[BLOG POST] 7 Most Embarrassing Depression Symptoms

• by Sherri Carrier

Suffering from depression seems like a constant and unending struggle. Most of the time, this dangerous mental health condition has embarrassing or unwanted symptoms that you have to live with.

Apart from feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, emptiness, and worthlessness, you may start smelling awful because you haven’t taken a shower for a couple of days, or you don’t have the strength to get out of bed in the morning.

And this makes people think that you are lazy.

Most of the people around you might not notice these outward signs of depression because they are unaware of issues related to mental health problems.

As a result, they might end up labeling you unkindly.

Having worked at a psychiatrist’s office, I’ve heard numerous patients opening up about their embarrassing behaviors, symptoms, and traits of depression. If you are struggling with depression, it’s highly likely that you’ve experienced these issues.

You are not alone.

Knowing The Difference Between Feeling Sad and Having Depression

Most Embarrassing Symptoms

1 Gaining weight

For a number of people, weight gain is one of the most embarrassing symptoms of depression. According to the American Journal of Public Health, increased body mass index has been linked to suicidal thoughts among women. According to CDC, 43 percent of people with depression suffer from obesity. Also, depressed adults are at a higher risk of obesity. What’s the link?

Depressed individuals view eating as a way to fill the emptiness they feel inside. And the extra weight makes them feel awful about themselves. Some don’t want their family members and friends to see them because they are worried about being judged. Antidepressants should not be used to treat clinical depression as this might backfire and lead to serious side effects such as weight gain. It’s important for individuals to look for natural ways to promote health and wellbeing while maintain a healthy weight.

2 Not showering

If you are depressed, you might have a hard time taking a shower or bathing every day. You might prefer to stay indoors in your pajamas, especially if you are a remote worker. You’ll also find yourself skipping shaving or washing your hair. And this will make you look untidy.

3 Sexual dysfunction

One of the most common effects of depression among men and women is sexual dysfunction. Prescribing antidepressants to such patients can ruin their sex life. You’ll have low or no sex drive. And it will take longer than usual to achieve an orgasm, if you can climax at all. Depression has been linked to erectile dysfunction, which can be a source of embarrassment among men. Bedroom problems can make individuals feel inadequate.   

4 Brain fog

Do you find yourself forgetting what you promised your loved ones a few minutes or hours ago? Do you have trouble engaging and following conversations on EssayWritingLab? Do you find yourself confused most of the time? Brain fog is one of the biggest complaints among people suffering from depression. For some people, brain fog is quite embarrassing because they fear they might say the wrong things.

5 Snapping at your kids

Irritability and anger are subtle symptoms of depression. Research studies have shown that depressed people experience moments of anger. Most patients lose their temper and have a tendency of slamming the door, yelling and throwing things. They snap at their kids or their loved ones publicly and then feel ashamed.

6 Lack of dental hygiene

Depressed individuals can go for a long time without brushing their teeth. And this can be embarrassing. Since their gums pay the price, most of them smile less or, worse, don’t smile at all. When it gets so bad, depressed individuals give up on self-care entirely. Lack of dental hygiene not only allows bacteria to take over but also leads to the loss of teeth, which can be quite expensive to fix.

7 Inability to work full-time

The inability to stay focused and achieve the expected results can be one of the most embarrassing symptoms of depression.

This might start by showing up late to work or failing to attend key meetings. Depression can harm your ability to be creative and productive in the workplace. When they get promoted, individuals suffering from depression will have a hard time concentrating on the most important tasks, and they’ll miss their deadlines most of the time. Everything in the workplace can be exhausting. And this can lead to demotions and embarrassment in the workplace.

These Home Habits Helped Me Manage Severe Depression Symptoms

Coping with depression

Coping with depression and its symptoms can be overwhelming. It is especially difficult if you are struggling with feelings of shame, embarrassment, or guilt. No matter the cause, there are certain things that you can do to reduce embarrassment.

