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Have I fried my brain

C

catching fish

Bluelighter
Joined
Jun 23, 2011
Messages
280
I just turned 22 and I am a recovering binge drinker. I used to drink pretty hard every weekend for 3 years straight. One morning about 8 months ago I woke up hungover as fuck and felt my brain had changed. It hasn't improved much since all those months ago, and I am fearing I have permanent brain damage. I can't think straight, remember anything, I have no imagination or creativity and I'm always in a total fog. I had an MRI to see if there was anything notable, but the scans came normal. I assume MRIs can't pick up damage like this then. My doctor, neurologist, and Shrink think it's long term stress. Am I fried or is there still hope. It's been a long time since I felt normal or happy. So long i've actually forgotten what those are.

If anyone wants to throw their 2 cents to a guy who is in a place worse than hell then they can.

Thanks guys.
 
Alchohol is a demon of a drug IMO.. what ur going thru will pass in time. If you had said ud been drinking hard for the last 5 years everyday then id have somewhat more of a degree of concern and maybe suggest detox or something, But uv clearly realised that its fucked with you some and are taking steps to prevent this (im assuming) thats the best thing @ least you realise.
Im not a doctor, but id say with confidence that ul come good, I had quite a nasty drinking habit, still drink a little and have to take benzos...Thats a fucking brainfry, but once ur off and over the worst of it, the mind clears immensly without the presence of alchohol.
Hopeing that things come good for you sooner rather than later but keep in mind it can take time, Even with just alchohol:\
 
Do you go to AA? You would meet other recovering alcoholics (and it sounds like you were an alcoholic--plenty
of binge drinkers are in AA) that you could speak to about their physical symptoms early in recovery.
 
There is definitely still hope. If you're able to get sober, and stay such for a long time, your brain will almost certainly recover. People have bounced back from injuries that people had thought would leave them vegetative. The brain is incredibly adaptive, and in time if it is allowed to recover in a sober state it will be able to do so.

There's hope; plenty of it. You know what needs to happen first though.
 
Have you given up drinking? If not you should asap with the help of a doctor of course. I can relate to what you said because when i quit drinking it took me a good year to get back to feeling normal. Even when most of the symptoms went away i still had to go on meds for anxiety which have helped alot.

I used to have anxiety induced depersonalization and brain fog so bad that it felt like i was in a cloud all day. Nothing seemed real and i thought i was loosing my mind. But once the anxiety went away all the symptoms disappeared. I didn't even know my anxiety was as bad as it was until it went away.
 
Dave said:
There is definitely still hope. If you're able to get sober, and stay such for a long time, your brain will almost certainly recover. People have bounced back from injuries that people had thought would leave them vegetative. The brain is incredibly adaptive, and in time if it is allowed to recover in a sober state it will be able to do so.

There's hope; plenty of it. You know what needs to happen first though.
Click to expand...

Agree 100%.
 
^ Me too. There is definitely hope. The brain is amazingly adaptive and especially if it is long term stress, it is certainly something that you can recover from. Try to be gentle and patient with yourself - I know it is scary because you don't know if you will get better, so you want to see some improvement now, but these things really do take time. It sounds like you are being well looked after if you are under the care of a neurologist and a psychiatrist - do you have a good relationship with them? What do they think about this?

Do you have people you can talk to about this - good friends, family members? Or as Missykins said, other people who have had alcohol problems and may have had similar symptoms to you?

Of course, please keep talking to us too! There is always hope <3
 
Depression can also cause the brain fog you're describing, if that's an issue. The fog usually goes away when the depression lifts.
 
Hi guys. Thanks for the posts. I am constantly in two minds about what is causing this relentless, numbing fog. Sometimes I think I'm just fried from alcohol and that's why I can't think, solve problems, rationalise, or remember anything. Other times I think it is my mental problems (depression, anxiety, pent up emotional pain). But then I ask myself is it possible for mental issue like those I listed above to cause such a fucked up state of mind that hasn't lifted for almost a year.

I know I have to quit drinking. I quit for a while but stupidly started again. I don't drink much now but it still messes with my head. Last night I had 2 beers and I woke up so out of it like a zombie. Didn't know where I was or what day it was or anything. I thought I had to go to work even though I'm on holidays. That shit always happens to me even if I just have 2 or 3 drinks. Even in my dreams I'm mentally handicapped and can't communicate with people.

2011 has been the shittest year of my life. I'm in such a fog I can't remember who I used to be. It's like my past has dissapeared and I'm just this fried guy drifting through every day not having a fucking clue what is going on around me or in my own head. I don't think I have a mental dialogue anymore either. And I don't truely believe anything I say. It's like it doesn't come from within me. I'm very lost and confused and I don't hold any hope for the future.

Sorry this turned into a bit of a rant. I really appreciate all your posts. I'll reply to them soon I'm just too out of it at the moment to think.
 
catching fish said:
Hi guys. Thanks for the posts. I am constantly in two minds about what is causing this relentless, numbing fog. Sometimes I think I'm just fried from alcohol and that's why I can't think, solve problems, rationalise, or remember anything. Other times I think it is my mental problems (depression, anxiety, pent up emotional pain). But then I ask myself is it possible for mental issue like those I listed above to cause such a fucked up state of mind that hasn't lifted for almost a year.

