How Generalized Anxiety Disorder Affects Memory

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Generalized anxiety disorder can impair working memory or the type of memory that you actively use to perform tasks. Anxiety also raises cortisol levels, triggers the fight-or-flight response, disrupts concentration, and affects sleep, which can all have negative effects on memory.

If you experience generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), you have chronic and persistent anxiety. Your friends and loved ones may describe you as "nervous" or "worried." You may feel anxious about daily situations, and your worry is likely out of proportion or irrational. Anxiety can alter your everyday routines, and it can also have an impact on your memories.

At a Glance

Memories can be affected when you are under stress or experience some sort of disturbance in your mood. Having a significant anxiety disorder like GAD can create some of these problems routinely, leaving you operating below your normal level of memory functioning.

In this article, let's take a closer look at how generalized anxiety disorder can affect your memory and what you can do to get help.

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How Anxiety Can Affect Working Memory

There are several different memory systems in the brain. Long-term memory helps us remember information and events from the distant past, whereas working memory helps us keep information in mind as we actively use it.

Working memory is critical for solving problems effectively and managing chunks of information in the present. When this system is not operating normally, it can lead to mistakes, difficulty completing tasks properly, difficulty concentrating, and problems multitasking. Working memory is strongly influenced by worry and anxiety.

Other Effects on Memory

Generalized anxiety disorder can also affect memory in others ways.

Heightened Cortisol Levels

Anxiety causes the body to release more cortisol, a stress hormone that triggers the body's fight-or-flight response

When you are dealing with an acute stressor, this helps prepare your body to quickly deal with a threat. Normally, once the threat has passed, the relaxation response kicks in and returns your body to a pre-stress state.

Generalized anxiety disorder can lead to too much cortisol, which prevents the relaxation response and keeps you stuck in a state of heightened arousal. This can interfere with memory.

Research has also shown that long-term exposure to heightened cortisol levels increases your risk of cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease.

Poor Sleep

Constant worry and anxiety can also make it difficult to get a good night's sleep. Research has found that around 60% to 70% of people with generalized anxiety disorder experience significant sleep disturbances that negatively affect functioning and quality of life.

Lack of sleep can affect memory in a few different ways. First, poor sleep quality can impair focus and make it harder for people to focus and learn. 

Sleep is also essential for memory consolidation. When you sleep, your brain processes the things you've learned during the day and transitions them into long-term memory so they can be recalled and utilized later on.

Anxiety-Related Memory Problems

This can be a major problem in your work and personal life. Worry can hinder your working memory, causing you to forget important tasks or appointments.

You may make more mistakes at work or have trouble juggling everything you need to do at home. You might experience lapses such as:

  • Not remembering where you parked your car in a parking lot
  • Frequently losing things, like your keys or your phone
  • Repeating things in conversation because you can't remember if you already said something
  • Difficulty recalling directions or information someone gives you
  • Trouble remembering items you want to purchase in the store

Research dating back to the 1970s has shown working memory and anxiety to be related. Studies have consistently shown that when people experience anxiety, particularly when worry is at high levels—a trademark of GAD—working memory capacity suffers.

School/work performance, the ability to use complex problem-solving strategies and decision-making skills may be compromised.

Treatment for Anxiety

If you have GAD, especially if you have a high level of worry, you may notice memory and attention problems. If so, this is an especially good reason to seek treatment for your GAD. Learning to control and minimize worrying can greatly affect your working memory.

Intervention can be a huge help, particularly if your symptoms interfere with your job, education, or personal life.

Therapy

Look for a therapist who specializes in anxiety disorders. They can help you manage your anxiety in a way that is healthy and sustainable. From coping skills for calming yourself to memory tricks to help you remember important details, therapy can be a major tool in helping you get back to your daily routine.

Medication

In some cases, medication may be needed to control your anxiety appropriately. This can be a huge help in handling your symptoms. Your options might include medications such as antidepressants, benzodiazepines, azapirones, and antipsychotics/anti-convulsants.

Coping With Anxiety and Memory Problems

If you are struggling with generalized anxiety disorder and memory issues, some self-help strategies can help you cope:

Utilize Relaxation Strategies

Learning some effective relaxation techniques can be a great way to cope with feelings of stress and anxiety. Some that can be particularly effective include:

Get Regular Exercise

Staying physically active can be a great tool for managing symptoms of anxiety. Researchers have found that exercise can be effective in the treatment and prevention of anxiety.

Research has also shown that exercise can positively affect memory. (Plus, it will help you sleep better, too!)

Try Some Memory Strategies

If you struggle to remember important details, test out some helpful memory strategies to determine which ones work best for you. Some that you might find helpful include:

  • Writing down important information
  • Chunking similar information together
  • Rehearsing important details
  • Visualizing concepts and creating mind maps
  • Utilizing mnemonics

Keep in Mind

Generalized anxiety disorder can cause problems with memory, but there are steps you can take to cope. First and foremost, getting the right treatment for GAD is the best way to manage your symptoms and prevent serious memory problems.

However, it is also important to talk to your doctor about your memory problems. Anxiety might be the primary culprit, but other factors might play a role.

Some other possible causes of memory issues include depression, medication side effects, brain tumors, brain disorders, substance use, medical conditions, nutritional deficiencies, and other causes. Your doctor can rule out other potential causes and recommend treatments that can help.

9 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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