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I tend to very quickly forget things when I am worried or excited. For example, when my boss calls me in his office and tells me something, I forget it so quickly - in a few seconds - or when a stranger calls me and tells me some address or any other details, I forget the information as soon as I hang up.

I don't have memory problems overall, i.e. I can remember things that I read, see or hear most of the time.

Any one have same experience or knows the reason and solutions?

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    Why have you tagged "panic-attack"? The question doesn't otherwise mention that. Is it something you missed? Oct 20, 2016 at 15:36
  • I was not sure about it, i thought my problem is may be related to panic attack.
    – Darshan
    Oct 21, 2016 at 2:52
  • Write things down.
    – John
    Nov 21, 2016 at 11:58
  • This isn't a full answer, so I'm not going to treat it as one, but have you considered that you might not be paying attention in the first place? Often times, you'll have a conversation you really don't care about, and so you won't remember anything because you were really just a bystander in your own conversation. This is the same reason students have so much trouble remembering what they are taught in school. If you have no interest in chemistry, differentiating octets from orbitals is going to take conscious effort. I'm not saying it's definitely the answer, but there's my fifty cents. Nov 21, 2016 at 17:00
  • You need to differentiate between the short term memory and long term or permanent memory. Your short term memory is affected by sleep deprivation and other similar factors so make sure you get enough sleep. There could be other serious underlying condition like multiple sclerosis so you need to go to a doctor. Jun 9, 2020 at 14:23

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It seems that you do have some issues remembering verbal instructions, especially if you are under duress of some form. I have this issue as well, but I will not include my personal experience here, as that is not typically appreciated on S.E. sites.

Some things that may help you are: play math games (you may be able to find an app similar to this) and memory games such as Lumosity (also available as an app). Try playing the math games on a time limit, as strange as this sounds, it will help you think more quickly on your feet which may help you remember things you heard while stressed more easily.

If you know you will be receiving important information or instructions, be ready with a pen and paper so that you can take down the information - or at least enough details to jog your memory later. If you feel nervous/worked up, try to take some deep breaths and relax before receiving the information. Also, do your best to stay interested in what you are being told, even if it seems boring or normal or whatnot, keep your ears and brain open and not thinking about what you'd rather be doing or hearing.

In the slightly more long-term, try to eat healthily and get enough rest so that neither of those is responsible for stressing your body. If you continue to have difficulties with your memory or notice it is getting worse - such as expanding to other portions of your life - you may consider getting checked out by a doctor to rule out any more serious issues.

I hope this has been helpful to you. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to let me know in the comments!

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