bayliss

Hi there everyone, hope ya'll are doing well.
I just have a question. I am over 5 months sober and am experiencing all the regular 'ol things one might experience with early sobriety. But one thing that is beginning to irk me is my memory...
I am currently studying for school but I can't seem to retain information as well as I used to. In the past I was able to just read a book and remember A LOT of it and now I can probably reread a paragraph 3 times and still not know what the heck it was that I just read!
Is this possibly a sign/symptom of PAWS? Has anyone else experienced this 'memory loss' or inability to retain information? If so, how long did it last for you and does anyone have any suggestions on how to help your brain out a little more?

Thanks.

trachemys

One thing I remember from college was that if I studied while drinking I had trouble recalling the info sober. I find myself forgetting things constantly, now. So I keep a notepad and pen around and write stuff down.

Forgetting a few things here and there is preferable to forgetting entire nights.

Thepatman

I unfortunatly have as well. But like trachemys said, better then forgeting a complete day

ScottFromWI

I had the same problem, not every day but pretty often during my first year. It still happens pretty occasionally for me but not nearly as much as those first 6 months or so.

trachemys

Last week I was in the kitchen making salmon salad. I had the mayo stirred in and was ready for black pepper. I knew it was in the cabinet behind me. I turned around to get it and...

What was it I wanted?

Didn't even have to walk into another room.

PurpleKnight

My mind was all over the place, forgetting things, not remembering where I had put things etc!!

It all eased though eventually!!

Daretodream

Oh my gosh, reading these posts definitely defines me and I am only on day 30. Guess I better settle in for the long ride. My daughter has even jokingly started announcing "Airhead Alert!" during these times and rightly so...lol!

Solosweat

I had a very similar issue that seemed to be my focus. But I was diagonosed with PAWS. My doc but me on a low dosage of an anti-anxiety....and voila! All better.

Good Luck!

trachemys

I only had four things on my grocery list. Thought I didn't need to take the list. Only cam back with three of the four.

KAD

I can absolutely relate to this, though I know other people my age (late 40's) who complain of the same thing, but I'm sure pickling my brain for 2 decades did nothing to help matters at all. The problem seems sporadic for me. Some days I feel fairly clearheaded and sharp, but other days, like today, I feel like I'm in such a fog I can't even string together a coherent sentence at times. I forget what I was even going to say!