Know that people understand

Depression is a common mental condition that is affecting millions of people across the world. The high rate of depression means that people are going through similar experiences. We all experience depression differently. However, people will recognize how you are feeling and empathize with you. You might feel isolated when you are depressed. But it’s important to keep in mind that you are not alone.

Analyze your beliefs about depression

Nowadays, there’s a great deal of stigma surrounding anxiety, depression, and other mental issues. One of the best ways to eliminate feelings of embarrassment about your condition is by reconsidering your beliefs about mental health issues. Learning more about mental health conditions will open your eyes and help you discover some of the best treatments for this disorder.

Talk to someone

It’s quite difficult to open your heart and share with someone how you are feeling. It’s a sensitive issue that most people prefer keeping private. However, you don’t have to keep it a secret. It’s important for you to have a social support system that will protect you against various symptoms of depression. If you want to talk to someone, you should consider reaching out to a trained counselor who will offer you advice and accelerate your recovery process.

Conclusion

 To break the shame and stigma that comes with this health condition known as depression, we need to open up about these embarrassing symptoms.

Feeling guilty and embarrassed about your mental state is not uncommon. While it will take time, remind yourself that your thoughts and emotions are valid. Also, seek professional treatment whenever you can.

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Author Bio:

Sherri Carrier is a professional writer at dissertation writing service and a member of several writing clubs in New York. She has been writing her own poems since she was a child. The young author gets inspiration from her favorite writers and people whom she loves.

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[Infographic] BRAIN FOG

[BLOG POST] Turning Brain Fog Into Boosted Brain Function

Flipping the script to aid in recovery

in Brain Fog, Brain Function, Functional Neurology

By Dr. Tatiana Habanova, DC, DACNB

For many, especially those with a brain injury, brain fog is like that uninvited guest who makes themselves way too comfortable at the dinner table. And once settled in, getting rid of them can be very difficult. Brain fog begins to take over the way you feel, how you think, and slowly separates you from the very fabric you called your life. By altering your cognitive functions like focus, attention, concentration, information processing speed, and initiation, you are eventually at the mercy of its subtle, but consistent influence and begin unconsciously adjusting your life to accommodate this unwanted guest, all the while not realizing your very essence is slowly slipping away.

Brain fog shows up differently in everyone. Just like snowflakes, no two are alike. For some, brain fog is transitory and mild. It comes and goes. For example, if one had one too many drinks the night before and woke up “hung over,” that’s the effect of brain fog. With adequate rest, hydration and time, the feeling of a fuzzy brain goes away. The same holds true for gluten, dairy, and other potential food items one has become “sensitive” to. Once the system is exposed to a trigger (i.e.: toxin or food item), a metabolic cascade occurs, leaving one feeling as if their head is in the clouds.

For others, brain fog is more a constant experience of haze ranging from mild to severe. It just always seems to be there. In addition to the cognitive symptoms, one can also have memory issues, light and sound sensitivity, blurry vision and eye strain, and vestibular symptoms, just to name a few. Essentially, this type of brain fog is due to the neurons (brain cells) being less stable/fit to function at the capacity they are being asked to do. For example, if one is reading, the brain must control both eyes to move in exactly the same speed, the same distance along the page, and in a coordinated fashion so accurate eye movements occur, and one does not experience blurry vision. If the nerves that control the eye muscles are unable to perform at peak state, then errors with smooth coordinated eye movements cause one to become tired (brain-based fatigue), as well as experience difficulty with reading, short term memory, and spatial awareness.

Now, let’s get to the root cause of neurologically-based brain fog.

In order for neurons to work efficiently, they need three essential nutrients. Often, this is referred to as the three Neuro Necessities. First, each neuron requires a constant supply of oxygen. The brain utilizes up to 20% of the oxygen carried in the blood and 50% when thinking hard, being creative, or under stress. Shallow breathing with minimal rib cage expansion is an indicator the quality of breath is less than ideal. To demonstrate the power of breath, take a few deep, slow, prolonged breaths in and out, and then notice if you suddenly become more alert and aware.

