I’m becoming forgetful… does that mean I have dementia?
This is one of the most common worries I hear. The truth is, forgetfulness doesn’t always mean dementia. In fact, many people who ask this question don’t have it at all. Memory can be affected by many things we call “dementia mimics.”
Some common mimics include:
· Lifestyle
factors: Poor sleep, ongoing stress, or substance use.
· Mental health: Depression
and anxiety often cloud memory.
· Neurological
conditions: Stroke, epilepsy, migraines, and other brain
disorders.
· Illness and
Physical trauma: Long COVID fatigue or past head injuries.
When to be concerned:
Ø Memory loss
that progressively worsens over months.
Ø Forgetfulness
that interferes with daily life — not just misplacing keys, but forgetting what
they’re for.
Ø Memory
problems that come with other changes — trouble naming objects, doing simple
math, reasoning, or focusing.
