BRAIN FOG - Disorganized Thought Process

[Jauge]

Hello! I have ADHD and lately I have major BRAIN FOG. It is like I am on automatic pilot and not thinking. It is more than just the usual quick "spacing out". Can't think straight often which leads to not speaking correctly (so I think). Anyone feeling the same way ???

[MazurkaMo]

In the morning I can barely put a sentence together!

[Gabesmom594]

I totally get what your saying. I experience that quite frquently and sometimes it's worse than others. I wish I had some advice for you.

[silentsiren]

I feel that way often throughout the day. Sometimes it almost feels like I'm experiencing some sort of cognitive decline. I worry a lot about how others see it.

[silentsiren]

Do you sleep well? I know I don't get near the amount of sleep I need.

[SPEDteacherwithADD in reply to silentsiren]

I have the same problem with sleep. I am not a morning person by nature and sometimes I get a second wind at night. I have a very poor sense of time too. I end up staying up later than I should-especially if I get fixated on something.

[silentsiren in reply to SPEDteacherwithADD]

Oh yes this is me as well. "Second wind at night" is such a great way to put it. Although it feels like a first wind for me. It's like a drag around zombie-like until around 3ish and then I have the energy to complete tasks. Before I know it, sun has set. It sucks. Hard to get out of that mode.

[Work-In-Progress]

Before I was diagnosed and medicated I used to drink a pot or two of coffee. Even with Vyvanse, I still need a couple of cups of coffee in the morning to be able to communicate properly ("properly " means not speaking in sentence fragments or engaging with others in chain thoughts).

The problem with caffeine is that it creates brings out compulsive ticks - at least in me. I have totally destroyed my nail bed of my thumbs from chewing on my fingernails. Some people develop hair picking, etc.

However, being alert and financially stable is worth ugly thumbs! Plus, ADHD gives you a distinct advantage over others. The power of "hyper-focus." If you're focused you will delve deeper into researching something than your peers. You will be an asset-not a nuisance. I find its best to do paperwork and clerical stuff first thing in the morning while you're still waking up. Try not to engage with anyone before 10 AM.

[SPEDteacherwithADD in reply to Work-In-Progress]

I have also noticed hyper focus when I am focused on something. Does your hyper focus ever turn into fixation? With me, I get so focused on something that I can lose track of time and spend more time on less important tasks to the detriment of more important ones.

[Ashfaren in reply to SPEDteacherwithADD]

yes, always the case wid me.

[ADDTXN]

Same here, it’s frustrating because I feel people see me as being dumb or something because I can’t put the sentences or my thoughts together. I’m on Vyvanse and use Zenzedi on a booster in certain days.

[Jauge in reply to ADDTXN]

Does the Vyvanse makes the brain fog go away?

[Jauge]

Do any of you see any correlation with stress? Or lack of motivation? Just trying to see what could make it worse.

[Southernrn in reply to Jauge]

I know the past week I’ve been under a lot of stress with my graduate program and I will be mid-sentence and then completely forget what I want to say or not come up with the right word. Then I usually go off on some random tangent of thought. It’s gotten to the point where I can’t even write a paper on my meds because I become so focused on trying to remember what words I was going to use that I barely finish the paper on time if at all. So stress can definitely make it worse.

[SPEDteacherwithADD]

That happens to me every once in a while. It's like I hear myself speaking, but what I wanted to say comes out different than what I was thinking. Since I'm a teacher, I have to be careful and think things through before I speak. The most frustrating thing for me with brain fog is when I am teaching math. I teach math at the primary level, but I have to work hard to maintain focus and explain things well.

Years ago there were anti drug commercials comparing a person's brain on drugs to fried eggs in a pan. When I think of brain fog it seems to me like Add could be compared to scrambled eggs. I usually refer to brain fog (to the people I'm closest to) to scrambled eggs brain). I am blessed with a very understanding family and this school year I am blessed with exceptional Special Education Classroom Assistants.

[Jauge]

Does anybody have any strategies or anything medical or natural that helps?

[StoneJeweler]

Are you on any supplements? medications? Age? How do you sleep? In order to help you I need more information. I experienced that before, my doctor wanted to put me on prozac for my depression.About a year laterI thought I was better until an aquaintence told me" I was acting like I was on drugs." When I thought about that I realized I was going along with life in a fog. So I stopped taking them and I slowly came back to reality. Thank God that's the last thing I wanted. In my twenties an thirties I was given many drugs that the doc thought would help. Within a few days I always stopped them because I felt like I was losing myself and I was feeling like I was drugged up. Prozac was different it started slowly and I didn't notice that until I was told I looked and acted like I was drugged. I hate those drugs that make you feel like zombies.

There are so many reasons you could feel like you are in a fog.

[Jauge in reply to StoneJeweler]

Not taking any medication. This has been going on for 1 year. I believe I could be stress as I keep on worrying that I need to figure out the issue.

[MadaEroom]

I have experienced brain fog on many occasions. Before I was medicated for my adhd I got it a lot. I ended up changing my diet and now eat low carb and low sugar. It turns out my body is extremely sensitive to sugars. Once I switched my energy reserves from carbs and sugars to fat things evened out for me. My brain fog lessened and I felt more cognitive ability as I felt I should have. If I eat a sugary dessert the next morning I will essentially have a sugar hang over. I know this is now my body works and yours may vary greatly.

I now take 30mg of Vyvanse daily and still experience a different type of brain fog/cognitive issue in the morning. I’ve never been particularly with it in the mornings but my wife notices before breakfast I am often not able to answer complex questions in ways that aren’t fragmented. It’s frustrating but once I’ve had a decent breakfast I tend to be clearer headed. This fog is absolutely different than the first one I described. The sugar fog was like a large wet blanket laying on my memory. The fog now is more like I just can’t find the correct words even though they are words I use often and are in my vocabulary. Not sure if it’s the meds or sleep pattern or both.

[Ashfaren]

Remember alongside ADHD, it can also come from anxiety. I get brain fog more when i am anxious.

[Jauge in reply to Ashfaren]

Yes. I believe being stress and/or worrying too much is the main cause. Just need to see the pattern.