Second, a constant source of fuel, preferably in the form of fats and carbohydrates, is required as the brain never stops working (even when you are sleeping). Many people, unknowingly, create the effects of brain fog by not eating a balanced healthy diet, skipping meals, or ignoring underlying sugar handling issues (i.e.: insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, etc.), which hinders the availability of glucose to brain cells.

Lastly, each neuron requires appropriate stimulation (not too much and not too little — I call this the “Golidlocks Rule”). This is essential for neurological pathways to be maintained and kept viable, just like a well-walked path doesn’t allow the weeds to grow on it. When the demand placed on the neuron is greater than it can cope with, the neuron begins to undergo a slow neurodegenerative process, which leads to a slow spiraling decline in cognitive functions.

An important note: Multiple brain fog-producing mechanisms can be occurring simultaneously to create a chronic state that waxes and wanes. For example, someone can have a food intolerance (i.e.: gluten, dairy, soy) which produces an inflammatory event, which affects brain cell function, plus they may not have enough or too much neurological stimulation to a pathway causing it to undergo transneuronal degeneration (TND).

By understanding the various mechanisms that produce brain fog, assembling a plan of action to turn brain fog into boosted brain function is easier. Focusing on the three Neuro Necessities is the foundational step for this process. Working with a trained professional who can properly assess brain function, and then create a care plan that can be properly executed is extremely valuable in overcoming brain fog.

Dr. Habanova is the host of Brain Health Savvy, a weekly podcast that inspires listeners through real conversations on all things pertaining to women’s brain health. She transforms women in simple, yet real ways. Her sass, wit, and straight-from-the-hip style on women’s brain health and empowerment encourages women to seek their true potential, to be fierce and unapologetic while leading from authenticity, and to embracechange as they buck societal norms in favor of better brain health.
www.drhabanova.com

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[BLOG POST] Sound the Foghorn

I realised very quickly following encephalitis and acquired brain injury that cognition encompass of many aspects such as memory, concentration, attention, processing speed, problem solving, thinking processes and of how a brain injury can easily disrupt the very fragile equilibrium under which it operates. All those aspects of cognition rarely operate as a standalone process either. They continuously bounce off each other and rely on one another for us to make sense of the life that unravels in front of our eyes every day. But what happens when brain fog creeps its way in?

At times, I literally feel the brain fog creeping in. It’s as if all aspects of cognition start to deteriorate one by one right in front of my eyes. I always find this heartbreaking. It feels awful and can often drag me down physically and mentally too.

What is Brain Fog?

Firstly, I think it’s important to mention that you don’t need to have a brain injury to experience brain fog. Brain fog can indeed be experienced by many of us. Some of the root cause of brain fog can include hormonal changes, lack of sleep, food sensitivities and depression. However, it’s also important to note that brain fog linked to brain injury slightly differs from other common causes of brain fog.

Following a brain injury, inflammation, bruising and damage can disrupt how the brain functions. In order to get from point A to B, an input may now need to go through a series of detours which can in turn slow down the transfer and processing of information. When old pathways can no longer be accessed, your brain will re-route the information either by using other existing pathways which role differ from the original ones or by creating new pathways. In either case, this tends to tire the brain quite quickly. Other times, a pathway will keep working overtime…as if there is no on/off switch. The effect of having a part of the brain working even when not required will result in the same effect which is, the brain will tire more quickly than it should. That’s often when people recovering from a brain injury will experience concentration difficulties, slow thinking, trouble remembering stuff, struggle to process information and so on. If you are or know of a person recovering from brain injury, that’s when you may have heard them use the term brain fog to describe what they are experiencing.

Commonly, people can describe it as being stuck in a think fog, as a dark cloud coming over them, feeling fuzzy, feeling as though they are there but not quite there or that their brain struggles to keep with what’s happening around them.

