Woman holding her head in her hand

The Impact of Depression on Memory: What You Need to Know

Depression can make you feel guilty, hopeless, or irritable. You might feel depression in your body through aches and pains. Depression might disrupt your sleep or change your appetite. It’s not just temporary. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, if you feel these symptoms for more than two weeks, you might have depression. Depression also can affect your concentration, making it hard to make decisions. That’s because depression affects your short-term memory (via Healthline).

According to a 2024 article in Educational Psychology Review, your working memory stores a few concepts at a time to help you understand the world around you. Working memory is limited, meaning that you can only store a few concepts at a time before it gets overwhelmed. A  2024 study in Cognition & Emotion further found that depression weakens the capacity of your working memory, which is why you might have more problems concentrating.

Memory problems don’t just come with age

Conceptual image of memory loss

Although our memory often declines with age, depression can affect our memory much earlier. A 2024 study in the Journal of Psychiatric Research found that more than half of adults suffering from depression under 65 years old had cognitive issues severe enough to affect their everyday life.

Sometimes depression can influence our memory much earlier, which can affect our childhood development. A 2024 study in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology followed preschool children until adolescence. Adolescents who had a history of depression had weakened episodic memory and hippocampal volume. Episodic memory is our ability to recall past or recent episodes in our lives, and the hippocampus is a critical part of our brain that helps the functioning of our memories (via University of California San Francisco). People who are depressed also tend to remember bad memories better than good ones (via Brain Facts).

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Memory loss from depression can also be confused with dementia. According to Harvard Medical School, older adults with depression might suffer from memory decline because they don’t have the motivation or energy to respond to intellectually challenging tasks. Depression can quickly cause a decline in mental functioning, but one can recover through depression treatments.

Treating depression and memory loss

Man resting chin on hands

According to Healthline, the best way to treat any depression-related memory problems is to treat the depression. Managing depression often involves a combination of counseling, antidepressants, staying physically active, and engaging in social activities. According to Merit Health, you can give your memory a boost by eating a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids found in fish.

There are also some natural remedies for depression, according to WebMD. If your depression leaves you unable to concentrate, establish a routine and set small goals for yourself. If you feel like you’re stuck in your depression, try something new to help alter your brain chemistry. You should also steer clear of alcohol or other drugs that might worsen your depression. According to Healthline, alcoholism or drug use could also cause memory problems. Other conditions such as a vitamin B12 deficiency, a recent head injury, or hyperthyroidism can lead to cognitive issues. You should also check with your doctor to see if any of your current medications might cause memory issues.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.

Lesa O'Leary
Lesa O'Leary

Lesa is a dynamic member of OzHelp’s Service Delivery Team as the Service Delivery Team Leader and Nurse. She has been with OzHelp for five years and believes in leading by example. Lesa has experience in the not-for-profit sector, as well as many roles throughout different industries and sectors, including as a contractor to the Department of Defence. She has expertise in delivering OzHelp’s health and wellbeing programs and engaging with clients in a relaxed and comfortable manner that aligns with the organisation’s vision and objectives.

Lesa has a Certificate 4 in Nursing from Wodonga Tafe, Certificate 4 in Mental Health from Open Colleges, and is currently undertaking a Certificate 4 in Training and Assessment from Tafe NSW. For the past few months Lesa has been an Education and Memberships committee member of the ACT Branch of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC).