Discussion Do you feel your depression and anxiety making you dumber?

[randomz]

So basically, the title. For the past couple of months as my depression intensifies I feel myself become dumber and dumber by the day. I always forget stuff, I have hard time concentrating on my work, my hobbies, etc. Needless to say that doesn't affect my desire to keep living and struggling in a good way.
What is your opinion/experience on the matter?

 

[Meretlein]

Most of my focus and motivation are gone but my mental abilities are unchanged on the rare occasion I put my mind to something.

 

[a_strange_day]

Totally, it's like I'm getting dumber by the day. I'm slowly losing my social skills, barely talk and live with a constant brain fog. Nothing interests me anymore, a slow death.

 

[silent staring void]

Lol yes I was a "smart kid" and now I can barely understand simple texts or form a coherent sentence.

 

[Aeathelina]

Yup. My mental abilities have slipped a great deal. Mostly because I cannot seem to focus of get ove-whelmed easier than even when I was in high school. Nothing important sticks at all anymore.

 

[Epsilon0]

I am so sorry to hear what you are going through. It is a very difficult thing, and it is unfortunately very real.

I have both personal experience of memory problems, and have read articles about this phenomenon. Prolongued stress and anxiety can lead to decreased brain function and they can actually make your brain shrink.

Here you can read more about this, if you are interested:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3269810/

 

[Deleted member 1465]

I feel it's broadening my mind and making me feel cleverer. Odd, huh? Plus serious chronic lack of sleep is taking its toll on my body and memory, yet I feel like I can see and understand stuff I could barely grasp before. It's actually really odd and I don't like it.

 

[aiuto]

I feel it's broadening my mind and making me feel cleverer. Odd, huh? Plus serious chronic lack of sleep is taking its toll on my body and memory, yet I feel like I can see and understand stuff I could barely grasp before. It's actually really odd and I don't like it.

Something similar is happening to me. I don't know if I'm actually cleverer or I just feel like it.
I guess it is because in some way you are smarter, you have much more experience from which you can draw your conclusions. Being constantly stressed and anxious is not a pleasant feeling at all, but at least it does make you more "prepared" in situations other may find difficulties in.

 

[netrezven]

When i'm hit with triggers for depression like i was like 2 minutes ago, and when this keeps me in that mood for too long, like few weeks, ya, i lose motivation and any kind of meaning in my ambitions or simple goals. I used to lose my wish for life at all in those moments. But something, i think in my genetic made me think otherwise. What i'm going to say one day to all the f***kers from my past is : I wanna thank me and only me for everything. I don't care if i have to pay with my life for it, it didn't cost that much few months ago, so it's a deal i will stick in till i'm done.

 

[faust]

In a certain way, yes. I am a person with lots of talents and intelligence. However, because of my illness I cannot use all my capability, it remains "on paper", unused, and all my opportunities dissipate inevitably. I hope I will be able to finish and translate my book before CTB at least, but my state leaves much to be desired.

 

[Green Destiny]

Probably. My short and long term memory is going I can tell that much.

 

[mesohappy]

I feel like my head is filled with cement half the time.

 

[Sensei]

I experience cognitive impairements after depressive episodes, which usually last four months for me. Episodes wear on the brain and it's common to get residual symptoms such as impaired attention and memory. I "only" get impaired memory and it's, knock on wood, only temporal for me and lasts a couple of months. Unfortunately, my memory gets really bad and it's very detrimental in my line of work.

 

[Mizzmini45]

So basically, the title. For the past couple of months as my depression intensifies I feel myself become dumber and dumber by the day. I always forget stuff, I have hard time concentrating on my work, my hobbies, etc. Needless to say that doesn't affect my desire to keep living and struggling in a good way.
What is your opinion/experience on the matter?

Yes!!

 

[randomz]

I feel like my head is filled with cement half the time.

Funny, I was talking to someone last night and made the same comparison, only I used foam instead of cement, don't know why.

I am so sorry to hear what you are going through. It is a very difficult thing, and it is unfortunately very real.

I have both personal experience of memory problems, and have read articles about this phenomenon. Prolongued stress and anxiety can lead to decreased brain function and they can actually make your brain shrink.

Here you can read more about this, if you are interested:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3269810/

This looks really interesting, I will read it when I have some more time. Thank you for sharing. :)

 

[Roberto]

So basically, the title. For the past couple of months as my depression intensifies I feel myself become dumber and dumber by the day. I always forget stuff, I have hard time concentrating on my work, my hobbies, etc. Needless to say that doesn't affect my desire to keep living and struggling in a good way.
What is your opinion/experience on the matter?

I've heard that depression can lower the IQ by 30%

 

[Deleted member 1465]

In a certain way, yes. I am a person with lots of talents and intelligence. However, because of my illness I cannot use all my capability, it remains "on paper", unused, and all my opportunities dissipate inevitably. I hope I will be able to finish and translate my book before CTB at least, but my state leaves much to be desired.

That's it! That's me too. I feel cleverer, but I feel much less capable. Its like being given the most profound skill and not being allowed to use it.

 

[TAW122]

Sometimes I do, but mostly I feel like I'm just not functional or have difficulty focusing and/or being productive (in just about anything). There is also a weird sense of calm because I've knowingly resigned myself to knowing that everything sucks and things don't always get better, the world sucks and I can't do shit about it, etc.

 

[Worthless loser]

I've been going through this for 12 years - imagine how stupid one gets after that much time. If I'm still around 5 years from now I'll be a slobbering mess who is incapable of basic interactions.

 

[the_inbetween]

Yes, every passing year.

 

[BabyYoda]

Ye
I even cant concentrate on shit

 

[maka]

Yes. I went from straight As to barely pulling Cs. I cant bring myself to get out of bed and study anymore. My memory is getting worse but I'm pretty sure it's always been bad. My motivation is nonexistent. It sucks.

 

[Largeletters]

I can't do laundry anymore, I haven't done it in 2 or 3 weeks. I can't concentrate on 5 minute long videos. I can't study for assessments.

Yes. I went from straight As to barely pulling Cs. I cant bring myself to get out of bed and study anymore. My memory is getting worse but I'm pretty sure it's always been bad. My motivation is nonexistent. It sucks.

I understand this 1000%.

 

[depressoandstresso]

Yup, I feel this too. Sucks that this makes things harder as time goes on, almost as if we aren't meant to escape it, and maybe we aren't. I know that it's definitely affected me negatively, the only reason im continuing is so I can get good grades. Needless to say, my deterioratiing brain functions aren't making it easier.

 

[Carrotcake]

Definitely. Can feel a brain cell dying every day.

 

[Serio]

Yes absolutely because my coping mechanism is to try and not think or at least burry my thoughts best as possinle because when I think about anything I have a mental break down and then thinking about how stupid I am getting