Explaining Amnesia and The Brain

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[skip this chapter if you already know what amnesia is and you don't want to have a psychology lesson first thing into 2024]

Okay, before I do another chapter, I need to have a rant here. I've had people saying and asking things about Lewis' memory loss that should have an OBVIOUS answer, for example:

'bro u cant lose ur memory from drowning'

The comment has since then been deleted, so please do NOT go looking for it. I think people on this platform that read my stories should understand that I have done my research on this topic, and I have spent hours and days of my life making sure that this new season is as accurate as possible.

Here's a section from one of the MANY case studies I've researched.

'In addition, near-drowning incidents can also cause neurological problems, including brain damage and seizures. This can result in long-term cognitive problems, including memory loss, difficulty with concentration, and a reduced ability to learn new skills.'

. . . See what I mean?!

In case you didn't really understand, which is totally fine, I'll simplify it for you. Basically, when someone nearly drowns, which in Lewis' case, he nearly did, their brain can't function like it did before. 

(For many adults, they have a risk of brain damage, which can be VERY bad long-term, as well as seizures, which can seriously affect someone both mentally and physically.)

However, since Lewis had only passed out, and was not at the stage of having a 'danger-to-life' situation, he was only affected by amnesia, and strong body pains/aches, which were also sourced from trying to get the submarine hatch open.

Definition of amnesia: 

'loss of memory due usually to brain injury, shock, fatigue, repression, or illness'

Definition of dementia:

'a group of symptoms that affect memory, problem-solving, language and behaviour'

These are two VERY different medical conditions. 

Dementia is extremely severe, and it causes problems in someone's day-to-day life, making it hard for them to complete simple tasks, such as brushing their teeth, or making their breakfast. 

Amnesia is not severe, and it's typically a trauma response from the brain, when it suffers some form of damage. A lot of the time, it's short-term, while in some cases, it can be long-term, depending on the type of trauma, the amount of damage done, etc. etc.

If you need these comparisons, here's a table from, oh my god. . . ANOTHER USEFUL RESOURCE!

See how most of the boxes under 'amnesia' have 'MAY OR MAY NOT' in them? Amnesia isn't as dangerous to the person as dementia can be, although it still can affect them!

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See how most of the boxes under 'amnesia' have 'MAY OR MAY NOT' in them? Amnesia isn't as dangerous to the person as dementia can be, although it still can affect them!

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