Deterioration of intellectual capacities as we age

[Ester Maria]

What has been your experinece with the (assumed) deterioration of intellectual capacities as you age? Not that there are many very old people here (or at least so has been my impression), but there are still many people at the age at which, presumably, most people start feeling some effect of the aging in this camp.

 

What has helped? Have you found a way to keep yourself in a good mental condition, at least for the time being?

How do you cope emotionally with not being as quick / as alert / as efficient, mentally, as you used to be a decade or a few earlier - especially if you are used to being an intellectually intense person and this has been quite an emphasized aspect of your self-image for many years?

If you have not experienced this yet, do you think / fear that you will? How do you think you are going to take it when you are older? What has been your experience with the elderly you know and how they cope with it?

[Lisbeth]

I have experienced it. I'm in my 40s. I don't know if it's age or just being constantly overworked. I just laugh. I was in Mensa in my 20s and now I wonder if I would pass the test! :)

[Ester Maria]

I don't know if it's age or just being constantly overworked. I just laugh.

True! I like the laughter approach. :tongue_smilie:

[Denisemomof4]

I still tend to get frustrated with myself, but I also laugh at many of the stupid things I do.

 

My head injury almost 6 years ago was life altering. I think this is my biggest issue, but I'm sure age contributes to it. It totally changed my intellectual capacities. I often times screw up when I talk, and even when I write. Most times I don't even realize it until someone points it out to me. It gets people upset, or gets me in trouble sometimes, because I do say things that just are totally inaccurate. It happened here recently in a heated thread where I said I did something I didn't do, then got angry at a person for "implying" I did something, then saw it right there all typed out nicely. :glare: I can't explain it........ it's just frustrating. I think it's because I'm thinking about what I want to say as I type/speak, but my full concentration isn't focused on what I'm writing/saying. Does that make sense? Word recall is A.W.F.U.L. for me. AWFUL. Memory? A.W.F.U.L.

 

I've seen dh's stamina and memory deteriorate significantly. It really concerns me (he's 50) but his doctor said he isn't concerned. Although his memory is awful, he is still extremely intellectually gifted. :confused:

 

How do we cope? Sometimes we laugh, sometimes I get frustrated, but I mostly am still learning to fully accept, and come to peace, with my limitations. It's not always easy.

 

siiiiiiiiigh.

Edited December 18, 2011 by Denisemomof4

[Remudamom]

I'm old, and I wasn't that smart to begin with. I've noticed that I don't catch on to electronic things, and when I was in my 20s? I used to be pretty good with stuff like that. Dh says if you keep learning new things it helps.

[Rebecca VA]

Not exactly an intellectual capacity, but losing my ability to see at close range has limited me tremendously. I've had to wear reading glasses for at least 10 years now. I can no longer take photographs (because I can't see the little view box), I'm unable to see well when I cook or do housework, I can't quickly look at a price tag and read it, and so on. So much of life is dependent on eyesight, and when you lose your ability to see well, a great deal of ease and enjoyment goes away. I tend to rely on other people to see small print for me, which is not always fun.

 

I do find that I speak more slowly and deliberately than I used to. Maybe that's just wisdom kicking in?

[Denisemomof4]

Not exactly an intellectual capacity, but losing my ability to see at close range has limited me tremendously. I've had to wear reading glasses for at least 10 years now. I can no longer take photographs (because I can't see the little view box), I'm unable to see well when I cook or do housework, I can't quickly look at a price tag and read it, and so on. So much of life is dependent on eyesight, and when you lose your ability to see well, a great deal of ease and enjoyment goes away. I tend to rely on other people to see small print for me, which is not always fun.

 

I

 

:iagree: I had to buy a Droid simply because it's screen was large enough for me to read without having to put on my readers.

 

On a positive note, I don't think prescription readers are worth the price. When I left my $400 readers on a plane (bifocals to see if the tiny prescription would help with headaches) I decided to try the readers you get in a store. They work perfectly fine, and I have some REALLY cute ones.:001_smile:

[Joanne]

I studied this during my first practicum as a therapist (I was a therapist in a nursing home/rehabilitation center).

