When the mind changes
As the years pass, the way the mind functions can change. Not always in an obvious way, not always consistently. Sometimes it is a slowing down, other times a difficulty in remembering, concentrating, or finding the right words. These changes can be surprising. They can bring about a new sensation: that of not fully recognizing oneself in one’s own way of functioning.
It is not just a cognitive matter. When we realize that something in the mind is no longer as it was before, we do not react only on a cognitive level. Above all, emotions are activated. Fear, worry, shame, a sense of inadequacy. Thoughts such as: “I’m losing my edge,” “I’m not who I used to be,” “what if it’s something serious?” These reactions are automatic and understandable.
The weight of emotions on mental functioning
Anxiety and shame do not remain in the background. They activate the body’s alarm system and directly interfere with attention and memory. In this sense, cognitive difficulty is never just cognitive. A cycle can be created: the difficulty generates worry, the worry further reduces performance, and the reduction confirms the initial fear. Over time, this can lead to avoidance, giving up, and challenging oneself less.
The link with identity
Cognitive changes do not only affect abilities. They touch the sense of self. Throughout our lives, we have built an image of ourselves linked to efficiency, autonomy, and the ability to manage. When these dimensions begin to change, a sense of loss can emerge. Not only of capacity, but of identity.
Shame and fear
Many people do not talk about these experiences. Not because they are not important, but because they are difficult to share. Shame can arise from feeling less efficient, less lucid, less autonomous. These emotions are not a sign of weakness. They are a human response to a profound change.
Recognizing in order not to amplify
The first step is not to “train the memory.” It is to recognize what is happening inside. Noticing the fear, the shame, the tension. Giving these states a name, without judging them. When emotions remain implicit, they tend to amplify. When they are recognized, they can begin to transform. This also has a direct effect on cognitive functioning.
A different way of being in the experience
Mindfulness approaches and the cognitive-constructivist perspective emphasize a central aspect: it is not only what happens that makes a difference, but the way in which we relate to what happens. Learning to observe one’s thoughts without identifying with them completely.
Reducing self-criticism. Accepting change without automatically interpreting it as a loss of value. This does not mean resigning oneself. It means creating the conditions for the mind to continue functioning as effectively as possible.
Every age has its needs
Just as in childhood and adulthood we develop different skills, old age also requires adaptation. It is not a phase of “loss,” but a phase that requires new ways of self-care. Taking care of one’s cognitive functioning also means taking care of one’s emotional world.
Giving meaning to change
At Spazio FormaMentis, work on the prevention of cognitive decline concerns the way in which the person experiences and interprets what is changing.
In this space it becomes possible to:
– recognize the emotions linked to cognitive difficulties
– understand the link between emotional states and mental functioning
– reduce anxiety, shame, and self-criticism
– break the vicious cycles that maintain the difficulty
– redefine one’s sense of self in a more current and sustainable way
– develop a more flexible and conscious relationship with one’s thoughts
It is not about returning to how things were before.
It is about continuing to function, in a different way, without feeling lost within the change.
