Organizational Method: Topical Order
Topic: Depression
General Purpose: To inform
Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about three impacts of depression which can
cause memory problems.
Central Idea: Three impacts of depression on memory capacity are reduced memory recall,
difficulty with attention and concentration and slow cognitive problem.
Introduction
A. Good afternoon, everyone. As we all know, depression is a pervasive mental
health condition that affects millions of people worldwide.
B. "Depression can be like a weight on your mind. A dark cloak that shrouds your
thoughts and makes it hard to remember things and think clearly." Amy Bloom.
C. What I’m going to share today is something that is closely related to me, as I’m
doing research about this topic, I feel like learning more about myself.
In this speech, I would like to discuss the connection between depression and memory
problems, focusing on three key areas.
Body:
1. The first impact is difficulty with attention and concentration.
A. Individuals with depression may have trouble focusing, which can greatly affect a
person’s ability to perform in school or work.
a. Attention refers to the ability to focus on specific stimulus and ignore
distractions. Concentration refers to the ability to focus for an extended period
of time on a task without distraction. Depression, with its neurobiological
changes in the brain, can negatively affect these abilities, leading to challenges
in completing even the simplest tasks.
b. This happens because depression affects the prefrontal cortex, which is
responsible for executive function, including planning, decision-making, and
cognitive flexibility. This is because depression can reduce the size and activity
of the prefrontal cortex. This can make it more difficult to pay attention and
hold onto information.
c. A person with depression may experience increased difficulty with sustained
attention, resulting in mind wandering, decreased focus, and a more easily
distractable mind.
d. In addition, individuals with depression may experience difficulty with selective
attention, which is the ability to focus on the most important part of a task or
environment while ignoring irrelevant stimuli. This can make it challenging to
prioritize tasks, resulting in a sense of being overwhelmed and unable to
complete anything efficiently. (Strömgren, 1977)
(Transition: Next, we will look at the second effect, which is depression can cause reduced
memory recall)
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2. The second impact is reduced memory recall.
A. A person who is struggling with depression will find it difficult to recall information
and remember events, which can impact their functioning in daily life. (Hertel,
2004)
a. Reduced memory recall is a common symptom of depression, and it can have a
significant impact on a person's ability to learn and perform well in school and
work.
b. But how does depression cause reduced memory recall? This happens because
depression causes a reduction in the size and activity of the hippocampus, a
region of the brain responsible for encoding and storing new information. This
leads to reduced memory formation and recall, as well as difficulty processing
newly acquired information.
c. The reduced memory recall, also known as memory impairment can manifest I
different ways, including; short-term memory loss which a person struggles to
hold on to new information or events for a short period of time. This can result
in difficulty remembering names, passwords, or other important information.
Next, long-term memory loss, which a person struggles to remember events or
information from the past, such as past experiences, relationships, or
information learned in school. This can make it challenging to maintain
relationships, complete tasks, or access long-term knowledge. And lastly,
working memory impairment, this is when a person struggles to hold on to and
process information while completing a task. This can make it difficult to focus,
learn, or complete tasks that require multiple steps.
(Transition: The next impact is slow cognitive processing)
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3. The third impact is depression cause slow cognitive processing.
A. Depression have shown to cause slow cognitive processing, which can greatly
interfere with a person’s functioning.
a. Cognitive processing refers to the mental processes that are involved in
thinking, understanding and reasoning.
b. Slow cognitive processing refers to the slowed down rate at which a person
processes information, which may manifest as delays in responding to
questions, difficulty making decisions, and difficulty understanding complex
information. This can result in difficulty with basic tasks like completing simple
instructions, understanding concepts, and completing work on time.
c. Here are some examples of how depression can affect cognitive processing in
daily life: An employee with depression may have difficulties prioritizing task
and meeting deadlines due to slower processing speed. This can lead to
increased stress, anxiety and exhaustion, which can further impact their
performance. Research in 2011 shown that depression is one of the common
factors that affect work performance, followed by anger. This situation is
described as health erosion. (Idris, 2011)
d. Thus, depression is proven to have significant impact on cognitive processing,
resulting in slower processing speed that can greatly interfere with a person’s
functioning in life.
(Transition: All above are the impacts of depression towards a person’s memory)
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CONCLUSION
I.
In conclusion, we can see that depression leaves negative impacts to someone
because it can cause difficulty with attention and concentration, reduced memory
recall and slow cognitive processing. I believe by now, most of you have learn the
negative effects of depression to our memory.
II.
While these challenges can be significant, they can be managed with the right
strategies and support. Seeking professional help, engaging in mindfulness and
relaxation practices, and taking care of one's overall mental and physical health are
all important steps to managing these challenges and living a fulfilling life
III.
So, I would like to end it here with a reminder, by quoting Dr Joseph Wolpe:
“Depression is not just sadness. It is a disorder that can rob us of our ability to focus,
to remember and to make decisions. It can dull our mental sharpness so the tasks
that were once effortless now require more energy. And that everyone, is the end of
my sharing today. Thank you for spending your time listening to me.
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