Traumatic brain injuries can have a range of effects, including amnesia-like symptoms that may impact one’s ability to retain and create memories. Accordingly, victims of head trauma in California are likely concerned about the potential for this distressing condition, and just what can be done to mitigate its ill-effects.
According to the Mayo Clinic, amnesia can result from a number of occurrences. While medical disorders like strokes and Alzheimer’s are known to play a role in the illness, significant brain injuries also have the propensity to cause either short or long-term effects on the memory. In many cases, neurological amnesia only affects the ability to remember for a short time. However, any serious damage to the brain can entail severe memory issues, which may last for an extended period.
Amnesia typically occurs in two forms. Retrograde amnesia inhibits the capacity to recall old memories, while anterograde amnesia affects the creation of new memories after the incident occurs. Additionally, amnesia can also cause confusion in many people, or they may recall seemingly genuine memories that never actually occurred. No matter what type of amnesia is evident, this condition can be increasingly difficult to cope with, for both the victims and their families.
While there remains much that is misunderstood about amnesia, Psychology Today provides few methods of treatment that have shown success for some patients in the past. Although cognitive therapy is most often used for those suffering mental or emotional health issues, it can also be useful for people afflicted with memory problems by improving the way one’s brain functions. New technology also has applications as a treatment for amnesia. Some victims of brain injury use mobile devices (such as smartphones or tablets) as a means of remembering when brain function falters, which can greatly decrease the burden associated with amnesia and associated symptoms.