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A way to reduce anxiety related to memory/time deficits


[me...]

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So somethign I've been noticing as I've been healing - and now that I'm not in severe withdrawal, is that while I can remember going to places in the last week - and doing things - I CANNOT put them in order in terms of time - what happened first - when I made spaghetti for dinner - when I went to the pet store - any of it. I DO have episodic memory of actually being there - but do NOT have a general sense of time - nor do I find it easy to remember immediately what happened yesterday - I really have to think hard about it.  When someone TELLS me, I can remember easily - but on my own, I can't grab onto it. 

Fine.

Fixing THAT for $6.  :)

I bought a weekly/monthly planner at Wal-Mart tonight - and I'm recording in it each day what I did that day - the highlights and the general picture. Each morning, I'm going to re-orient to the past day, few days, week, few weeks, etc. Along with just being a great tool for planning and jotting down the things I WANT to remember that are important to me, it will help my memory begin to reform. It's less of a to-do list and more of a overall way to help retrain the brain. 

When I was a therapist working with patients with traumatic brain injury, we had the patients do this kind of thing. I never imagined I'd be in that situation, but the feelign of waking up and being able to orient to yesterday "on my own"  - even if I have to use a compensatory strategy, is helpful and helps me feel in control of my life - versus a victim.  It also helps us hold a mental picture of what occured and how that fits with what is happening now.

Just passing it along as help!

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Hi Meredith.  I've struggled some with memory issues on this benzo journey too.  Seems like I need to write more things down. That's an excellent idea to keep a journal.  Isn't it ironic that after doing it with your patients with brain injury that you can now apply the same skill to your own post benzo journey :).  Coming from the same profession, I also feel like keeping a journal can be very helpful although I don't remember to do it sometimes :D;D.  I've been journaling my food mostly, since being on a low carb diet the last four or five months to lose weight. I think it's helpful to also journal some of the activities too.  Check out the Progress Log section where a buddy named Albie has made up his own form which he fills in every day.  Anyhow, good stuff. 

 

Keep keepin on,

 

Vertigo

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This is a wonderful idea!  I also struggle with this weird "time" thing!    Thanks!

 

I had no idea that you two worked with TBI.  I do also!  :yippee: 

 

Meredith- I have had the same thought as you.  "Never thought I would be dealing with this issue myself."  I feel lucky that this is recoverable,  and have been using my past knowledge to try to help myself.

 

God sure does work in mysterious ways.    Once this is over, I will have gained a very exceptional insight that will make me all the better at at my job, and even more compassion for what they are going through.

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I'm just getting my time back somewhat.  I had a problem with tomorrow and yesterday.  I could handle now, but later was a problem too. :-\
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