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Irritable? Forgetful? Is it anemia?
Hello!
This page is about some of the effects brought on by anemia. Please read on.
Someone recently commented on her general irritability and forgetfulness. She said that as times goes on, the problem seems to be getting worse, not better. What is going on? Is her head really in the clouds? Is it just part of the aging process? Actually, aging has little to do with it. The more likely causes include: (1) Stress (2) Depression (3) Anxiety (4) Lack of sleep (5) Nutritional deficiency (anemia).
I have already written about stress and about sleep, though more pages about these two topics are in the works. The only thing I would like to add about sleep is this: You may honestly believe you do not need much sleep - but you're mistaken. Chronic lack of adequate, restorative sleep will eventually catch up with you, and will manifest itself in many ways. Forgetfulness and irritability are just a few of the signs and symptoms. Therefore, if you're not getting at least 7 hours of uninterrupted sleep, I urge you to do something about it now, not when you "get around to it"!
Depression may sometimes shows up as irritability, but not as often as we think. However, it often is a symptoms of unsuccessful stress-coping strategies (review the pages on stress, if you need to).
It will not come as a big surprise to you when I say that in all my years as mental health practitioner, depression was the #1 complaint of my patients. Like stress, depression can manifest itself in many ways. Anxiety, stress, and depression are complicated, multi-faceted, and highly individual. That is, one size DOES NOT fit all! Because of their complexity, I think it's only fair to discuss them individually, one at a time. So now we're left with the nutritional deficiency as the cause of forgetfulness and irritability, the one responsible for anemia. It is a reason which is often overlooked, even by health care professionals. I am referring to vitamin B12 deficiency.
In its initial, mild form, this type of anemia often goes undetected. You may attribute the vague symptoms to the natural aging process. But as the years go by, the body absorbs less vitamin B12 and starts using up whatever of it is stored. At this point, you may start feeling more tired, your fingers may tingle or feel numb. You may have difficulty concentrating, not paying attention. You become more irritable, forgetful, and it may become increasingly difficult to tolerate those you work and live with!
Is there anything that can be done about it? Yes, there is. Eat more meat, cheese, eggs. Include citrus fruits and leafy green vegetables. They contain folate, another type of B vitamin. You should also consider taking an oral supplement. Will you need shots? Unlikely. Research shows that taking a daily pill containing 1000 (one thousand) to 2000 (two thousand) micrograms of B12 works just as well as taking shots. Also refrain from drinking alcohol and any type of alcoholic beverage, as they will interfere with the body's ability to absorb this necessary vitamin. Finally, have your blood tested periodically. Unfortunately, people afflicted by this nutritional deficiency will often need to take supplements for the rest of their lives.
I don't know about you, but all this talk about vegetables, cheese, citrus fruits, etc. has made me hungry! So good-bye for now. My fridge is waiting!
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