Misplacing things frequently, why does it happen?

There are people who are experts in misplacing things.. Sometimes, they don’t know where they left their keys, phone or glasses. At other times, the situation is a little more serious. We are talking about people who lose money, credit cards, identity documents or goods that are truly valuable.

Do you want to discover the possible causes that make this possible? Below, we detail them for you.

Why do things get lost frequently?

Why is this happening? When reviewing the available literature, there does not seem to be an agreement on this matter. Some give it a cognitive explanation, associated with memory and attention. Others suggest that it is a condition determined by genetics or personality..

On the other hand, there is the psychoanalytic explanation, in which people’s unconscious will counts a lot. It suggests that these types of situations obey desire unconscious of misplacing things for some unrational reason. And if all of the above were not enough, there are also those who maintain that forgetting is related to intelligence. How then to understand this problem?

Misplacing things, a matter of genes?

A study was carried out at the University of Bonn among people who were in the habit of losing their belongings. The objective was to establish common biological patterns between them. In the end, they detected that 75% of those surveyed had a variation in the dopamine D2 receptor gene (DRD2).

The researchers concluded that this made them more prone to forgetfulness, since this gene is closely related to control, impulsivity and susceptibility to daily cognitive failure, as assessed by the questionnaire.

Nevertheless, As is often the case, the existence of these biological markers does not by itself explain the behaviors. A predisposition or potentiality does not guarantee 100% the presence of a behavior (for example, the personality variant in relation to impulsivity also comes into play).

The director of the investigation, Sebastián Markett, also pointed out that at least half of the forgetfulness can be explained by a genetic predisposition. This, in turn, corresponds to at least 10 variations in genes.

Forgetfulness and lack of attention

The most frequent explanation for this tendency to misplace things has to do with a cognitive factor: attention.. You are not completely focused on what you are doing and that is why those small accidents occur that prevent you from remembering where your glasses or pen are.

This lack of attention is generally due to the fact that the mind is working on a problem that is more important to it and, therefore, prioritizes it.. Either because you are executing a task, you are thinking about something else, or because you are in multitasking mode.

In any case, this dispersion represents an obstacle to the storage, conservation and retrieval of information.

Intelligence and forgetfulness, what relationship is there between them?

In an article about the persistence and transience of memory, it has been suggested that, when a person is very intelligent, they focus too much on their own thoughts, to the point that they forget about the external world (“clueless genius stereotype”). That is, they do not pay attention to minor or everyday matters, and that is why they often lose belongings.

The theory says, therefore, that memory is not the only cognitive process that influences everyday forgetfulness. Knowing how to manage the data stored in it and use it to make valid decisions in dynamic moments or noisy environments seems to be the key.

Thus, someone with a long memory (a sign of intelligence, but not the only one) could lose things periodically because they do not make appropriate decisions when, for example, they are in a hurry. In this scenario, a person with intelligence (beyond the retention capacity) will develop strategies to avoid losing things when they have to leave the house quickly.

The unconscious desire to misplace things

From the psychoanalytic point of view, these losses seem to be an expression of an unconscious desire. In other words, the unconscious imposes itself on the rational mind based on a desire that is not recognized by consciousness. Belongings that want to be lost are lost. It is a way of expressing rejection of their meaning.

Thus, Losing the keys is a way of expressing the desire not to enter the house again or not to be present in some anticipated situation.

Losing your glasses would imply the unconscious desire of not wanting to see some situation or not working on something that is rejected.

It is also possible that things are left in a specific place because, without intending to, you want to compensate those who live or work there.

Forgetfulness and unconscious punishment

Sometimes, there are more complex forces that are involved, such as when one wishes (without intending to) to inflict punishment.

For example, a person puts his hand in his pocket and drops some bills with a large sum. Perhaps in days gone by he refused to buy something his family needed, or he feels guilty about the financial misfortune of someone he loves.

How to fight against everyday forgetfulness?

First of all, it is crucial to recognize that Forgetfulness can happen to anyone and at any time. Unless they become a limitation in carrying out some activity or they have a pathological trait, losing your keys or wallet is something that happens to most people frequently. Based on this idea, consider the following.

Pay attention to how you define yourself: It is different to think that “I have had an occasional oversight” than to say “I always forget everything, I am a disaster!” Treat yourself with kindness and respect.Walk the path with your mind: This is the simplest technique to find what you lose. It does not guarantee 100% success, but it helps you become aware of the steps and actions you take.Use organizational strategies: agendas, notes, alarms… There are many ways to not depend on memory when going through hectic moments of the day.Maintain order in the environment: It is easy to lose your keys if you leave them in one place every day. Every everyday object must have a place, since this is the reference to find things automatically.Add awareness to actions: for example, saying out loud “I’m leaving my glasses on the nightstand.” In this way, objects are not deposited without thinking, but rather it is done as a conscious act and is better remembered later.View pending tasks: Visualization is a powerful tool for activating memory. For example, you can relate looking at the refrigerator with remembering to do the shopping.Slow down the pace of life: Yes, it is easier to recommend than to carry out, but most of the time it is the whirlwind of tasks and life events that makes someone clueless. Try not to spend the day on automatic mode.Take care of your emotional health: Many of the subjective complaints of forgetfulness come from a negative emotional state. Specifically, anxious-depressive symptoms are related to a greater frequency of distractions.

Are you worried about misplacing things quite often?

It is possible that, after reading all this, you are still worried about forgetfulness or believe that your forgetfulness goes beyond genetics or the frenetic pace of life you lead.

Don’t be left with doubts: go to the psychologist or general health professional and tell them.. Even more important than remembering where you left your umbrella is taking care of your health and mental well-being.

You might be interested…