 

The number one determinate of cognitive ability is long term, consistent, exercise. Nutrition, lack of obesity, and especially healthy dietary fat are also determinants.

 

What is recommended for the people who have dementia somewhere on the continuum is:

 

• Games with manipulatives, such as cards
  
• Mental exercises such as conundrums
  
• Word games, such as crosswords or puzzles
  
• As with children, involving as much sensory input as possible.
  

 

The decline is related, in the part that has been researched, to neural "tangles". Your brain literally gets tangles of neurons that interfere/block the transmission of information, and your brain gets "stuck" or takes a circuitous route to information that it used to have a non-detoured path to. The more tangles, the more forgetfullness. A diagnosis of dementia depends on the amount of tangles.

 

I'm hopeful that playing tournament poker (which I play for free in leagues) is brain healthy for me. ;)

[elegantlion]

I'm 44 and I notice my ability to catch on isn't as quick. I've always been able to process information or knowledge fairly quickly, but now I'm slow, compared to ds. That's probably not a fair comparison since he's 14.

 

Some of it may be hormonal as I'm pretty sure I'm in peri-menopause.

 

I also used to have an awesome memory, short and long term. Some of that is waning.

 

The odd one for me is losing words when I type. I often forget to add the negative words, such as "not" or "no" to a post. I've had to start reading my posts before submitting, because forgetting those words can make a big difference. :lol:

 

It's all very subtle right now. I cope by working with ds in certain subjects. Not just for him, but for me! Algebra, Latin, and Japanese are making me think. I've also recently got hooked on Angry Birds, which is good for strategic thinking.:tongue_smilie:

[HappyGrace]

Great question-I was just thinking about this the other day because I'm 43 and just in the last 5-6 months have noticed that sometimes I search for a word and it's not there! :confused: It has only happened about 4 or 5 times but it is so weird.

 

I've always been VERY sharp and able to multitask like crazy, but now I have to write everything down or I forget. And now sometimes I forget what I was going to write down ON MY WAY to write it down!

 

I would LOVE to hear suggestions about how to keep sharp. I have read that doing new things helps, and also things like crossword puzzles, etc. Anything that forces your mind to learn new things-like a new language, etc.

 

DH is 53 and he is SO forgetful-he spends half his time figuring out where he set his glasses down, where his keys are, etc. From watching him, I think maybe one thing a person could do is be more conscious of things-mentally say, "ok, i'm setting my glasses down on the end table."

 

Don't get me started on the eyes-I have seen a significant deterioration in my up-close vision in the last 6-8 months and have my first eye appointment in January :tongue_smilie:

 

I do fear getting old. I'm going through a process like you mention right now-trying to mentally adjust for changes, not let things like this bother me, etc. Even physically-I was really pretty in my 20s and early 30s-the type of pretty where men would ogle constantly-so I suppose that became a part of who I was and how I moved about in the world-and now that has changed and it's surprisingly hard to adjust to that. So I'm letting go of that too (I know it is not important at all in the grand scheme of life, but I'm just saying it has been a huge change with aging that I'm trying to mentally be ok with. And I know you didn't ask about physical changes specifically but it was a part of me that I guess was emphasized that now is not. So now I'm trying to emphasize other aspects of *me*, like my intellectual abilities-and now they're not there-lol!)

Edited December 18, 2011 by HappyGrace

[alpidarkomama]

A full night's sleep, a 15-minute power nap, and daily exercise make a BIG difference for me in how quickly my brain functions.

[elfgivas]

joanne posted great info.

 

i'll add in "enough sleep".

and

"lots of music", both making and listening to

 

what i do now that i am in my 50s and noticing a difference

 

rituals:

i put things in the same place (almost) every time.

we park the car by a light pole so that WHEN we forget where we parked it, we only have to check each light pole. we aim for the same section of the parking lot, too.

but then, we've been absent minded since we were kids, so we've had some practice.

 

google calendar

 

sudoku before bed each night

 

walking the dog

 

we just both lost 20 + lbs, more to help joints than memory, but it all helps....

 

sigh..... youth is wasted on the young....

ann

[dangermom]

I just read a really interesting book about what your brain does as it ages. It's way more complex and interesting than everyone thought. Take a look at "The Secret Life of the Grown-Up Brain." Many effective tips included!

