The COVID-19 pandemic has left lasting impacts, and it continues to do so. If you've recently found yourself stumbling over words, unable to retrieve them from your vocabulary mid-sentence, you're not alone—and it's not a sign of a 'softened' brain. This common frustration has sparked a surge in Google searches for 'why forgot words.' It's not due to skipping books or binge-watching reality TV; research points to COVID-19 as a primary factor.
If you've had COVID-19 and are grappling with word-finding issues, you may be experiencing lethological aphasia. Experts attribute this to reduced social interactions during lockdowns. 'The pandemic has led many people to become chronically stressed, which means that stress hormones are released into the body at much higher rates than usual,' explains neuropsychologist Sanam Hafeez in Bustle.
For those who contracted COVID-19, the effects can be more pronounced. Beyond typical symptoms, many report lingering cognitive difficulties months later. 'When the brain is inflamed, certain brain functions are affected, which likely contributes to brain fog,' notes Hafeez. Testimonials also highlight significant concentration lapses. Reassuringly, this isn't exclusive to COVID-19—'having the word on the tip of your tongue' has long been a human experience.
'A part of our brain (seat of lexical memory) will produce a name, but which does not suit another (host of semantic memory), which holds the clues. There is then a discrepancy and blockage, since the uttered name will momentarily screen out any other possibility,' explains Professor Demonet in Planet Health. Hafeez adds that 'from our late twenties, our mental flexibility starts to get a little less efficient.' No need for alarm: as experts emphasize, memory takes work!
