The Root Causes of Memory Problems Post-TBI and PTSD

Oftentimes, memory problems that service members experience are due to a loss of concentration and distraction, problems with sleep, headache, and post-traumatic stress.

[@nowpresent2167]

I feel that the brain after PTSD is more concerned about any threatening scenarios and is on auto pilot so to speak, seeking to avoid a repeat of the same situation that created the mental/emotional shock/lack of security void. The brain needs to feel secure again and again to kind of drift back to relaxed state and then grow towards concentration in other normal non-treat scenarios like remembering names,stories...But the brains needs the comfort of security first.

[@mostafatahseen7617]

I suffered from this in Iraq during the American occupation, where people were dying one day, so fear was widespread, so there was a difference in my personality and memory. I was afraid even of my shadow. I was 14 years old at the time. But now I'm better

[@tamitaylor6189]

This is a big eye opener. For me I'm terrible with time and remembering what year it is. And im always in pain, especially pain in the back of my head. Im really good at forgetting things.

[@candicejohnson4562]

It’s dissociation and flashbacks that steal your concentration when you are traumatized.

[@izefalken]

I can't agree with this theory. I have PTSD because of experiencing a certain trauma, 28 years ago, while in the military. Every time I experience a flashback, I literally feel like I was 19 years old again. I can describe every sound, smell, motion of the ship under my feet, the color and brightness of the sky, even the people that were there and what they each were wearing. My focus was certainly not on these things and I have never remembered the level of detail in any memory after that day. While focus makes a huge impact on say, remembering the name of someone I just meet, it is so very different when it becomes PTSD.

[@freqeist]

TBI is my route to this wonderful gift

[@sam-elisan1083]

This explains A LOT

[@nikat9562]

Same

[@DavidLloyd810]

While I don't have any doubt this message is true, and my memory for facts is better than ever, so that it almost seems as if I gained additional capability in that area after my brain injury, my contextual memory (event memory?) only lasts a few weeks for the most memorable events in my life since my injury, and often I cannot recall how I spent a day by evening, even though I can answer detailed questions about things I learned. Worse, I unconsciously make up false events to explain why I know what I know. If I did not spend much of my functional awake time scanning documents, tagging them for future lookups, and keeping a journal throughout each day (which I scan and tag also), I would have no sense of personal history at all. It feels as if my life stopped when a car hit my bicycle 35 months ago.

[@DavidLloyd810]

Another puzzle for me is that when I read a story, I visualize the story; but when I read my journal notes, they help me remember while I remember, but eventually, all I recall is the words I wrote, and apparently the same "glitch" that erases my memory also leaves me unable to re-imagine those events from my notes. Nothing I read is as empty and dry as my own journal notes.

[@anitramoore9514]

I lost years of my life. Did you lose years? I had ptsd for year and many traumas after the first two traumas and a physicals illens set this memory issues in motion!

[@SonGoku31213]

Early childhood. I cant remember all. It's sth bad. But i am not hurt now:) it is why i wanna study psychology and why i am interested in parts of the ASMR community now. There is sth interesting i found out and wanna do research on one day.

[@shawnsisson920]

I am not gonna lie, the sky sound like hes making the entire scenario up.

[@anitramoore9514]

I do that and can’t remember thigns!

[@armandoaguilera2969]

That’s exactly whant the speech therapist told me after i took a couple of tests and i didnt do good on those tests , but what i tell those people including the guy on this video you’re in the wrong job. My brain its physically changed (damaged like when somebody has broken legs or arms ) .

[@ErnieLeblanc]

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