Key Signs It’s Time to Consult a Doctor
While normal age-related memory changes, like occasionally misplacing your glasses or forgetting a name, are common, some signs may indicate a more serious issue. Brain-training apps are for mental exercise, not for diagnosing or treating a medical condition. It is essential to seek professional medical advice if you or a loved one experiences any of the following red flags.
Please contact your physician immediately if you notice:
- Significant Memory Loss That Disrupts Daily Life: This is more than forgetting an appointment; it’s repeatedly asking for the same information, relying heavily on memory aids for things you used to handle yourself, or forgetting important recent events entirely.
- Difficulty with Planning or Solving Problems: A sudden challenge in following a familiar recipe, managing a monthly budget, or keeping track of bills when this was never an issue before.
- Trouble Completing Familiar Tasks: Feeling confused while driving to a familiar location, having trouble remembering the rules of a favorite card game, or finding it difficult to operate a familiar appliance like the microwave.
- Confusion with Time or Place: Losing track of dates, seasons, or the passage of time. You might forget where you are or how you got there.
- New Problems with Words in Speaking or Writing: Frequent trouble finding the right word, calling things by the wrong name (e.g., calling a “watch” a “hand-clock”), or stopping in the middle of a conversation with no idea how to continue.
- Poor Judgment or Decision-Making: This could manifest as unusual decisions regarding money, paying less attention to personal grooming and hygiene, or a noticeable decline in judgment.
- Withdrawal from Social Activities: A loss of interest in hobbies, social gatherings, or family events. This could be due to the difficulty of following conversations or feeling overwhelmed.
- Changes in Mood and Personality: Becoming unusually confused, suspicious, depressed, fearful, or anxious. You might also notice becoming easily upset at home, with friends, or in places where you are out of your comfort zone.
These symptoms are not something to ignore or self-diagnose. An early and accurate diagnosis from a healthcare professional is the most important step you can take. It allows for the proper management of treatable conditions and provides access to resources and support for conditions that are not reversible.