People recovering from brain injury rarely experience brain fog on its own. Their brain fog can be triggered by another symptom such as fatigue or a headache, but they can also occur concurrently with a range of other symptoms. These can include: memory loss, visual disturbances, depression/anxiety, dizziness, nausea, physical pain, hormonal disorders and as previously mentioned fatigue and headaches. The brain energy spent on trying to manage those other symptoms means that the energy tank drains at a much quicker rate and that the brain energy available to run the cognitive functions is now being used to try to manage other symptoms. That’s when brain fog can significantly affect a person’s cognitive functions.

Tips for brain fog

In order to help reduce brain fog when recovering from a brain injury, we really need to look at the brain fog itself, but also at the concurrent symptoms as alleviating those may help reduce the severity of the brain fog experienced. As a rule of thumb, the following areas can trigger or increase the severity of some of your symptoms so it’s worth exploring which part of your lifestyle could be tweaked:

• Sleep hygiene: Having good sleep routine (avoiding overstimulation, consistent bed time, 7-8 hours sleep, eliminating blue lights, avoiding caffeinated drinks, avoiding strenuous exercise when close to bed time, etc.)
• Nutrition: Many research claim the benefit of Mediterranean diet to reduce inflammation, so this may be something to explore. If shopping triggers some of your symptoms, you may need to think of ways in which you can tweak your shopping habits (e.g.: online shopping, off-peak shopping time, etc.)
• Exercise: Regular exercise has clear benefits on a person’s health. Exercise allows for oxygen-rich blood to reach the brain and regulate the production of chemicals that can assist healing. Remember to exercise at levels that aren’t increasing your symptoms else it is counter-productive and can have the opposite effect i.e. increase your brain fog. This may mean opting for a gentle walk one day and for a higher intensity form of exercise on a day where your symptoms allow for it.
• Medication: Some medication can help clear the brain fog temporarily, but as they wear off, they can cause you to crash. On other hand, some medication can trigger brain fog as well so if you are on medication, talk to your GP to find out how they could be a contributing factor.
• Relaxation: There are several relaxation techniques out there that can help reduce stress and consequently help calm your nervous system. Explore several of those techniques and see which ones tend to work better for you. Examples include deep breathing exercises, visualization, meditation, yoga, spending time in nature, mindfulness, listening to music or using the creative part of your brain. Once you find something that works for you, try to incorporate them in your daily routine.

You don’t have to implement these tips all at once. Doing it gradually can be a more realistic and sustainable approach. If you come out remembering one tip from this blog, please let it be not to push through your brain fog. Brain fog is likely to creep in once you’ve gone above your current limits so it’s important to stop and take five. Those limits will move in time, but by pushing through, you are likely to increase your brain injury symptoms and experience those dreadful set-backs. Stop what you are doing, take a little break, try one of your relaxing technique or have a rest. Try some of those tips and be consistent in your approach, hopefully it can translate in an improvement of your overall health.

• encephalitis survivor,
• acquired brain injury,
• Anxiety,
• Brain injury,
• depression,
• encephalitis,
• encephalitis awareness,
• encephalitis recovery,
• Fatigue Management,
• Healing,
• Brain fog,

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[Infographic] So Common after Brain Injury

[BLOG POST] Top tips for dating after receiving a traumatic brain injury – Jumbledbrain

Guest Post: Top Tips For Dating After Receiving A Traumatic Brain Injury

Brandon Leuangpaseuth is a freelance copywriter from San Diego, CA. Brandon is an avid traveler, book enthusiast and loves animals. He loves exploring new places and going on long walks on the beach. You can connect with him on LinkedIn @ bleuangpaseuth.

Today he wants to share with you his personal experience of dating after receiving a traumatic brain injury, including his top tips for how to successfully settle down with the right person.