[JFSinIL]

I am over 50, and for a few years now my nouns have been trying to give me the slip (DND we call it on these boards - Deficient Noun Disease). My kids sometimes laugh when I call the refrigerator the oven, etc. But that is all I have noticed.

 

My dad is in his mid-80's and only recently has begun repeating himself and showing obvious signs of age. My mom, not much younger, is still mentally sharp, although she too developed DND at my age. It just seems a goofy thing that comes with age. At least my vocabulary is large so I have lots of nouns to juggle and mix-up (to amuse the children, those whippersnappers!) :D

[Jane in NC]

The single best thing that I did for my brain while in my 40s was take piano lessons. Learning how to have my right hand do one thing, the left another, feet something else, all while reading music ahead of what my fingers were doing was exhausting, but I was convinced that I was developing new neural pathways.

 

Frankly I was never a good multi-tasker. I am one of those people who literally jumps when someone says something to me when I am lost in thought. I have found that my multi-tasking skills are worse as I age. Yes, I need lists when I shop.--not only for the stuff I plan on buying, but often I write out the order of my stops for errands. Otherwise I drive past intended destinations!

 

One thing though is that I enjoy pushing my brain. I enjoyed studying French with son, a language to which I had no previous exposure. I enjoy listening to a variety of music from opera to jazz. We attend performances and lectures at the nearby regional university--even if we are unfamiliar with the dance company or the speaker. Sometimes these events can push us out of our comfort zone which I think helps keep the mind sharp. I have noticed that sometimes people choose to take fewer risks as they age. In terms of physical risk, this may be wise, but why people close themselves off to new ideas is beyond me. With age comes wisdom (we hope). We have not yet seen it all--or thought it all.

[justamouse]

I swear my loss came from kids. It used to be so easy for me to learn something, and now it's work. I DO it, because of the use it or loose it factor, but it's so frustrating. I have noticed that the more tired I am, the less I'll be able to find the word I need.

 

I agree with Jane, learning a new language/instrument is a great help.

 

My experience with older people who are 'stuck' are that they refuse to push themselves into any new experiences. I have made a vow to constantly seek them out.

Edited December 18, 2011 by justamouse

[Lolly]

I have lost noun retrieving ability. I cope by insisting that everyone should know what I am saying even if I use the wrong word. Most of the time they can figure it out.

[Karen in CO]

Current brain science indicates that your brain doesn't have to deteriorate as you age. Here is an interesting book I recently finished about brains. It might help you understand what's going on.

[Jane in NC]

Current brain science indicates that your brain doesn't have to deteriorate as you age. Here is an interesting book I recently finished about brains. It might help you understand what's going on.

 

I like to think that my brain is not deteriorating but rather operating differently. How's that for justification of misplaced objects?

[Jennifer3141]

You know what I noticed, my typing skills have gone in the toilet. I often look back at my posts and think, "How the heck does anyone know what I'm saying??"

 

I'm trying to compensate by eating better and exercising. I think Joann is onto something and the more I read about juice fasting, the more hopeful that some of my decline can be helped. If you can understand me in March, there's our answer! :lol:

[Denisemomof4]

I studied this during my first practicum as a therapist (I was a therapist in a nursing home/rehabilitation center).

 

The number one determinate of cognitive ability is long term, consistent, exercise. Nutrition, lack of obesity, and especially healthy dietary fat are also determinants.

 

What is recommended for the people who have dementia somewhere on the continuum is:

 

• Games with manipulatives, such as cards
  
• Mental exercises such as conundrums
  
• Word games, such as crosswords or puzzles
  
• As with children, involving as much sensory input as possible.
  

 

The decline is related, in the part that has been researched, to neural "tangles". Your brain literally gets tangles of neurons that interfere/block the transmission of information, and your brain gets "stuck" or takes a circuitous route to information that it used to have a non-detoured path to. The more tangles, the more forgetfullness. A diagnosis of dementia depends on the amount of tangles.

 

I'm hopeful that playing tournament poker (which I play for free in leagues) is brain healthy for me. ;)

:iagree: but tangles can't be determined until an autopsy is performed. :sad: I don't even know if anything can be done about them. Do you know, Joanne?

