Suffering a severe brain injury or trauma can cause long- or short-term memory loss. Those who suffer these types of injuries often don’t remember the incident itself or the events that led up the accident. But a traumatic brain injury (TBI) can also lead to continuous memory issues.
What Kind of Memory is Affected by TBI?
A TBI can damage parts of the brain that are responsible for memory and learning, which can lead to long-term or short-term memory issues. Most commonly, these injuries affect short-term memory.
Some people with TBI may have a hard time remembering to do things in the future, such as keeping appointments and showing up to social engagements.
With TBI-related memory issues, sufferers typically remember things from their past (known as long-term memory), but they may have a hard time learning new things and remembering new information or recent events.
People with TBI may experience the following:
- Losing track of time
- Not sure what day it is
- Forgetting all or part of a movie or book
- Unsure of what you did or said in the recent past
- Forgetting where you left things
- Unable to retrace a route you took earlier in the day or week
TBI can also affect prospective memory, or what’s known as “remembering to remember.” They may not remember plans or intentions, such as:
- Agreeing to call or meet someone at a certain time, and then forgetting to do so
- Showing up at the wrong time for an appointment, or forgetting to show up
- Forgetting to take medication
- Forgetting to pick up the kids at a certain time or place
- Forgetting important occasions, including family events, birthdays and holidays
TBI tends to affect new memories more than old ones, but people suffering with these injuries may also have issues retrieving the right information when needed.
Memory of the Injury
In many cases, people with TBI don’t remember the injury itself or the circumstances surrounding the injury. This is common in cases of severe trauma. The brain simply does not store the injury as a memory or as a series of memories. When this occurs, the injured person is not likely to ever remember their injury.
Following the injury, the person may feel confused and have trouble storing memories for quite a while. Memory loss following a TBI is known as post-traumatic amnesia, and it can last anywhere from several weeks to several months.
Can TBI-Related Memory Issues be Reversed?
Those who suffer serious head trauma may have trouble remembering things from day to day. Unfortunately, researchers have yet to find any way to restore the brain’s ability to learn and remember. Memory drills and brain training programs are usually ineffective.
Those who suffer from these memory issues usually have to rely on memory devices – like notepads, lists, address books, alarm clocks, etc. – to stay on track. These devices may actually strengthen memory over the long-term.
Ultimately, those who suffer TBI-related memory issues will have to find ways to manage the issue over the long-term and find strategies that help them cope with it.