 

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In 2015, I was hit by a car and I received a severe traumatic brain injury. A brain injury that left me without the ability to remember what I had done the day prior, constant fatigue, and the need to sleep more than usual. I have openly written and shared my journey to recovery since the incident on Jumbled Brain’s blog… From my struggles to graduating from college while dealing with the detrimental effects of my brain injury to struggling to work a full-time job (but finding a great career that worked with my TBI!) to coping with the everyday changes, my brain injury has had on my life.

Now, the next strenuous chapter I face while living with a brain injury is…dating (honestly, dating without a brain injury was already hard enough!) Dating with a brain injury opens up a slew of other obstacles that make it even more arduous. In this article, I want to spread how I learned to cope with the new obstacles my brain injury has had on my dating life.

The Importance of Communication

My doctor once told me a brain injury is only invisible to the outside world if I did not tell people about my head injury. What he meant by that other people will not know I suffer some negative effects from an unseen disability, unless I inform them of it.  It can definitely be a tough conversation to have. At first, I struggled with telling people about my brain injury because I was ashamed and I wanted nothing more than to be normal. As time passed, I’ve come to terms with my head injury.

I made it a point to tell everyone who I dated after the car accident about my brain injury. I want to let my partner know what they were getting into before they started to date me. That I do have a lingering invisible disability that would impact the relationship. I’ve had some partners that said it was not a big deal until they had to deal with some of the issues I faced when dealing with a brain injury.

I have to let them know that I can be quite forgetful and I get horrific TBI exhaustions that make me take an enormous amount of naps throughout a day. Sometimes I can’t drive for long hours or stay out too late because my body would get too fatigued and I would need to sleep.

After I communicated with my partner, they would understand that I needed a nap whenever I got brain fog.

Being honest with my partner about some of the hurdles I face and that the effects it would have on the relationship have been extremely helpful. Telling my partner ahead of time some situations where the effects of my brain injury would come into play has helped my partner understand me better.

Dealing With the Dreaded Fatigue and Brain Fog

Fatigue is the absolute biggest issue I face. Hands down it is the worst part of my brain injury. My partner would get mad at me when I would fall asleep watching a movie in every theater date we had or when I would say I could not stay out any longer because I was getting some serious brain fog. Of course, I want to spend time or being out late nights with my partner…but it is just harder with a brain injury. I would get pretty sad when I had to tell my partner that I can’t stay out late on some date nights because I was too tired.

The best solution for me was to plan ahead of time. I’m a freelance writer so I would write in the mornings and take my naps throughout the day if I had a big date that night or an outing. I would also pack some bottles of black teas to keep with me in case I needed to stay awake.

I would also make sure to use ride-sharing applications on some night outs because I know I’d be too exhausted to drive later.

I can’t stress it enough that preparation is key when you are dating with a brain injury.

Being Confident in Myself

Right after I received the brain injury, I had a lot of confidence issues. I used to pride myself on being a pretty academic and intelligent guy, but when I could not even remember what I did the day prior and I had difficulty forming cogent thoughts…I started to second guess that belief.

Thoughts of “who would date somebody with a TBI” started to pop into my head…

I felt like damaged goods.

–and my own thoughts and how I felt about myself flowed out into my dating life. People around me can sense my lack of confidence whenever I interacted with them.

If I didn’t even want to date myself, who would want to date me…

So, the first step was rebuilding some confidence in myself. I started to routinely hit the gym, cleaned up my diet and really worked on reframing how I thought about my brain injury. I realized that if someone didn’t completely accept me for who I was, a guy with a brain injury, why would I want to date that person? I had to learn how to be loved for who I was and accept all parts of me. If a girl was not interested in dating me because of my disability, then it was her loss! With this mindset, I started to be more confident with myself in my dating life.

Here’s to Dating With A Brain Injury

If you have a brain injury and you are struggling with dating, hang in there. Hopefully, my tips can make it a little bit easier to dating someone when you have a brain injury. Being honest with your partner, being prepared for dates and reframing how you think about your brain injury can go a long way.