I know I have to quit drinking. I quit for a while but stupidly started again. I don't drink much now but it still messes with my head. Last night I had 2 beers and I woke up so out of it like a zombie. Didn't know where I was or what day it was or anything. I thought I had to go to work even though I'm on holidays. That shit always happens to me even if I just have 2 or 3 drinks. Even in my dreams I'm mentally handicapped and can't communicate with people.

2011 has been the shittest year of my life. I'm in such a fog I can't remember who I used to be. It's like my past has dissapeared and I'm just this fried guy drifting through every day not having a fucking clue what is going on around me or in my own head. I don't think I have a mental dialogue anymore either. And I don't truely believe anything I say. It's like it doesn't come from within me. I'm very lost and confused and I don't hold any hope for the future.

Sorry this turned into a bit of a rant. I really appreciate all your posts. I'll reply to them soon I'm just too out of it at the moment to think.
Click to expand...

I think you've answered your own question.
 
try choline piracetam combo it aids after alcohool foggienes to the point complete cure also prevents brain damage from alcohool
 
Or even just phosphatidyl choline. *Cetams have complicated dosing regimens, including required holidays, and are not necessarily a permanent response. Get to baseline first, via sobriety and healthy living, and then maybe see about boosting stuff.
 
ive experienced brain fog from drinking heavily, minor w/d, anxiety etc, it should pass eventually. sharpen you're self up with some Piracetam, omega 3, ginkgo, may makes some different to thought clarity etc. also MXE afterglows may help, they can help you feel sharp and focused. it also works as a mild anti-depressant and all kinds of things, worth a look for definite.
 
Dave said:
Or even just phosphatidyl choline. *Cetams have complicated dosing regimens, including required holidays, and are not necessarily a permanent response. Get to baseline first, via sobriety and healthy living, and then maybe see about boosting stuff.
Click to expand...

I'm scared that this is my new baseline. I'm fucked if it is. I also take piracetam and notice mild effects. I also started lovan 2 months ago and it is helping very slightly. I think I need to up my dose.
 
It likely isn't. Sober first, then a few months at least of healthy living, and then you can try to assess if this is baseline for you. The more you add into the mix now, the harder it will be to figure out what 'normal' is.
 
catching fish said:
Hi guys. Thanks for the posts. I am constantly in two minds about what is causing this relentless, numbing fog. Sometimes I think I'm just fried from alcohol and that's why I can't think, solve problems, rationalise, or remember anything. Other times I think it is my mental problems (depression, anxiety, pent up emotional pain). But then I ask myself is it possible for mental issue like those I listed above to cause such a fucked up state of mind that hasn't lifted for almost a year.

I know I have to quit drinking. I quit for a while but stupidly started again. I don't drink much now but it still messes with my head. Last night I had 2 beers and I woke up so out of it like a zombie. Didn't know where I was or what day it was or anything. I thought I had to go to work even though I'm on holidays. That shit always happens to me even if I just have 2 or 3 drinks. Even in my dreams I'm mentally handicapped and can't communicate with people.

2011 has been the shittest year of my life. I'm in such a fog I can't remember who I used to be. It's like my past has dissapeared and I'm just this fried guy drifting through every day not having a fucking clue what is going on around me or in my own head. I don't think I have a mental dialogue anymore either. And I don't truely believe anything I say. It's like it doesn't come from within me. I'm very lost and confused and I don't hold any hope for the future.

Sorry this turned into a bit of a rant. I really appreciate all your posts. I'll reply to them soon I'm just too out of it at the moment to think.
Click to expand...


You could have some bad anxiety and or depression also if u are having pain it could be fibormyalgia stuff like that can fuck with the chemistry of the brain and make every thing blow up and go weird if u get pain it might be fibormyalgia i use to and still do have the "brain fog" but gaba drugs has helped
 
You have to quit drinking before you can expect any kind of improvement at all. Alcohol fucks with your brain in more ways then most drugs do so naturally abusing it over long periods of time is going to leave your brain feeling fucked. Id say get sober with the help of a doctor if you need to (if your physically addicted or feel like your losing it then your addicted enough to see a doctor in my opinion) and just go from there. It's hard to judge how your going to feel at all when your sober until you have been off alcohol for awile. Staying off for only a few days or even a few weeks doesn't bring your brain around to normal. It was months before i started to feel ok again.
 
I'm going for a sober 2012. Quitting everything, cigarettes, booze and weed. I just want my old self back but I think I'm so far gone there's no chance. I'll probably never be sharp and smart and creative and energetic again. Fuck my past decisions!!!!!!!! If I don't get better and this is my new baseline then my life is over at 22. That doesn't feel good.
 
I'm a pot head for this exact reason .

I hardly ever get drunk but when I do , the next day I feel awful . Not just physically but mentally too .
I feel my vocab is significantly less , I can't remember shit and much much more . I definitley always realize im significantly dumber .
I do recover after a day or two though. But for someone who drinks as much as you it may take a lot longer

Just try to not drink for a while . Or switch to weed or something if you must .
Also try notropics and eat as healthy as possible .
Excersise also helps if you can find the motivation to do some .
 
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