Brain Fog and Short Term Memory in Anxiety: What's Really Happening
The Anxiety Guy Podcast
Dennis Simsek
4.8 • 1.6K Ratings
🗓️ 12 January 2026
⏱️ 14 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
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Today's Episode:
Short term memory changes are common during anxiety and burnout, yet they can feel unsettling when they show up. In this episode, Dennis Simsek explains why memory often feels unreliable when the nervous system is living in survival mode and how this is a natural response to prolonged stress rather than a sign that something is wrong.
You will learn how anxiety shifts the brain's priorities, why effort and mental checking tend to increase symptoms, and how clarity returns through safety instead of force. Dennis also shares a gentle, practical approach through surrender, including how to use the Surrender Sessions on The Anxiety Guy YouTube channel to support nervous system regulation.
This episode is especially helpful for those experiencing health anxiety, brain fog, or mental exhaustion and looking for reassurance and a calmer path back to presence.
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📝 Disclaimer:
This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider if you have specific medical or mental health concerns.
Credits:
Host: Dennis Simsek
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | If you've been noticing that your short-term memory feels off lately, my friend, you are not alone. |
| 0:09.1 | You may find yourself walking into a room and forgetting why you went there. |
| 0:14.9 | You may struggle to recall conversations you just had. |
| 0:20.0 | You might even notice that words don't come as easily as they |
| 0:25.4 | used to, or that your mind feels very foggy and distant, almost like it's not fully present. |
| 0:34.4 | And when this starts happening, especially if you're already dealing with anxiety or |
| 0:40.3 | burnout, it can feel very unsettling, as I would know. The mind naturally wants answers, it wants |
| 0:50.0 | reassurance. It wants to know what's going on and whether this is something serious. I want to say |
| 0:58.3 | this clearly from the beginning of this episode. What you are experiencing is not a sign that |
| 1:06.7 | something is wrong with you. It is not a sign that you are losing your intelligence or your |
| 1:14.2 | capacity to think. It is not a sign that you are becoming someone you don't recognize. What you are |
| 1:24.2 | experiencing is one of the most common, most misunderstood effects of living in a prolonged state of survival. |
| 1:34.6 | Today, we are going to talk about why short-term memory feels unreliable when the nervous system is overwhelmed, |
| 1:48.9 | how anxiety and burnout keep the brain in protection mode, and why the most effective way forward is not trying harder, but allowing the body to come |
| 1:57.1 | back into safety through surrender. Let's dive in. |
| 2:07.0 | Welcome to the Anxiety Guy podcast where we delve deep into the heart of anxiety, |
| 2:13.6 | providing you with the tools, insights, and inspiration to reclaim your life from the grips of fear and uncertainty. |
| 2:23.2 | I'm your host, Dennis Simsec, a former anxiety sufferer turned anxiety healer, |
| 2:29.2 | and each week we will explore proven strategies, share personal stories, and create more than anxiety moments |
| 2:37.1 | towards inner peace and empowerment. Get ready to break free from the chains of anxiety |
| 2:44.9 | and step into a life filled with purpose, joy, and unshakable confidence. |
| 2:52.1 | This is The Anxiety Guy podcast, and your path to liberation starts now. |
... |
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