I wish you the best of luck on your dating journey and I hope you stay safe!

via Guest post: Top tips for dating after receiving a traumatic brain injury | Jumbledbrain

[WEB SITE] 17 Apps That Can Make Life Easier With Brain Fog and Chronic Illness

If you struggle with brain fog due to chronic illness or medication, it can be difficult to keep track of all your doctor appointments, medications and symptoms – not to mention all your other responsibilities, such as work, chores or taking care of your family. Staying organized and remembering everything you put on your mental to-do list can be a challenge for anyone, but with brain fog and a chronic illness thrown into the mix, it becomes especially important to find the methods that most help you stay on top of things.

For many with chronic illness, smartphones can be a lifesaver. Many of us carry our phones everywhere we go anyway, so utilizing them as a tool to keep track of our lives and our illnesses can be extremely helpful. Most smartphones nowadays come with apps already programmed in, such as a notepad, a calendar or a voice memo recorder, which are simple, easy to use and great for jotting down important notes or dates.

However, if you struggle with brain fog and are looking for a different way to organize your notes, lists, calendar and medical information, then there are a number of other apps you may find to be extremely useful.

To help you manage your personal life, professional life, and physical and mental health, we asked our Mighty community to share which apps help them navigate their day-to-day lives despite the effects of brain fog. Here are their recommendations.

Just so you know, we’ve selected these links to make shopping easier for you. We do not receive any funds from purchases or downloads you make.

1. Habitica

Habitica is a video game that allows you to “gamify” your life by turning your daily activities and to-do lists into monsters to conquer. It can help motivate you to change your habits by giving you in-game incentives every time you complete a task. You can play on your computer or download the app for either iOS and Android.

Jess Van Meter told The Mighty, “It’s amazing. It helps me pretend my life is a video game and doing self-care, building habits and performing daily tasks actually does help me ‘level up.’ It has a built in community and reward system too.”

Sara Wilson added, “I can put as many tasks on it as I want, little or large, and it’s also a game, so I get coins whenever I complete a task! I can set up IRL [in real life] rewards for myself for earning so many coins and that helps keep me motivated. I check it several times a day and one last time before bed. I put everything on there from medications to everyday tasks to important, one-time events.”

Download Habitica for free from Apple or Google Play.

2. Medisafe

Medisafe helps you keep track of which medications you need to take and when. Each day is divided into four quadrants – morning, afternoon, evening, night – with visual representations of which pills you should be taking at which time. The app will send you reminders when it’s time to take your pills, and it also provides you with information about each medication. Physicians and pharmacists are also able to connect with patients and communicate through Medisafe.

“It has the details of all my meds and alerts me to what I need to take and when. I always forget to take anything without the app reminders! Now I only have to worry about brain fog making me forget if I actually did take the meds it told me to before I pressed the ‘take all’ button,” Amie Addison wrote.

“It reminds me to take my meds and business calendar reminds me of all my day to day stuff,” Marnie Dueck told us.

Download Medisafe for free from Apple or Google Play.

3. Daylio

Daylio is a mobile diary that lets you easily track how you’re feeling and what you’re doing. Over time, the app can help you discover patterns in your moods, behavior and activities so you can make changes to your daily routine that will help you to feel your best.

Liberty White wrote, “Great for symptom tracking and customizing. It beeps at the end of the day and I tell it how my day went. It tracks trends in my activities (or lack of activities) and helps me keep track of when I’m having a bad time.”

Download Daylio for free from Apple or Google Play.

4. Flaredown

Flaredown was made just for people with chronic illness as a way to track symptoms, record treatments and reactions, track triggers and connect with others who have similar conditions. There are also places where you can easily note other important parts of your day, such as what you ate, what the weather was like, and any activities or events that took place.

“By far my favorite app to track my various symptoms!” Bay Howe said. “Makes it much easier to discuss symptoms and illnesses when you can remember what they are and when they happen.”