[Denisemomof4]

DH is 53 and he is SO forgetful-he spends half his time figuring out where he set his glasses down, where his keys are, etc. From watching him, I think maybe one thing a person could do is be more conscious of things-mentally say, "ok, i'm setting my glasses down on the end table."

 

 

has your dh been evaluated by a doctor? My dh was and he was told he was normal. Seeing you type this makes me feel better, like maybe it IS normal, not that I wish that upon your dh!

 

Dh even mentioned today how much he's slowed down physically. Has your dh? We have acreage and a farm, so we have a lot of work. Dh commutes to work 1 hr 15 min daily, in good weather. :glare:

[Denisemomof4]

I have lost noun retrieving ability. I cope by insisting that everyone should know what I am saying even if I use the wrong word. Most of the time they can figure it out.

 

are you being serious?

 

I honestly have told my family to stop correcting me, and I've also told them not to laugh about it anymore. Sometimes it's hard, I know, but I really need them to get better at this, especially when I'm tired!

 

Still, I do know sometimes it's unavoidable. Even I make myself laugh.

[dirty ethel rackham]

I definitely have DND - deficient noun disease, as well as it's close cousins, Deficient Verb, Adverb and Adjective disease. I also struggle with MMD - Mixed Metaphor Disease as well. Dd tells me I sound like my mom did. She had the excuse of having had several

 

But seriously, I don't know if it was the 3rd child or possible brain damage from a routine surgery, but I have noticed a decline in cognitive ability. I have trouble figuring out spreadsheets - ones that I had designed. While I can explain the theoretical math, I struggle with seeing a solution to advanced algebra problems ... and I majored in Math. I feel so stupid that I can't teach high school math anymore and have to outsource it. Dh thinks I am silly for thinking I might have had some bad outcome from that surgery, but stranger things have happened.

 

You'd think that my years of crossword puzzles and Sudoku would have protected me from this decline, but it happens.

[Lolly]

are you being serious?

 

I honestly have told my family to stop correcting me, and I've also told them not to laugh about it anymore. Sometimes it's hard, I know, but I really need them to get better at this, especially when I'm tired!

 

Still, I do know sometimes it's unavoidable. Even I make myself laugh.

 

Well, yeah, I'm serious. Do what I mean, not what I say is my motto. They do laugh at me. "Those thingies" is a regular for me. I hate it most when I simply grab the wrong word or name and don't realize it. Dh can't laugh too much, I can always find the things he has misplace. His keys, which he accused me of stealing:D, were in the front door the other morning. He looked for 30 minutes. I found them in less than 5. No, I did not put them there.:tongue_smilie:

[LibraryLover]

I actually think I'm brighter than I used to be. lol However, my hard drive is near capacity. I remember my childhood phone number, but not dh's new cell number. ;)

 

But as far as reasoning and learning new things? Better. I am much more focused and much more invested. I also have far more patience now. This alllows me to stay at a task longer and see things through to the end better.

[Robin M]

#1 thing is the eye sight. I've been wearing readers for 5 years now. Can't see anything up close, so they are my constant companions. Wear them on my head, when don't need them (such as driving). Yes, I have the issue of having a word on the tip of my tongue but unable to say it. Or getting more easily distracted or more quickly irritated.

 

What helps - diet, exercise for both body and brain. Reading and writing have really helped. Knowing when to stop. Taking advantage of when I'm fresh in the morning to get things done.

[Word Nerd]

I recently turned 40 and find my memory of names of things, places, and people is not what it once was. It's embarrassing at times.

[LostSurprise]

I don't regret it, but it was hard having my 4 boys all together (18-26 months apart). My brain never completely recovered from that. My memory skills are average or slightly above and my expectations are greater. I had a crazy good memory before.

 

Lately its word choice. The one I want is just not there but I can feel it and even visualize it sometimes. I'm hitting 40.

 

What helps is always learning something new. Eating well. Sleeping. Having adult conversations.

 

And being very patient with myself. Don't run to Google right away. Let my brain work at its own time. Memory takes less hard concentration and more letting things percolate and float through.

