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Mental Health Worried about cognitive decline, how do I know if something is "normal"?

G

glab

Bluelighter
Joined
May 3, 2015
Messages
182
I have been living under huge stress and worries for many years now.
I often have brain fog, restlessness and feel unable to concentrate. I have also been tested positive for ADD but ritalin doesn't help and I'm not sure yet
wether dexedrine helps and if yes how much it helps.
I only know that the ADHD tests revealed that my short term memory was not according to my age (33) and that I also made too many mistakes at the concentration
tests which were done on a computer.

However what I have been noticing for a while is that I have become really slow at doing calculations in my head.
I can't say if this is normal. How do I know if I should be worried?
I also feel as if under stress my mind turns blank.

If I for example had to do something like counting backwards in steps of 9 starting from 140 then I would have a very hard time with this
and these are the typical tests which neurologists do to find out if you have dementia.
Now what does it mean when I know that I would probably suck at such a test?

If I go to a neurologist with this concern he probably runs an EEG and that's it but this doesn't really help me very much.
 
Sounds like a response to high levels of stress, difficulty concentrating can be the most frustrating side effect of frustration heh.. You're more than likely alright though, it's very normal to expierence these things under high levels of stress. Maybe talk to a pyschiatrist about your stress & getting a benzo prescribed? Of course there are healthier ways to lower stress but yahknow..
 
If "dementia" is not being able to count backwards from 140 (steps of 9 or not) I think there are a lot of people who have it and don't know it.

Math brain goes away if you don't use it. If you're happy and getting by in life, don't stress about it.
 
I have the same concerns and could have written the OP. I'm only 27 though. I have always been susceptible to stress all my life, but more so from 22 until now. I have made mistakes in my life and not done the right things and I paid for it with stress. I have always been a worry wort. Im trying to change this, and improve my outlook. I think years of stress/anxiety(then depression) has worn away my hippocampus. If you read "Why a zebra doesnt get ulcers" you will see that the leading neuroscientists confirm this. This is no test yet however. I'm going to try my best to fix it, starting with sleep hygiene, nutrition and exercise. I will then try to grow it back, but no one knows if its possible yet.

My mind feels scattered and number and unable to retrieve information like it used to nor can it store it. I used to be an electronic engineer back in university. Get onto me brother.
P.s My head also turns to mush when under pressure. I have trouble with all sorts of cognitive function. It all started with stress. I can remember when my mind started to go. I even quit a great job because I simply couldn't perform nor could I sleep.
 
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check out lumosity.com or mybraintrainer.com and try it for a while and see how you score
 
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