles out there that will help keep your brain working. sodoku, word finds, stuff like that. it's never too late to improve your memory- i have always had a horrible one!

[bls27]

That happens to me a lot.  I know exactly how you feel.  It is like my brain shuts off and I cant think when I am around people but when I am alone, I can think and remember things real well.  It is just the anxiety.  We are too preoccupied about what other people think about us in anxiety producing situations that it takes over our mind.  I remember i was called a "space cadet" because my brain fogged up around other people.