Memory Loss Case Study: Causes, Diagnosis, and Management
Patient Information:
- Age: 45 years
- Gender: Female
- Background: The patient is a corporate professional and a mother of two teenage boys. She has no history of mental illness and has never shown any similar signs of memory loss or any other mental conditions before. Her family history is clean of mental illnesses as well.
History or Cause:
The patient was a 45-year-old woman suffering from memory loss. She complained of her sudden and gradually increasing inability to retain and recall important information. The symptoms of memory loss started a few months back. Initially, she could not remember where she would keep small things like pens, food, and paper. Slowly, the issue increased to her forgetting what she was doing while working. She even complained about forgetting the discussions of a recent meeting or conversations she had just had.
Furthermore, her family noticed that she was disoriented and would be lost several times of the day. And going out of her character, she had become very irritated and misbehaved with people she truly loved before.
She had been excellent at work and good with people, but the dynamics have suddenly changed, and the company she was working with is considering laying her off.
Her medical history shows a car accident two years back where she incurred a mild brain injury. At the time, she showed no symptoms of memory loss or disorientation. It only started a few months back and gradually increased.
Her family relations are troubled, and with the increasing concerns, her family decided to take her to get medical help.
Diagnosis:
At Jagruti Rehabilitation Center, a team of mental health professionals do a thorough evaluation of the patient. Thus, after a neurological and cognitive assessment and brain imaging scans, she was diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment. The causes were the physical injury incurred during the accident and its psychological effects. Also, the patient had developed anxiety due to the effects of memory loss in her personal and professional life. Thus, the doctors concluded that she would need a combination therapy for her condition to address both her brain injury and emotional health.
Treatment
Approach:
The treatment was designed to address both the cognitive decline caused by the brain injury and the emotional toll the memory loss has caused her. The objective of the treatment plan was to help her reduce anxiety, revive cognitive function, and improve the quality of her life.
Program:
The treatment plan included- CRT, Anxiety Management, and lifestyle modifications to improve her brain health. The rehabilitation program included the following:
- Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapy (CRT): The therapy uses technology, practical activities, and exercises to improve brain function. It targets memory, attention, and building problem-solving skills.
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): The therapy aims to build coping mechanisms by helping the patient learn skills to alter negative or anxious thoughts with positive and healthy thoughts. It helps with anxiety and frustration and is immensely effective for emotional health.
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR): Meditation and yoga are often used to induce peace and clarity in the mind. They are introduced as daily habits to help patients deal with anxiety and stress.
- Diet and Physical Activity: Along with the therapies and mindful practices, the patient was also given a good diet for brain health. Food rich in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids were added to her diet. Moreover, light exercises like walking and yoga were prescribed for overall mental and physical well-being.
Medical Treatments:
Initially, for the first week, no medicines were prescribed to see her response to the treatment plan. In the second week, mild anti-anxiety medications were prescribed to help her manage the stress caused by her incapabilities. However, the dosages were controlled and under supervision to ensure she doesn’t get dependent on them, and her focus remains on mindful activities, exercises, and therapies for improvement.
Therapy:
Two types of therapies were prescribed after her diagnosis:
- Individual Therapy: Therapy sessions of CRT and CBT were given to her. They were aimed to help her improve her memory, as well as deal with anxiety and frustration. The therapy sessions also were designed to boost her lost confidence and self-esteem.
- Family Therapy: Family therapy was also suggested once a month to rebuild her relations and the lost bond due to her memory loss and anxiety. Also, the family members were taught how to help and support her in her journey of recovery and healing.
Improvements/Recovery Timeline:
- Week 1-2:
The patient was introduced to the therapies with light cognitive exercises and mindful techniques. She was helped to build new habits of light exercises as well and was given medication for anxiety in the second week. By the end of the second week, moderate noticeable improvements in memory retention were seen. - Week 3-4:
The next phase targeted building problem-solving skills and strategies to help her manage daily tasks with ease. By the end of week 4, she showed mental clarity, the frequency of memory lapses reduced, and her mood and interactions with people improved. - Week 5-8:
The focus was building and maintaining the habit of doing cognitive, breathing, and physical exercises regularly. The long-term effects started showing, and she could go back to work with the provision to take her therapies. She showed immense improvement in her relations and needed fewer reminders. - Week 9-12:
With continued efforts on the prescribed exercises, she was able to build emotional strength and go through her daily life with less or no assistance at all. She became calm and could handle stress without anxiety. She had rebuilt her recalling capabilities. Also, all the concerns she had reported at admission were no longer present.
Our Success:
Impact on Patient’s Life:
The treatment plan at Jagruti Rehabilitation Center helped the patient regain her memory and learn skills to improve her cognitive capabilities. It helped her resume her work and improve her family relations. She could also rebuild her lost confidence, and her emotional health became stronger than ever.
Family and Community:
Her recovery helped the family regain peace and bonding. They also learned the meaning of support and assistance during recovery. Also, with the treatment, the patient could revive all the bitter relationships with friends and family. She doesn’t feel isolated anymore, actively participates in community activities, and lives life with a purpose.
Future Steps:
It is suggested that she continue with the independent cognitive exercises taught to her, along with meditation, yoga, and walking, to ensure that her mental and emotional health remains good.
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Jagruti Rehabilitation Centre is a leading facility specializing in mental health, dementia, and addiction recovery. The team of psychiatrists, psychologists, and caregivers is committed to empowering individuals on their journey to recovery.
