I know this probably won’t apply to people here, but maybe it will, just not exactly an “OCD thing” does anyone suffer from brain fog? I have it immensely bad, due to a lot of health issues, including type 1 diabetes manly but also depression can cause it. Brain fog is different than feeling overwhelmed and overworked etc..if you have it you will know exactly what I’m talking about when I say you don’t feel alive. It’s either feeling too much of everything or completely numb, NOTHING feels real, (which can lead to/goes along with depersonalization types of disorders but not always) I feel like everything is so hard to focus and hold onto. And on top of that I have silent migraines which leads to a lot of head pressure which just intensifies the brain fog. I had a breakdown in my car today crying for a good 20 minutes to my boyfriend of how upset I am that my life is this way. I understand things could be so much worse but some things like OCD (which of course I have) and brain fog, eliminates you from being able to see a brighter side, or make yourself better. How can you change your life if you can’t think clearly? ? just need some love and positive encouragement to carry on I guess.

Your brain gets tired from constantly worrying or runinating and starts to disconnect and put all its energy towards the thoughts.

Hi Cat. I really understand what you’re saying. I have dealt with chronic health problems for 13 years that have kept me mostly housebound, other than times where I *have to do something or when I’m well enough to try and live life and enjoy life. I had and still have a lot of ambition. I’ve tried 3 times to go back to grad school for math and have had to quit because of my health and brain fog. The fog has been so severe at times that my family said it was like watching someone with dementia. Not even sure you can call that a fog. There were years and years where I barely drove because of it, had to have people take off work to drive me to my doctors appointments. All I can say to you is it can go away. People in my health support groups have gotten better from it. Mine has lessened with treatment. It’s still there, but I’m driving now without even thinking about it.

I kind of get what you mean, because I think I’ve suffered from the same thing when I depressed. Elevating my mood by exercising and having faith (and people who believe in me) helped. I suffer from brain fog, but less than before thanks to all those things

I’ve struggled with brain fog before. It really comes out of no where and it gets worse when you stress about it. I think you can get better with time. Don’t give up and keep thinking positive and celebrating small things.

Yes, I have terrible brain fog too from health problems. It really affects my quality of life. I wish it would go away.

Yes I am sure a lot of it could be from OCD. However I think that OCD has caused more of the depersonalization episodes and symptoms, which (only clarifying because I’m not sure if everyone knows what I mean between the differences) is a complete disconnect from reality. I’ve dealt with this for a long time, and though it is terrifying and uncomfortable, brain fog is different. I feel like there is cotton in my head (not literally.) as if I tried to explain it to my boyfriend this way, imagine your brain is a room and every time new ideas come in, new conversations, reading, studying anything really, anything that sparks brain activity, imagine someone opening up the bedroom door and letting a person (an idea) into the room. Only with brain fog imagine the room is FILLED with Birthday balloons and every time someone comes in the room it only gets more crowded and more difficult to maneuver around all the balloons until pretty soon the people (again ideas) have their arms outstretched and are just walking blind hoping to make it through. I can’t concentrate long enough to carry on conversations before my mind starts wandering off. I can’t think in my own head long enough before my mind starts wandering off, and I just go on my phone and fill my head with stupid shit like instagram or youtube (if I can even focus long enough to watch something), etc because instant gratification and everything is fast and to the point. I think I’m going to disconnect with everything because I feel it’s hindering me from getting better.

It’s so heartbreaking to me (I imagine it would be to anyone, but harder for me to take it easy on myself about it) Because my DREAM is to be an author. I’m 27 and haven’t written a book yet. Which is very devastating to me, Because I put it off due to fear of not being good enough but now I want to do it and am willing to put myself out there, and ha jokes on me now cause I can’t think straight long enough to write a page. It’s so upsetting because my physical health is declining and I just want to be happy and proud of myself and do something I’ve always wanted. I just want one good thing.

Thank you so much ! What kind of treatments do you do? I’m so sorry about your health, I understand how debilitating it can be and feel like it is ?

Well I have a lot of health problems, not sure which ones go along with developing brain fog. I know for a fact type 1 diabetes (which I have) can cause it because fluctuations in blood sugar cause brain swelling. And this is a life long disease. So idk ? god willing this (fog) doesn’t last my whole life as well. I have depression and also headaches which I read can cause brain fog. I am also in kidney failure which I’m not so sure would cause this but who knows ??‍♀️ maybe the stress of having so much fucking shit wrong with me is making my mind shut down. To laugh or cry, I don’t know.

My brain fog was brought on from anxiety and my ocd

Sorry for long post

Thank you. I’m sorry for you, too. It’s truly awful. I have done just about every treatment under the sun, traditional and alternative. What conditions do you have? I wonder if I could narrow down things that may help if I know what you’re dealing with.

The irony is depression can cause it but because of it, my depression is spiraling out of control. How am I supposed to be happy about anything if I can’t think? How am I supposed to make my life better? I work retail and feel that is too much for me a lot of the time. I’m actually signing up for FMLA because my blood sugar going up and down is draining and makes work difficult, multiple times a week I have to stop what I’m doing to go test my sugar. I never used to have to do this, I would be able to wait till my breaks. Not anymore. And my kidney pain has gotten so bad where I can’t walk or even have strength to stand. On top of that just being there is hard for my brain. It’s so hard to focus. On literally anything (as you explained, I know you understand) and it’s just not fair. I watch everyone else live out their dreams and I can’t do anything and I’m so young. A lot of times I feel like I’m just waiting to die

Yeah, it really is a miserable existence. And you’re totally right, they all play off one another so it’s a vicious cycle that seems impossible to get out of. The things you mentioned—blood sugar issues and kidney problems—can absolutely be contributing or the cause of your brain fog, in my opinion. In addition to continuing with western medicine, have you tried or considered trying alternative treatments? Or adding in more holistic treatment options? My advice to you would be to work with your traditional doctors and also holistic medicine practitioners as hard as you can to get your physical health conditions under control and in a good place. I KNOW my blood sugar (I have non-diabetic hypoglycemia) makes my mind much more foggy. I’ve had episodes of confusion and slurring my words with low blood sugar.

I definitely have that when my sugar is low and when it is high as well. That doesn’t worry me so much because obviously during those events my body is fighting really hard so it would make sense to be a bit foggy headed. What worries me is all the time I’m not high or low that my mind feels like it’s given up ??‍♀️ Idk it’s very depressing to me. Yes I used to see holistic doctors as well. I need to go back to a holistic vitamin store I used to go to (they have a doctor there) because idk if I mentioned but I can’t actually take any western medicine (besides insulin of course but I don’t think that’s even considered medication it’s a hormone that is mandatory) because of my organ failure. They don’t want me on any medication which I don’t want to be on any either.