Shut the door and leave the keys inside; start a conversation and immediately forget its meaning. In such situations, some will accuse themselves of excessive forgetfulness, others of absent-mindedness. People with a tendency to dramatize everything can also attribute to themselves the development of dementia.

One of the most famous forms -. According to the World Health Organization, about 46 million people in the world suffer from Alzheimer's disease.

Scientists' forecasts are not encouraging - in about 30 years this figure may triple. Let's try to find out in which cases the signs of forgetfulness or absent-mindedness are the reason for contacting a specialist.

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Differences between forgetfulness and distraction

Absent-mindedness should be considered from the point of view of attention disorder. When we talk about forgetfulness, we mean a memory disorder. The depth of this disorder depends on many factors.

Distracted attention and memory impairment are by no means the same thing. Let's look at this with examples:

The ability of many housewives to perform several tasks at the same time could be envied by Julius Caesar. However, a fascinating conversation on the phone can distract any woman. As a result, the porridge burned, the child painted the wallpaper, and the cat tore off the corner of the sofa. “ I'm so scattered”- the hostess will say about herself after she notices an oversight. In this case, the attention of the woman switched to an extraneous stimulus, which was the reason for such consequences.

A student was given a new bicycle for his birthday. During the lecture, the young man, indulging in dreams of a gift, does not notice at all what the professor is saying. The dreamer is unlikely to answer a question on the subject of a lecture. The student's inattention will be caused by his immersion in the world of inner experiences and absolute non-involvement in what is happening in reality.

It also happens that a person upset by something, immersed in his feelings, can miss the stop he needs or even leave the apartment in slippers. In this situation, it is advisable to talk about absent-mindedness, lack of focus, and not about forgetfulness.

Forgetfulness refers to the inability to remember certain information or quickly forget it.

The fact of memory selectivity should be taken into account. We more firmly remember the information that is most significant to us. A poor ability to remember historical dates or the names of famous people is not a cause for concern. Most likely, this information is not so important to you and does not cause a strong emotional stimulus for remembering it.

Let's take as an example again the housewife who, after doing a lot of things in a day, decided to take a break and read a book. After some time, the woman will return to her usual duties and is unlikely to remember the names of the characters from the read novel. In the evening, she will reproduce to her husband in the smallest detail how her day went and mention the book with chagrin that she cannot retell its contents. A man will ironically regard the forgetfulness of his wife, but when the time comes for the parent meeting, it turns out that he does not remember what grade his children are in. In this case, we can say about the differences in the motivations of the husband and wife to memorize different information.

Thus, forgetfulness is a difficulty with memory, and absent-mindedness is with attention.

Both of these phenomena are related to disorders of cognitive (cognitive) processes. Distractedness and forgetfulness do not belong to the symptoms of any serious illness, but are the result of fatigue, sleep disturbances, and an unhealthy lifestyle. Another thing is when an excessive degree of absent-mindedness or forgetfulness causes difficulties for a person in all spheres of his life.

Causes of pathologies

Warning signs that require immediate medical diagnosis include the inability of a person to remember information that has just been received, as well as a pathological inability to force himself to remember any information.

The most common causes of pathology of mental processes include:

• Consequences of severe craniocerebral injuries, strokes;
• age-related changes associated with disruption of the cardiovascular system;
• various diseases that cause metabolic disorders;
• dysfunction of the thyroid gland;
• neurological diseases;
• intoxication of the body, chronic alcoholism or drug addiction;
• abuse of psychotropic drugs;
• Alzheimer's disease.

If at least one of the listed reasons is identified, the doctor will select the optimal methods of treatment.

Forgetfulness and absent-mindedness in children are a sign of ADHD

Children with this diagnosis differ from their peers in that they are unable to sit in one place for even a short time and concentrate on one object. has difficulty learning and communicating with peers. While the development of cognitive processes in preschoolers gradually acquires an arbitrary character, in ADHD children this process slows down.

First of all, you should exclude the use of high-carbohydrate foods by a hyperactive child, limit the amount of sweets, preservatives, flavorings and other products that can cause allergic reactions.

It is necessary to observe the daily routine, replace watching TV and computer games with walks, outdoor games or classes in sports sections. Overwork negatively affects the nervous system of an overly active baby, so in this case it is very important not to overdo it.

When to see a doctor

The reason for the immediate consultation of a specialist are the following signs in which a child or person:

1. Constantly distracted from tasks that require concentration and perseverance;
2. Loses or forgets his personal belongings;
3. Cannot perform even elementary tasks independently;
4. Slow and "hovers in the clouds";
5. Does not listen to instructions, does not remember elementary rules;
6. Doesn't complete any task, switching from one type of activity to another;
7. He is in a state of fuss and excitability both at home and in public places.

Treatment Methods

In cases where, after passing the necessary laboratory tests and instrumental examinations, the diagnosis of a mental disorder is confirmed, the doctor prescribes the necessary treatment.

The treatment is carried out in a complex manner and includes psychotherapeutic, psycho-corrective methods and the use of special medications - psychostimulants, such as: glycine, phenibut, piracetam, biotredin.

The complex of combating attention deficit and increased activity includes various physiological methods of treatment, such as laser therapy, magnetotherapy, ultraviolet irradiation of the nasopharynx, inhalation procedures.

Ways to improve memory

Below are methods that will help not only improve memory and attention, but also avoid serious problems associated with impaired mental activity in the future.

1. Mindfulness can be trained with special exercises. For example, playing associations or focusing on details.
2. Sports will help the body cope with the lack of oxygen, thereby increasing the activity of the brain.
3. Equally important is the ability to plan your day, alternate between work and rest, and avoid emotional overstrain.
4. Keep every thing in its place. Order in the house and on the desktop is the key to order in the head.
5. Try to think positively and get more vivid impressions from life.

A few years ago, experts in the field of mental processes recommended training memory with intellectual loads. Modern doctors and researchers believe that, first of all, you should follow the rules of a balanced diet.

How to improve mental processes through nutrition

• Drinking enough water, excluding coffee and carbonated drinks. Water is the main component for the normal functioning of the brain, and, accordingly, for improving cognitive processes.