Title: The Relationship Between Anxiety and Memory Loss - Rivier Academics
Headings: Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress opens in new window with specific benefits, according to the American Psychiatric Association. Anxiety not only alerts you of dangers, but it helps you prepare for and pay attention to them.
Examining the Stress Response
How It Happens
The Link to Memory
How Anxiety and Memory Loss Are Connected
Understanding Anxiety

Content: That’s because anxiety and stress tax the body’s resources. Research like the study published in Brain Sciences acknowledges the relationship between high levels of anxiety and memory loss. One study in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry found that anxiety disorder is interrelated and inseparable with loss of memory. It added how anxiety is likely an early predictor of future cognitive decline and possibly future cognitive impairment. People who have anxiety disorders like generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, agoraphobia, and specific phobia can experience memory loss. For instance, Behavior Therapy found that individuals with clinically severe GAD had greater difficulty remembering childhood attachment experiences than non-anxious counterparts. Some adult anxiety may be rooted in childhood experiences that leave a child uncertain of whether a protective figure is available in times of trouble. The study discussed how repressing such traumatic experiences can lead to memory issues. Additionally, worry is associated with substantial cognitive avoidance, which prevents the processing of disturbing emotional material. There is still a great deal to learn about the connection between anxiety and memory loss, which is an ongoing research topic.