How to Know You Have a Fear of Memory Loss? – Symptoms and Causes

02 Aug How to Know You Have a Fear of Memory Loss? – Symptoms and Causes

As per new data by Saga Populus Poll, 43% of over 50s fear getting dementia which is more than cancer (12%) and stroke (30%). 

We all live with some fear or the other. However, there’s one fear we don’t really mention or hear about much. I’m talking about the fear of memory loss.

Interestingly, this fear is actually a phobia with a name, i.e., athazagoraphobia.

Athazagoraphobia (n.) – the fear of being forgotten, ignored, or replaced. It is an unusual or abnormal fear of forgetting as well as being forgotten.

It has two components:

• The fear of forgetting something or someone (mainly seen in dementia patients at an early stage).
• The fear of being forgotten by someone (can be seen in people associated with some who have dementia).

While rarely reported, this phobia is quite common.

The following blog will discuss the symptoms, causes, effects, and treatment options for fear of memory loss.

How Do You Know You Have Fear of Memory Loss? [Symptoms]

Like any other phobia, the fear of losing memory has both physical and mental symptoms.

Physical Symptoms:

• Rapid breathing
• Intense Sweating and nausea
• Choked or dying feeling
• Sleeplessness/ difficulty in sleeping
• Increased heart rate

Mental Symptoms:

• Low self-esteem or confidence
• Intense anxiety when ignored or forgotten
• Panic attacks and depression
• Avoiding social gatherings where they can be ignored.

People with athazagoraphobia may experience these symptoms. However, the intensity and frequency of occurrence may vary from person to person depending upon various factors.

People with this phobia often suffer from depression and either isolate themselves or do everything to stay in the light.

But the question is what is it that causes this unusual fear?

What Causes Fear of Memory Loss or Forgetfulness?

As per experts, there isn’t an exact cause of fear of memory loss. Nonetheless, there could be environmental or medical factors leading to the development of such phobias.

Medical Causes resulting in the fear of losing memory

#1. Genetics: Genes are largely responsible for passing down phobias and anxiety disorders. If someone in your family has experienced dementia and Alzheimer’s, there are chances you may experience these symptoms because of the same reason.

Moreover, as per reports, those with genetic dementia exposure reported high dementia worry as compared to those with no dementia exposure.

#2. Dementia/Alzheimer’s: People who have dementia or Alzheimer’s are likely to have the fear of memory loss. Also, the people associated with them have the fear of being forgotten. So, if you have a close one with dementia, they might be the reason behind your phobia.

#3. Depression/Anxiety/Stress: If you are often depressed or have frequent panic attacks, it can lead to memory problems. Stress also affects your memory adversely. There are some cases of sudden memory loss due to stress.

As per reports, Fear of Developing Alzheimer’s Disease (FDAD) is not reflective of the actual memory functioning and performance.

Besides these common medical causes of memory loss fear, some other factors are often driven by emotional issues and irrational thoughts. 

Environmental Factors Leading to Fear of Being Replaced

#1. Childhood Trauma of Abandonment: Those people whose parents have left due to one reason or another are likely to develop this fear. Those with this phobia often report feeling unimportant after being left alone.

#2. Memory Repression: In case you are trying to repress a distressing memory, the brain tries to blur or fuzzy the details. While you may remember it via sound, you might not remember the visuals.

Getting rid of memories will not alter the problem, but it can create a whole lot of stress for sure.

Importantly, not only dementia, Alzheimer’s, anxiety, and stress are the causes but also the risk factors behind panic attack memory loss. Continuously being under stress, having panic attacks, or anxiety triggers the fear for real.

But why is it important to tackle this situation?

It is because fear not only affects your behavior but also your cognitive ability.

Let’s get into the details.

Fear of Forgetfulness: Physical and Mental Effects

As per the research from the Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI) at Trinity College, experiencing high levels of fear about dementia can have harmful effects on older adults’ beliefs about their memory and general well-being.

The Fear of Memory Loss (FAM) scale assessed healthy male adults of age 55+. They were then questioned with respect to the different dimensions of fear. 

Findings from the study suggest that high dementia fear was associated with more memory lapses and low-quality life as well.

Undoubtedly, being forgotten by someone you love at some point in your life can be traumatic. 

Similarly, the fear of losing all the memories you created with your loved ones can wreak havoc on your emotional health. 

While the damage can be more psychological, there’s absolutely no doubt how compromised mental health can take a toll on physical well-being.

While there is no answer to how to reverse memory loss from stress/fear of forgetfulness, working on your lifestyle can certainly be of great help.