[Robin M]

DH is 53 and he is SO forgetful-he spends half his time figuring out where he set his glasses down, where his keys are, etc. From watching him, I think maybe one thing a person could do is be more conscious of things-mentally say, "ok, i'm setting my glasses down on the end table." D

 

This is my hubby. His brain is on other things so leaves glasses where ever he is sitting. We have multiple pairs (thank you target) I collect glasses at end of day and put them in a certain spot, same with keys so when he asks me the next day "where" I can say "there"

 

I'm the keeper of all things in our house, for the most part. Except when it comes to nerf gun wars. Then I tell dad and son when they ask me where did the darts go, "I wasn't playing, that's your responsibility." and refuse to help to find them. ;)

Edited December 18, 2011 by Mytwoblessings

[-M-]

What has been your experinece with the (assumed) deterioration of intellectual capacities as you age? Not that there are many very old people here (or at least so has been my impression), but there are still many people at the age at which, presumably, most people start feeling some effect of the aging in this camp.

 

Like others, I sometimes suffer from word retrieval issues. Interestingly, simply slowly down and measuring my words reduces this dramatically (and offers the appearance of wisdom, to boot -- heh, heh, heh).

 

And age began robbing me of my near vision about eight years ago, when I turned forty. (Aside: The folks who dismissively, disdainfully pooh-pooh electronic readers have likely not yet experienced this theft. I am surrounded by nearly ten thousand volumes of books, but by the end of the day, it is difficult to focus. Enter the Kindle with its big type. Ahhhh.)

 

What has helped? Have you found a way to keep yourself in a good mental condition, at least for the time being?

Others have already mentioned many of the things I believe have helped me: sleeping well and enough, eating well, and, yes, learning piano. I would add juicing and walking.

 

How do you cope emotionally with not being as quick / as alert / as efficient, mentally, as you used to be a decade or a few earlier - especially if you are used to being an intellectually intense person and this has been quite an emphasized aspect of your self-image for many years?

Losing my near vision was a reminder that I will not handle other age-related indignities well. More, it was a reminder of one of my greatest fears -- losing my ability to think, remember, synthesize, learn. To me, this is akin to losing my ability to be.

 

If you have not experienced this yet, do you think / fear that you will? How do you think you are going to take it when you are older? What has been your experience with the elderly you know and how they cope with it?

Many of the older people I have met, including some in my own family, have come to lead significantly diminished lives. Perhaps they never led particularly vigorous intellectual lives to begin with, but there is more to one's seventies than television and trips to Target, right? Right. Please. Right.

Edited December 18, 2011 by Mental multivitamin

[choirfarm]

Yes!!!! It is so irritating. I can't remember names of things. I use to have boundless energy and my mind went 100 miles per hour all the time. Dh had trouble keeping up with my thoughts. Now, I sometimes get completely lost in my thoughts. I enter a room and think, "Why am I here?" I don't need this now that I am trying to teach a 11th grader, 9th and 4th. Oh.. yeah.. can't sleep either. I'm thinking about what I used to know and realizing how much I've forgotten. I'm only 44.

[TravelingChris]

So I guess I am strange because I don't think I have any more problems with thinking than I had a long time ago? I am almost 49 and haven't noticed forgetting anything more- in fact, I am doing much better than a few years ago when I was under a lot of stress that affected my sleep and just generally affected me. Now, I am not under anything more than very minor stress and I am doing fine. I have had minor memory issues my whole life because I am ADHD so forgetting where I put something is nothing new. Actually, I am better at finding them now at my age then I was in my 20's because I figured out I have patterns for losing things. I find it easier to do some math than it was in high school. My general memory has always been good and remains good. I am always learning new things but don't do anything specifically to train my brain other than read a lot of non fiction.

[Punchie]

I know it's not me, but my grandmother is 89 and is still very much with it. She's hard of hearing and sometimes is a little slow to process what's been said, but that's about it. She's been on her own since my grandfather died 20 yrs ago and threw herself into the community. She's on the city board, she's active in the local art community, she went out weekly with a large (now much diminished) circle of friends, attends concerts and plays at the local community college, eats very healthy, and exercises. She goes to Zumba 2x a week! I guess in short, she's kept herself both physically and mentally busy and connected with other people. I want to be like her when I'm 89.

