What are you like when you are stressed out?

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toughlovin

Guest
Hi.... I was thinking about this today. Honestly in general I am rather scattered, although my brain used to be pretty organized, although my house wasn't!! As I have gotten older I have gotten more forgetful and more scattered but when things are good I do pretty well. However when I am stressed I feel like I just do stupid stupid scattered things... which just adds to the stress.

For example my easy child is on some medications for her headaches due to a concussion she got. She told me the other day she needed to renew the prescription. I said ok and then promptly forgot about it. She asked me about it last night after the main pharmacy closed!! It is the knd of medication you are supposed to taper off of, not just stop taking all at once. So I found another pharmacy that was open, ran over there but they cant move the prescription without talking to the first pharmacy. So then I called husband had this mad conversation trying to find another pharmacy fo the same type. I complicated things by forgetting to bring my cell phone. So we found an open pharmacy but didn't know if that part of the store was open since it was a holdiay.... I had 20 min to get there so I dahs over there while husband calls them but of course he can't call me back because I don't have a phone. I get there and of course the pharmacy section is closed. So I wasted an hour running around and got no where. Finally we called a family member who is a doctor call in the prescription for us and husband ran and got that filled.

But really what a waste of time just because I am forgetful, scattered, cant find my own nose. And I am not even as stressed as I often am.... and when I am I just do multiple stupid things.

TL
 

Nancy

Well-Known Member
This came at an appropriate time as I was looking for easy child's social security card and passport because she needed it for a summer job. She looked all over her apt and I looked all through our important document file and couldn't find it until I found the folder I made for her called easy child's Important Documents, lol. So I guess I'm losing my mind.

Anyway easy child always forgets things and I keep telling her to make lists, carry a small notebook in her purse and write down what she needs to remember and every day go over the list to see what she still has to complete. Or keep her calendar in her smartphone with reminders and alarms set. Or get a daily planner and carry it around like her bible and write everything in it. But she continues to forget things and then gets upset with herself for forgetting. She's missed dr appointments and had to pay for them, she's forgotten to pick up my market day food and one month I lost $90 of spoiled food because it sat out all night.

I forget things a lot too but I know that is a weekness so I make lists all the time and cross things off as I do them. I even send myself texts and leave the alert on so I have to keep looking at it. I write things on my calendar by my phone and look at it several times a day. I even send myself emails and keep them in the unread file so I don't lose them. For me I think it's old age. When I'm under stress I actually remember things better maybe because I'm on hightened alert. But easy child does not and I feel bad that she makes so much more work for herself. I know sometimes when I tell her something she is not paying attention and I can tell she will not remember it five minutes later so she has to focus more carefully on what is happening at the moment instead of thinking about other things.

Nancy
 

Calamity Jane

Well-Known Member
TL,
Don't beat yourself up...I think it's an age thing. You and I are virtually the same age, and I find myself doing the same kinds of things. I used to have a razor sharp memory for names, and I could even memorize a grocery list in my head and never forget one item.
Now, I go to the grocery store with a written list, and still manage to forget at least one item on the list right in my hand each and every time I go shopping. Forget about names...I used to know the names of all the current and former movie stars and the movies they were in. Now, it's like playing charades with me...I describe them in roundabout ways and the person I'm talking to must keep guessing who I mean until they hit the right name.
So I think it is a combination of your stress, for which you've built up a tolerance by now, and just hardening of the arteries! In my book, you can still run rings around everybody else - don't worry!
 

recoveringenabler

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Hi TL. I agree about the aging thing. And, when you add the stressors we all live under with our difficult child's, you have a formula for forgetfulness. I make a list everyday and put it on one of those post its and post it on the dash of my car. If it isn't on the list it doesn't get remembered. I use to have a superb memory and a clever mind, but those days are over. I go to another room to get something or do something and I completely forget why I am there. Awhile back I would eventually remember, but sometimes now, the thought never returns! When I am stressed I do things like leave my purse at work and go home, or put the cereal box in the frig, or leave the house without my keys/wallet or what I am actually needing for the trip!

I used to complain about "losing my mind, or losing my ability to think" to my acupuncturist when it first started to happen. She gave me a really good perspective. She said, when woman get over 50, we aren't supposed to be multitasking anymore, we are in the next stage of life which is supposed to be our 'wisdom' stage, where calm prevails, it's more quiet, we are more contemplative and peaceful. We are not supposed to be in the race anymore, striving, competing, etc. She said, but our culture dictates otherwise and we try to live up to it. She said I should 'celebrate' my mind letting go of having such a grasp on me, to let go and accept it and enjoy it more. I liked that perspective and it helped.
 
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AmericanGirl

Guest
I think it is natural. When my difficult child was using and was coming here, I would hide a lot of stuff. Later, i had the awful chore of remebering where everything was. It drove me wacko. Plus...all the new passwords and keys plus having a security system for the first time.

We have all lived on the edge for so long....likely our adrenal glands are worn out.

P.s. difficult child is home from php for two days. If i cannot remember where the key to the safe is next week...someone plz tell me I hid it in the epsom salts in my bathroom....lololol
 

Nancy

Well-Known Member
AG I laughed out loud at your post. Over the years I hid so many things that some of them are still hidden.....from me. Some day if I move I may find them.
Epsom salts hahaha.

Nancy
 
Very relevant today. Stressfu yesterday with difficult child and today with all the stress could not find my cellphone. I still am not sure if I just was stressed out or if she took it and thne put it back,which she does sometimes. I got a loaner and then found my cellpphone and returned the loaner.
 
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AmericanGirl

Guest
I just downloaded a new app called find my droid. It is supposed to even tun the volume on via text message if you misplace it when it is on silent.
 
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Signorina

Guest
TL-very appropriate timing for me. I tend to withdraw inwardly (if not outwardly), and engage in too much random snacking! When I have lots on my to do list-like now-I get edgy and very scattered. Once everything is crossed off, I feel like I can relax. And I hate starting a task & not completing it. We are building a new deck & I just want the d@mn thing done! I spent all day yesterday buying plants & pots and cushions etc so that when h finishes the deck, I can make it pretty for pcs grad party. But the bad thing is that I stayed out all day going store to store finding what I wanted to the point where I was overwhelmed & exhausted & couldn't think straight. But I felt a compulsive need to finish instead of letting it go and going home..

I am having memory issues too-I am blaming my concussion last month. My ability to multi task is kaput. But I also have a lot going on with work & home and haven't been able to compartmentalize it like I usually do. Add a little peri menopause and I am shot! I actually forgot to buy bananas at the grocery store. I've bought bananas EVERY week for the past 22 years. Somehow it slipped my mind!
 
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