Forgetting words. Aphasia
 

Hi
I just can't find the right word sometimes. Or a person's name.
I'm ten weeks since a concussion and now have PCS.
It feels like a blank space in my head, and the harder I try to get the word the worse it gets.
Mostly if I'm tired of trying to multitask.
Any helpful ideas?
Or is it just a time thing?
Bellbird

Stop multi tasking....Its not helpful, and you will beat yourself up.....You are early on....I forget lots of words....I try and close my eyes and that helps sometime, not always.

Not only does this all take time, it takes patients and self love to get through....Just do your best, and keep it as simple as you can!

Yes, STOP multitasking. The human brain is not designed to multitask. It is a stressor. Science proves it.

When somebody says they are good at multitasking, it is like saying a boxer can take a lot of punches before going down. He was still getting hurt by those early punches.

My trick for word finding is to change my focus. Scan the room and break the traffic jam of thought. Sometimes, the word just does not come. We can move on with aphasia. I have for 20 years. Some of us develop expressive verbal processing dysfunction. We understand the 50 cent words but cannot get them out of our verbal memory to use them. We just use simpler words to express ourselves. I often need to rehearse something I want to say. Sort of like I have to collect all of the right words and have them ready for when I speak.

Don't get hung up on a diagnosis of PCS. That is just a term used so the doctor can bill the insurance company. Your concussion symptoms are just lasting longer.

Moderate your daily life. NO multitasking. It is like juggling. Some can juggle 5 balls. Many of us can only juggle one ball and sometimes add a second ball. If we add a third ball, we drop ALL OF THE BALLS. Attend to one issue at a time. As my wife say when somebody asks her to add a task to her current work load, "I don't have enough brain cells to do that right now." Mothers have a hard time saying no to taking on extra tasks but they must to survive. The rest of us have just as much need to say no and moderate our lives.

Use written notes. I use One Note on my iPhone. One Note is a free app. It also puts a copy of my notes on my Windows laptop. If you haven't used it or just Notes for reminders, get in the habit of using it. It takes memory burdens off the mind. Those memory burdens are MultiTasking.. Stop that.
If the smart phone keyboard is tedious for notes, click the microphone button and speak your notes if you have that microphone feature.

Names can be a challenge. It can be practiced. When in a room with nothing important to do, scan the room and find the names of those you see. The first scan, you might name 50% then using elimination, you will narrow down to find the name of most of the rest. Our brains do not just pop names up. We often need to make an effort.

When you meet somebody new, tell them you are lousy at names but you want to remember their name so you might ask them again. People LOVE you hear you say, "I want to be sure to remember your name." It makes them feel wanted.

These are just some of the work-arounds we can use to get life done.

Thank you so much.
I needed to hear all of that. Phew.
I have started setting alarm reminders of things I need to do. I will look up One Note.
Much appreciated advice.
Blessings,
Bellbird