[cathmom]

I don't regret it, but it was hard having my 4 boys all together (18-26 months apart). My brain never completely recovered from that. My memory skills are average or slightly above and my expectations are greater. I had a crazy good memory before.

 

 

 

I have the same issue with my memory. I used to have a fantastic memory - I only had to dial a phone number a couple times and I'd remember it always, I memorized easily, I would just remember what page number I stopped at, etc. Then I had 4 dc in 5 years (on top of the 3 I already had) and enormous amounts of stress and now I can't remember anything anymore. I even lost track of what week my dh gets paid! I forget to pay things, etc. I've had to try to compensate with systems that won't let me forget things, but it's upsetting since I used to be able to rely on my memory for everything.

[Kalmia]

This is an interesting article from Science News. That women don't have memory problems as they enter their 40s and 50s, but that the hormonal shifts of menopause and their life stressors make it difficult for them to encode the information in the first place--we aren't forgetting; we're not learning! Is that better or worse?

 

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/02/060206000800.htm

[Sandra in FL]

The ingredients in CerefolinNac (prescribed for Alzheimer's/memory loss) can be duplicated - 6mg methylfolate, 2mg methylcobalamin (active forms of folate and B12) and 600mg n-acetylcysteine (amino acid).

 

http://cerefolinnac.com/

 

http://www.iherb.com/Solgar-Folate-Metafolin-Folic-Acid-800-mcg-100-Tablets/13961?at=1

 

http://www.iherb.com/Natural-Factors-B12-Methylcobalamin-1000-mcg-90-Chewable-Tablets/2521?at=1

 

http://www.iherb.com/Now-Foods-NAC-600-mg-250-Vcaps/694?at=1

[Snickerdoodle]

What was the question?

[Colleen in NS]

What was the question?

 

:lol::lol:

[cathmom]

This is an interesting article from Science News. That women don't have memory problems as they enter their 40s and 50s, but that the hormonal shifts of menopause and their life stressors make it difficult for them to encode the information in the first place--we aren't forgetting; we're not learning! Is that better or worse?

 

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/02/060206000800.htm

 

That's how I feel - that it doesn't even touch my brain!

[kalanamak]

As the IQ points fall out one ear, I try to shovel in wisdom gained from experience and the discipline to be organized into the other.

[Ester Maria]

I just wanted to thank everyone for your answers, it has been a fascinating reading for me. :001_smile: I am still trying to figure out where I stand, LOL.

[Ester Maria]

The number one determinate of cognitive ability is long term, consistent, exercise.

This is in line with the "use it or lose it" saying. :tongue_smilie:

 

I am wondering, though, how important is it for the execise to be "new", so to speak. For example, if I were to learn a new language, would it really be as useful for me as learning a new instrument (being that I speak several languages and one could say that I pretty much "cracked" that field, to a comparatively high level, BUT, I never reached that kind of proficiency in music and my instrument learning as a child has been rudimentary - and I certainly understand Jane's observations on the difficulties it would present for me today)? Or, ideally, one would seek not only to use one's brain, but to use it in "new" ways, in acquiring skills one previously did not have?

[Joanne]

This is in line with the "use it or lose it" saying. :tongue_smilie:

 

I am wondering, though, how important is it for the execise to be "new", so to speak. For example, if I were to learn a new language, would it really be as useful for me as learning a new instrument (being that I speak several languages and one could say that I pretty much "cracked" that field, to a comparatively high level, BUT, I never reached that kind of proficiency in music and my instrument learning as a child has been rudimentary - and I certainly understand Jane's observations on the difficulties it would present for me today)? Or, ideally, one would seek not only to use one's brain, but to use it in "new" ways, in acquiring skills one previously did not have?

 

Acrually, I was being literal; exercise of the fitness kind is what is shown to be correlated with longer term clarity and mental ability.

[Ester Maria]

The odd one for me is losing words when I type. I often forget to add the negative words, such as "not" or "no" to a post. I've had to start reading my posts before submitting, because forgetting those words can make a big difference. :lol:

I do that too! Not only with negations, but with all kinds of "little words" - articles, prepositions, etc. I just tend to omit them and then I have to remind myself to reread things.

