Discussion does depression permanently diminish intelligence

[endofeverything]

i'd love to know if anyone else has had this type of experience, or knows anything about whether depression degrades your brain and your thinking skills, in a permanent way.

i used to be quite smart, graduating as top 3 best of my grade, never had trouble learning something new and basically never forgot things. people had high hopes that i would go to university. i had a strong imagination and could visibly picture things in my mind.

these days, i have to write lists just to remember the five items i want to buy at the grocery store. i would probably not pass a single semester of uni, if i tried as hard as i can. i struggle picking new things up, everything just feels confusing and overwhelming. i can't focus on anything for long anymore. i can't picture anything in my mind either, that visual image i used to get is entirely gone. i often stumble over my own thoughts during conversations and have to talk very slowly to not confuse myself.

feels like i'm so much less capable than i used to be. there's nothing i can attribute this change to, except the fact i went through several years of depression immediately after school, during which i did basically nothing and let myself rot

 

[33-vertebrae]

How young are you? And are you being treated? You might be able to turn it around.

I'm late 30's and have memory and focus issues, brain fog, constant dissociation even when talking to people in public.

My situation is probably unique because I've been under prolonged mental stress and anxiety from a violent household + untreated depression for over a decade.

I could probably turn it around if I got meds but they have bad side effects for me.

 

[endofeverything]

How young are you? And are you being treated? You might be able to turn it around.

I'm late 30's and have memory and focus issues, brain fog, constant dissociation even when talking to people in public.

My situation is probably unique because I've been under prolonged mental stress and anxiety from a violent household + untreated depression for over a decade.

I could probably turn it around if I got meds but they have bad side effects for me.

mid 20s. im currently taking meds again, as depression is back big time, but i was actually doing fine the last two years until recently. the diminished brain function wasn't getting better during that time, despite all the new things i was doing and trying. it's actually how i noticed it in the first place. the contrast to pre-depression school days was like whiplash.

 

[loneloser]

My ability to study, learn, and retain any information has been completely fucked. I'm not sure if it's the same for others, but I just can't remember things like I used to anymore.

 

[Hollowman]

My ability to study, learn, and retain any information has been completely fucked. I'm not sure if it's the same for others, but I just can't remember things like I used to anymore.

Same here, and OP the lack of imagination thing is called aphantasia. I have it too.

 

[endofeverything]

Same here, and OP the lack of imagination thing is called aphantasia. I have it too.

i've heard of it. i've been trying through creative tasks like art, reading etc. to train my brain into visually imagining things again, but it doesn't seem to work. it's just gone forever.

 

[fallingtopieces]

Depression certainly can affect memory, focus and concentration; can cause brain fog. I don't believe your intelligence or ability to learn is gone, more that it is suppressed. You mentioned that after school you went through years of depression and mostly didn't do anything, and let yourself rot. That broke you away from all your life routines, physical and mental, and all the regular connections the neurons in your brain were regularly making. You will recover and keep doing things like art and reading. Do you exercise regularly? That may also help. Hope you keep working on getting better.

 

[endofeverything]

Do you exercise regularly? That may also help.

i used to regularly until four months ago when symptoms got too bad to keep going. so far i haven't managed to get back into it.

 

[MercenariesofMidgar]

Honestly whatever pushes me to that point of no return the better. I know my brain will never be the same. My normal will never be what once was normal.

 

[Hollowman]

i've heard of it. i've been trying through creative tasks like art, reading etc. to train my brain into visually imagining things again, but it doesn't seem to work. it's just gone forever.

I heard of a guy who claims he's reversed his aphantasia. I don't have a link but if you get on YouTube it shouldn't be hard to find.

 

[oneeyed]

Don't quote me on this but I don't think depression directly affects intelligence but rather the other other symptoms that come with depression such as anxiety and stress which themselves lead to high blood pressure and other symptoms. Add all this together and you get brain fog, attention deficit, diminished confidence and motivation. The high blood pressure could lead to stroke. I think we are also more susceptible to getting dementia too.

 

[endofeverything]

Don't quote me on this but I don't think depression directly affects intelligence
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I think we are also more susceptible to getting dementia too.

dont quote me on this either hhahah, but isn't dementia just an umbrella term for your brain degrading to a point where you cannot do basic tasks anymore? maybe dementia is increased in depression patients precisely *because* it degrades the brain permanently and lowers intelligence over time. just a thought, i obviously know jack shit about neurology like that

 

[longtime_lurker_123]

Depression affect my memory badly. i used to have an devent memory. severe depression destroyed it. now i have to write a lot of stuff down or i'll forget it in a few weeks. i used to never take notes on anything now i have to. at the height of my depression, i'd park my car in the uni parking lot in the morning, when i came out i had completely forgotten where it was. i began parking far back in the same spot every day just so i wouldn't lose it.