<s>[INST] Dear Doc, I am a 34 years old healthy male. For the last few years, I am having difficulty in recalling things. Things are getting worse now a days. At present I am doing my post graduation in health management. While I appeared for my exams, I find it difficult to recall what I had studied. It seems like my brain has become like a bottom less pot unable to retain anything. This is putting a lot of pressure on me. Sometimes I feel as if I have forgotten whatever I ve learnt over the last decade. Earlier, I was working as a paramedic in the Indian Navy. I used to be a brilliant student during my student life i.e. before joining Navy and I d a sharp memory . I am very worried about my performance in this course and my career ahead. Please help. VJ [/INST] Thank you for your query. first I would like to tell you that there is no cause for alarm at the moment. What you are describing happens to be a very common problem in individuals of your age group. It may be due to a number of causes, like an underlying depression, anxiety or adjustment disorder, which needs to be diagnosed and treated if present. Also, significant life stress (particularly financial, social etc.) further compounds the problem. While in school, a person has very little responsibilities, and is mostly focused on his studies, thus giving attention and retaining study material information is easier. But coming to your age, obviously, you have a lot of other activities and engagements that needs to be taken care off, thereby, diverting your focus. However, once the underlying cause is identified, your problem can be managed more easily. A detailed history, and mental status examination is required to reach a definitive conclusion about your problem. I would suggest you to visit a psychiatrist a give a detailed account of your routine and your problems. Hope I've been able to satisfy your query. Please feel free to contact me for further needful. Best of luck. </s>