But as far as reasoning and learning new things? Better. I am much more focused and much more invested. I also have far more patience now. This alllows me to stay at a task longer and see things through to the end better.

Any secrets to share? :D

Acrually, I was being literal; exercise of the fitness kind is what is shown to be correlated with longer term clarity and mental ability.

Now I regret asking. :lol: I could use some improvement in that camp, I tend to neglect it.

[Jane in NC]

This seems like as good of a place as any to post a link, although it is a bit off topic. (And I see that EM is online--I thought of you and this thread while listening to the program.)

 

Pier Forni, a professor of Italian Studies at Johns Hopkins, has a new book out entitled The Thinking Life. Forni, who established a civility project at JHU, spoke to Diane Rehm today (link to find a download of the 50 minute conversation). He notes that the constant distractions and entertainment focus of modern life prevents many from doing basic thinking which in turn leads to poor decision making. Along these lines, he said that many today are "under the spell of the inconsequential".

 

The argument could be made that it is not just age which affects our thinking process but the nature of the culture itself these days. Food for thought?

[Momling]

I have lost noun retrieving ability. I cope by insisting that everyone should know what I am saying even if I use the wrong word. Most of the time they can figure it out.

 

You know... it is such a relief to hear people saying they have this problem too. I was convinced for a year or two I had some early form of alzheimer's or something... I totally can't remember nouns. My kids fill in for me all the time! I first noticed it when I was pregnant, and it never got better.

[zaichiki]

You know... it is such a relief to hear people saying they have this problem too. I was convinced for a year or two I had some early form of alzheimer's or something... I totally can't remember nouns. My kids fill in for me all the time! I first noticed it when I was pregnant, and it never got better.

 

:lol:

 

Me too!

 

I've noticed word retrieval problems/memory issues since my last pregnancy (baby is now 2). I've been secretly wondering whether or not I should see my doctor and ask about early Alzheimers or possible brain tumor! No kidding! :lol: I just couldn't bring myself to actually make the appointment, though, b/c I thought it sounded a bit looney! I'm honestly a bit embarrassed about it, too. :001_smile:

[Sasharowan]

:lol:

 

Me too!

 

I've noticed word retrieval problems/memory issues since my last pregnancy (baby is now 2). I've been secretly wondering whether or not I should see my doctor and ask about early Alzheimers or possible brain tumor! No kidding! :lol: I just couldn't bring myself to actually make the appointment, though, b/c I thought it sounded a bit looney! I'm honestly a bit embarrassed about it, too. :001_smile:

Well, my baby is almost 6 and I have noticed this problem too. It gets worse too. The kids are used to it and fill in for me. I do notice that it gets worse when I spend more time inside and on the computer than on the days when I am outside a lot and off the computer, but I am ignoring that correlation. :)

[Bang!Zoom!]

I went to see my Dr. yesterday; I was scheduled to do an estradiol check.

 

I think my vivelle dot for estrogen is too low now I'm adjusting; I have a lot of swiss cheese hole thinking going on the day before I'm due to change to a new one.

 

Last week, I got off the bus and for about three heartbeats, I had no idea where I was. I didn't know if I was in Spain, Hawaii..what. And then I "snapped" back into it. It took me 45 minutes to fetch a book last week. I knew where it was, but as I went to go get it, things kept distracting me.

 

But she says this is completely normal as the body adjusts to the meds, I'm totally on track, not to worry about it; it's all very natural.

 

I am tending to give up on even starting new adventures, I'm more in the camp of finish what you started and refining those things on my plate. I am getting very particular. I find myself going on cleaning "sprees" - not to just to clean, but to "remind" myself of where everything is. Losing things bothers me a lot now when before I could blow it off.

 

But I know it's full-blown menopause, it's not forever, I'm not stupid, I don't have Alzheimer's; this is just a season to get through.

 

Before I knew what it was, it was terrifying and untreated.

 

Some women go through this for five years, some get over it in three months. Boy, would I like a crystal ball on that one for my own file. :)

 

Hormones are wicked. Wicked things.