Forgetfulness.

This is a very reassuring thread! My problem is that by the time I remember the answer I can’t remember what the question was.

I do it a lot and did it this morning when I went downstairs to get something and couldn’t remember what it was. I remembered when back in the landing. But if you were to ask me now what the item in question was, I couldn’t tell you for the life of me!! I frequently get into the car and drive off only to realise I am still wearing my carpet slippers.

It happens to DH’s as well.

Mine had one job, pick up two of our children and their little friend from an after school party.

He came back with our two, not the third, he wasn’t impressed with having to do the 1 hour 30 minute round trip again.

Curlywhirly

Does anybody have trouble temembering words? Last week I couldn't for the life of me remember what an egg timer was called! Mind you DH is no better, the times we now have to help each other find those elusive words is getting rather too frequent 🥺

Sadly, constantly, I simply stop and try and festive the word I’m looking for and my family and close friends guess til they get the word! I really don’t like it!

All of the above.

Yes, since my 30s after our first child was born. 61 now, with all of my marbles intact. Think it’s pretty normal (misplaced car keys, too).

Our lovely postman came to the door yesterday to collect a returns parcel. I said there must be a mistake as no parcel, so off he went, printed label in hand Walked through dining room and parcel was on the table - I had organised collection 3 days earlier and totally forgotten 🙈. He came back for it today whilst I hid out of the way. Oh dear.

I was told we forget things because we aren't really concentrating on it exclusively at the time so it doesn't really 'go in'. Also forgetting names for things and people is normal its if we can't remember who the person is etc. I was worried because I tried doing crosswords and failed miserably. I then thought about it and I was useless at them in my 20s so it wasn't a sign.

I can't remember why I've come upstairs, but am word perfect on tons of songs from the 60s!

NanKate

Do you ever go upstairs for something and completely forget what it was, and then it jumps back into your mind later ?

Yes.

I don't go upstairs and forget bacause I live in a bungalow, but I can forget what I want if I go to the other side of my small kitchen.

All the time.

I'll go upstairs for X, forget, do Y instead and a bit of tidying, puzzled, maybe use the loo, come back down, realise what it was, go back up...

Excellent exercise, I don't mind unless I'm in a rush.

Now, names - hopeless. I can recall all sorts of details about a person, their family, favourite food, holidays, and so on, but their name - why their name?
Trying to think back to when I was much younger but

...cant remember....I think it was always difficult.

There must be a syndrome or something.

All of the above, plus the vast increase in my faulty names brain

Ah, there are answers to the name thing...its about processing floods of information and the name being a difficult one

here we go...

(AI answers from recognisable sources)

"Remembering details about a person while forgetting their name is a common phenomenon often called "tip-of-the-tongue" (TOT) or "next-in-line" memory failure. It is rarely a sign of serious memory impairment, but rather a reflection of how the human brain prioritizes and stores information.

The brain treats names and faces very differently.

Names Are Arbitrary Labels
A person's name does not describe who they are, what they do, or what they look like. It is an arbitrary string of letters. Conversely, you remember their face, voice, and stories because they offer rich contextual clues and meaning, which the brain is wired to retain.

The Next-in-Line Effect (Lack of Attention): Often, when you meet someone, you are thinking about what to say next or concentrating on making a good impression, which means you may not pay attention to the name when it is spoken. Therefore, the name never actually makes it into your short-term memory to be saved in long-term memory.
Separate Storage Units: Neuroscience suggests that names are stored in different parts of the brain than biographical details.

A face—with its unique eyes, smile, and skin color—activates the visual cortex, whereas a name is processed in language areas. Sometimes, the connection between these two areas fails to link up, leading you to recognize the person but not recall the label (the name).

Lack of Association

A face is inherently meaningful; a name, at first, is not. If you meet someone named "Jennifer," that name has no meaning to you. But if you connect the name to a feature—like imagining her wearing a fur coat (JenniFUR)—the name becomes part of the "web of associations," making it much easier to recall.

Faces Are Stronger Visuals
Humans are visual creatures. Our brain has more cortex devoted to processing visual information than auditory information."

But there are some people super at recalling names....

GrannyGravy13

It happens to DH’s as well.

Mine had one job, pick up two of our children and their little friend from an after school party.

He came back with our two, not the third, he wasn’t impressed with having to do the 1 hour 30 minute round trip again.

It happens to younger people too.

My DS had driven down with the kids for a goodish chunk of the day:

He had to take his car for re- charging and needed a taxi to come back.....

when it was charged up we loaded up my car with some of the kids and him

I took him all the way there

I was just about to depart when he sheepishly came back snd said he had left the keys at my house

So back we all went except the 9 yr old who had expected me to do art with her...😢

Then on getting back they all had to go...

And this is what I find weird
and have had with past blokes including my first DH

they are so well organised at work

but for other matters

they have expected the women in their lives to organise.

Wow ! that makes me feel a little better. I,m really worried that dementia is on its way. Yesterday I went shopping, but then couldn't find my car. As it's bright red it should help, but there were quite a few of that colour. I was convinced that I had parked quite near the store's entrance, but none of the red ones were mine. Then a lovely lady called over to me, and said she'd noticed that I seemed to have lost my car, and offered to help. My only saving grace was that I could remember and tell her the number plate! She found it very quickly , and it was quite far away from the entrance!

Re words, these days when I'm trying to remember a name I go through the alphabet in my head in the hope that I will get there. Some times it works.

It was a standing joke at one of the classes I attended that I could never remember what a memory stick was called!!

As for word finding I have real difficulties especially when I’m stressed. It doesn’t help that I’m quite deaf so most of my brain bandwidth is being used to try and understand what’s being said to me. I absolutely hate it.

That does make it harder, as you say, your brain is busy at work.

I'm not in a work situation where names matter, mostly, fortunately, but there are lots of ways round the name thing

as in

"Hi, how are the grandchildren?....I'm so sorry, I'm hopeless with names, but I remember they were going off on holiday camping...."

Generally produces a smile, they have been recalled, and so on.

Reassurring to read all these similar stories. In addition to forgetting names, words, etc. I have found that for the past few years I have been substituting name or words without really knowing why. The most startling was a male friend from the pub, who I have know for over 5 years, called something perfectly normal, let's say "Dan". Then one day I started calling hime Raoul!! I have never known anyone with that name and don't know where it came from, but at that moment I could not remember his real name, Dan. Only Raoul. And I have some games on my phone, for example, Free Cell, which I have played for years. Suddenly I have decided it is called Easyjet! No idea why. Another game, I have named 'Bounce'. Again, nothing to do with the game. It just comes into my head and sticks. And now I'm really embarressed and will slink my way out of here....

Oh dont!

It's fascinating to ponder why the alternative might have popped into your head. Somewhere there will be a link.

Oh yes. Lots of times.
I even say out load "What have I come up or come in here for".
I open the freezer door and forget what I'm meant to take out.

I was told I needed a jet propelled stair lift so that I got to the top of the stairs before I forgot what I wanted to up for.

Yes, going in a room and forgetting what I'd gone in for so go back to the original room and then remember. I get to the shops and forget what I wanted and once back home I remember so have to traipse back to the shops. I've started making notes in my phone of where I've moved things etc and recently what plants I want to buy. Today I went to a garden centre and left my phone at home 🫣

I have double trouble - sometimes when I can't remember something (name of an actor, place etc) I'll decide I'll look it up later - but when it comes to it, I've forgotten what it was I'd forgotten!

So I can remember perfectly what happened 30 or 40 years ago but ask me what happened the day before yesterday, I haven’t a clue 😱