How to Cope with Fear of Memory Loss?

Phobias are fairly common. As per the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 12.5% of people experience phobia at some point in their life.

Talking about athazagoraphobia—the fear of losing memory, anxiety, and continuous stress can impact life.

While not many people seek treatment for their phobia, they do practice some skills to handle it better.

Here are some of the skills that can help you cope better with your phobia.

#1. Practice mindfulness and start doing yoga on a regular basis

#2. Take the help of aromatherapy

#3. Spend time with your friends and family

#4. Use a diary to write down your thoughts

#5. Eat good food

#6. Find ways to lower your stress and anxiety

Let’s discuss these tips one by one.

#1. Add Yoga To Your Daily Routine

Doing yoga can not only reduce stress but also enhance focus. It calms the mind and helps focus on the task. 

Pranayama also helps better channel your breathing. This, in turn, helps reduce anxiety and panic attacks.

#2. Aromatherapy can Help You Relax

One of the major advantages of aromatherapy is its effectiveness in providing cognitive improvements in people with dementia. As per a 2012 study, rosemary essential oil can help improve cognitive performance in healthy adults.

#3. Your Family and Friends are the Panaceas for All your Pain

Start spending time with your family and loved ones to tackle the fear of being forgotten or losing memory. This creates a sense of reassurance. Also, sharing your fear with them will help reduce anxiety and lower panic attacks as well.

#4. Pen Down Your Thoughts

If you’re an introvert and a shy person, maintaining a diary can be of great help. This way you can show your emotions without letting anyone know about it.

Also, it’ll help you pen down the things you want to remember. But it’s vital to not make it an obsession.

#5. Eat Healthily

You become what you eat!

Eating junk and unhealthy food can accelerate your anxiety and panic attack symptoms. It’ll also affect your physical health adversely. 

Declining health will only make you depressed. So, to maintain your sanity and improve your cognitive health, eat good food.

#6. Find Ways to Lower Your Stress and Anxiety

Losing the memory of your loved ones or losing your existence in your loved one’s life can be disturbing. It can create frequent instances of anxiety. 

Hence, you can try various ways to relax your mind. It could be anything from listening to your favorite music to doing some activity that soothes you.

But while these skills can help tackle the situation better, they might not always work.

In such a situation, it’s better to get your condition diagnosed.

Diagnosis for Fear of Memory Loss

A professional diagnosis of athazagoraphobia requires reference to the 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder. While it isn’t recognized as a mental condition, it can be categorized as a certain phobia.

The following criteria help qualify it as a certain phobia:

• The fear is actively avoided and almost causes immediate anxiety.
• It is persistent and lasts for more than 6 months.
• The fear is out of proportion compared to the actual risk.
• The fear disrupts occupational and social functioning.

If someone ticks all these boxes, s/he is certainly qualified for this phobia.

The next step after getting diagnosed is treatment.

Treating Athazagoraphobia (Fear of Memory Loss)

There are numerous ways to treat this fear that leaves you vulnerable. It includes:

#1. Exposure Therapy: You’re gradually and safely exposed to your fear resulting in overcoming the fear slowly.

#2. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): This type of talk therapy helps bring changes in people’s problematic thinking and behavior.

#3. Practice Mindfulness: As per research, mindfulness yoga decreases rumination and also promotes metacognitive. It is also effective in emotional-regulation strategies. 

#4. Medication: Taking medications to reduce anxiety and panic attack symptoms can also help. This includes anti-depressants and anti-anxiety drugs.

If the fear of memory loss is giving you a hard time, as a rule of thumb, consult your doctor. While people may find it absolutely normal, you might end up degrading your health for the worse.

Let’s Recapitulate

It’s rare for people to discuss the fear of memory loss. In fact, most people are unaware of the existence of this condition. 

Occasionally fearing not being remembered or not being able to remember can be natural. But a persisting thought is a clear sign of phobia.

While you may find it unusual, this is relatively common. The only thing is people don’t really take it seriously until they are 50 or above or until it gets on their nerves.

Therefore, knowing all about the fear of losing memory can help people open up, talk about it, and be empathetic as well.

Also, getting it diagnosed by a certified mental health professional can help you greatly. 

Along with taking medical help, you can try making changes in your lifestyle for all the good reasons. While exposure and cognitive therapy can help, practicing mindfulness and eating right can also be fruitful.

Having the phobia doesn’t mean you have to live with it.

If this fear of forgetting/being forgotten by someone you love sounds familiar, share this blog and don’t panic.