The Doorway Effect: A Glitch In Your Memory

 

     It worried me a bit, those incidents where I’d be in the living room and then, I’d go inside another room to get something, and once inside that room, I would completely forget what I wanted to get. And it would take some moments before I could remember it. Or sometimes, I would go to the ref, open it to get something, but as soon I opened the door, I would complete forget what I was trying to take.  I was thinking, was it some kind of memory loss? Or worse, was it a sign of a future Alzheimer’s? And it added to my source of occasional distraction and melancholia.

     It turns out that there’s nothing to worry about as it’s just a phenomenon called Doorway Effect, and it’s quite common. Doorway Effect, according to Wikipedia, is "a psychological phenomenon characterized by short-term memory loss when passing through a doorway or moving from one location to another. People tend to forget items or recent significance immediately after crossing a boundary and often forget what they were thinking about or planning on doing upon entering a different room."

     Entering a new room, according to another article, "creates a mental blockage, causing the brain to reset memory to accommodate new experiences." So there, if you're experiencing it, nothing is wrong with your mind. It's probably advisable to write your goal on why you're getting inside another room before entering it, like "I'd just get my phone so I could wish my honey a good night." 

     Remember, if you keep forgetting it, your significant other might forget you two are in a relationship, especially if they love entering doorways. So, write it now, "Good night, love."