Brain Fog Help?
My brain fog has been so bad recently. I will desperately search for my phone only to realize it was in my hand all along. I recently spent several minutes staring at my toothbrush trying to remember what it was for. I have "returned" the milk to the cupboard and the cereal to the fridge after getting breakfast. I have accidentally used shampoo to wash my face.
Those are some of the funnier / most ridiculous examples, but it is seriously affecting my abiltity to function. It can be difficult for me to find the words to carry on a conversation. Sometimes hours of nothing pass without me realizing it. When it is at its worst I am barely able to process what people are saying to me. I feel like I have the attention span of a goldfish. I know that I am intelligent, but it is hard to feel that way when everything is so cloudy all the time.
I have tried making lists / notes, but I either forget to write them or forget to use them. I am not sure what else to try. Does anyone have tips for how they are able to cope with / reduce symtoms of brain fog?
I found getting a smart phone has been helpful, as not only can I have those notes, but also an alarm connected to them.
It's hard though. I just try to pay more attention when I start to experience things that suggest my brain fog may act up more, or I noticed the fog itself. For me I am at least lucky that I know why it occurs and it can be prevented to a certain degree.
@LittleLadybugEmma
Hello,
Brain fog is something I suffer with on a regular basis from the physical illnesses I go through. It's a frustrating experience, so I feel your pain!!! The things I have found to be helpful are saunas, epsom salt baths, and/or ion foot baths. I tend to have the most brain fog when my body is extra toxic; these detoxification methods help pull the toxins out of your body, which helps lessen the brain fog, if only for a day or so. I'm not sure what your exact situation or diagnosis is, but I would definitely recommend it (talk to a practitioner first if you suffer from any medical conditions which might worsen with these methods.) Vitamins and supplements to help support the brain are always useful, although sadly it's not an overnight process.
Sometimes my brain fog is also due to stress. In situations like these, it's important to ground yourself. This can be done through yoga and taking a walk out in nature. I have found nature to be very cleansing and refreshing for my energy, and sometimes when I have gone on trips and taken hikes, I come back with a better sense of clarity. Drinking lots of water and making sure your blood sugar is elevated is also very important.
Other than that, I guess you have to take things one moment at a time. I know it's frustrating because I could do all the things in the world to try and help myself, yet I will still experience tons of brain fog. It's important to not be so hard on yourself, and only give yourself what you can handle on a day to day basis.
Hope this helps!
@LittleLadybugEmma Hi, I too have experienced brain fog. I can get one type like when I had major depressive disorder and I have another type due to a physical disability. I practice a great deal of patience and even forgiveness with myself. The following are things that are helpful for me:
- making lists
- mindfulness meditation
- asking others for help
- creating a routine from morning until night
- having a weekly routine like paying bills every Wednesday - I used to forget on Wednesday but I'd then remember on Thursday or Friday to do it.
- let my GP know about it
- keep reading even if cognitively I can't absorb the information - it's like the faking it until you make it kind of idea
- meal plans
- doing one fun thing a day and doing one task oriented thing a day, like paying bills
- making sure I eat, sleep, and rest, and I even have a down day once a week where I spend the day in my pjs and do whatever I want as I lay in bed or on the couch
That's all I can think of for now. I do have to watch my blood sugar too and have to eat regularly. I get fresh air, sunshine. All of thay good stuff. I take walks by water. I make sure I don't overdo things, in fact I sometimes do less than I used to and I'm now okay with that. I get my blood work checked for things like vitamin B12 because when I'm lacking that, I get weird things that happen to my mind and body. So check ups are good too.
I hope that something here is helpful. But, know that you're not alone.
@LittleLadybugEmma
Hey. That sounds very difficult to deal with. May I ask what condition you are suffering from? I myself have chronic symptoms (pressure in my face) that make it very hard for me to focus and especially make me not want to socialise at the moment and speak a lot.