Mental Health Mental Clarity

[anti150]

I would like to know if any other Bluelighters out there have tips/tricks to help myself think clearer. I am definitely losing my mental sharpness and its a horrific feeling. How can I lose this "cloudy" feeling?
Thank you

 

[AlphaMethylPhenyl]

I used to be into maximizing my cognition. Now it is less so, because I feel that I at least partially proved myself to my family, but I'm gearing up for school soon.

That feeling didn't appear overnight. What caused it? If you tell us, we'l have a clearer idea of what may be going on, as much as help through the internet can provide.

Here's a short list that I brainstormed:

-Exercise
-Meditation
-Reading
-Eating Healthfully
-Learning Another Language
-Learning an Instrument
-Playing Cognitive-Based Video Games
-Playing Scrabble/Chess
-Writing
-A Bit of Coffee
-Some Fish Oil

 

[ShadowedLight]

I'd also get your magnesium levels checked as it helps loads with cognition

 

[herbavore]

There are so many factors that could be contributing to this feeling: age, life circumstances, drug use, diet, sleep habits, emotional overload/depression. One of the things that is very frustrating to me is that age (I'm 61) is definitely starting to diminish my sharpness. I can still get where I need to go mentally but it takes me longer to get there! What helps me the most is focus. I have a habit of thinking about at least 5 things at once--it's like being in a crowded party with 5 people trying to talk to me all at the same time. I need to focus on one thing and quiet the rest of my mind and then I feel much more capable and clear. Beyond specific factors like age, etc. diet is perhaps the most important. Make sure that your body, which includes your physical brain, has all the nutrients it needs to function optimally.

 

[jammin83]

I'd also get your magnesium levels checked as it helps loads with cognition

My understanding is that checking your blood levels isn't going to say much. If you are low in your blood you are in trouble because it pulls from everywhere else in your body to keep those levels up because you can actually die. People can be deficient in spite of testing. It's never a bad idea though to supplement with magnesium. Use the citrate not the oxide but there are other good forms too. Sublingual b12 (5000 mcg) should give you a boost too. I have heard that the normal range for b12 is on the low end too, meaning you could be deficient when the test says normal. You can also get b12 shots from a doc. B12 is water soluble so you can take quite a bit of it too without ill effects.

 

[-=SS=-]

Two components to this essentially. One is physiological, the other is psychological.

Physiological: Your brain has chemical input requirements for optimal functioning.. mineral levels in the diet for example. But also other body functions can negatively impact it, again though diet choice, but also stress etc. Sleep. Exercise. There's many factors. A really important one is the 'brain juice' levels.. serotonin.. dopamine.. mainly. If you're overloading the engine by putting drugs though it, not getting enough quality sleep, over indulging in sexual outlets (a big one!), you'll send the levels off from optimal functioning. There's many other factors too. Google around.

Psychological: Stress and 'stuff on your mind' will cloud your thinking.. having an endless list of things you need to get done will clog up the computer, so don't procrastinate on anything.. if the dishes need doing just fucken do em! Otherwise it will sit in the back of your mind and take up processing power. You might not think it does, but it does. The brain and mind can be exercised like a muscle.. if you're working in a factory all day just pulling levers then you need to give yourself extra nourishment. The brain and mind are designed to continually grow.. continually. Meditate. Write. Draw. Play music. Talk to people beyond the situations you normally would. Get the brain energized again. That will pull some focus back.

I was cloudy for a long time until I gave up cannabis. Now I'm sharp again. And I value that way more than getting high now

 

[anti150]

Thanks for all the replys!
Thats one thing i totally overlooked, eating. For some reason I dont know, (maybe stress, maybe I have developed a disorder) im finding it harder and harder to eat every day. Im only 17, but im 5'9 and only weigh like 125lbs. Im not anorexic, i know im skinny, i always have been. I would love to put on some weight but lately ive been having to 'force' myself to eat. I excersize almost daily as i am a martial artist, but i know my not eating has gotten to a dangerous level. I almosed passed out at practice today because i didnt eat beforehand. I just get a sick feeling every time i try to take a bite of anything. Thats probably cause of my mental slowness feeling also.
Thanks guys

 

[Chatative]

As herbavore said there could be any numerous amount of reasons behind you losing your mental clarity. It seems to me from what you've said that you get sufficient exercise which is good but that you aren't eating enough especially considering the extra calorie expenditure you have from your martial arts. This could well have effects on your metal wellbeing. My advice would be to try & make sure you eat healthily including getting plenty of healthy fats in your diet. Fats are quite important for the proper function of your hormones, which I would hazard an educated guess could well affect cognitive function.

Some questions... are you sleeping well at night? Do you have any mental health problems? Both of these things can certainly have impacts on how clearly we are able to think.

As an aside, I'm 5'8" & when I was around 17 I only weighed 118lbs. I had always been very skinny but I had a good appetite despite technically being underweight. I'd imagine you have a fast metabolism like myself & that you probably lose weight easily. If you are exercising a lot & not eating enough that might be keeping your weight down. Just try to eat healthily like I said & I'm sure given time you'll put on some weight. I personally got up to 130lbs by the time I was 22.