Download Flaredown for free from Apple or Google Play.

5. Evernote

Evernote is a note-taking app that helps you stay organized in your personal and/or professional life. You can add notes in a variety of forms, including text, sketches, photos, audio, video, PDF and web clippings, and have everything saved in one place.

Morgan Storm Ray said, “I use Evernote. I also have memory loss so it helps with that too. It is a simple note-taking app. But it has a bunch of different ways to take notes. By voice, picture, text, etc.”

Jess N. Law added, “Evernote – for notes on anything and everything I can’t remember. I also use it to record meetings because multitasking has gotten too difficult.”

Download Evernote Basic for free from Apple or Google Play.

6. CareZone

CareZone offers patients a simple way to keep track of all their medical information. Several of its features include a journal for documenting symptoms, to-do lists, contacts (doctors, pharmacies, insurance providers, etc.), medication information (names, dosages, reminders for when it’s time to refill, etc.) and a calendar for keeping track of appointments and other important dates. Any information you input remains private and secure.

Nancy Lea Martine Koontz told us, “I use CareZone which includes all kinds of daily trackers and makes sharing information with doctors quite easy.“

Download CareZone for free from Apple or Google Play.

7. Asana

For those who work with a company or business, Asana is an app that can help you and your team stay organized, manage projects and track your progress. This app allows you to create project task lists and personal to-do lists, track when work is due with a calendar and converse with coworkers about various tasks or projects.

“[I use] Asana – a project management app. I can list phone calls, emails, work, everything I need to do today or in the future. It’s free and has saved my business,” Jess N. Law wrote.

Download Asana for free from Apple or Google Play.

8. myHomework

The myHomework app is a virtual planner for students. You can track when assignments, essays or projects are due, track your class schedule and receive due date or test reminders.

“I’m a full-time student,” said Eri Rhodes. “The myHomework app is critical to me not forgetting due dates.”

Download myHomework Basic for free from Apple, Google Play, Microsoft or Amazon.

9. Microsoft OneNote

Microsoft OneNote is a place you can jot down any important notes, information or thoughts that cross your mind – in whichever way works best for you. You can type, write, draw, make to-do lists or clip things from the web, and OneNote keeps everything organized and easy to find.

“I have OneNote on my phone. It’s basically an electronic notebook and you can make as many [notes] as you want, but I find it helpful because if I want to remember something for later, I can just open it and type it out then go back to look at it later when I need the information. Also have it on my computer and tablet all connected so I always have access to it,” said Chelsea Smith.

Download Microsoft OneNote from Microsoft, Apple or Google Play.

10. MyTherapy

MyTherapy gives you reminders when it’s time to take your medication, take measurements or do exercises, and it also serves as a journal where you can track your symptoms and overall health.

Anna A. Legault told us, “MyTherapy helps me remember medications, measurements and log symptoms.”

Download MyTherapy for free from Apple or Google Play.

11. TaoMix 2

Living with chronic illness and brain fog can be stressful, and while it’s important to keep track of your physical health, caring for your mental health is necessary, too. TaoMix 2 provides you with soundscapes you can mix and match to help you relax or meditate. Whether you’re soothed by the sounds of waves crashing on the beach or the quiet chatter of people in a café, this app can help take your mind off the stresses of chronic illness.

“All kinds of reminders and calendar apps are a must,” said Irma-Helen Lorentzon. “But something that really helps me is TaoMix – it has great nature sounds and I use it to help my brain focus and/or relax.”

Download TaoMix 2 for free from Apple or Google Play.

12. Google Calendar

Google Calendar can help you keep track of important dates or events. You can view the calendar by day, week or month, color code events and, if you use Gmail, import dates from there. You can also schedule reminders to give you a heads up about upcoming events.

Tiffany Anne told us, “I use Google Calendar to remind myself if I need to bring something somewhere, follow up on something or anything that requires reminders since I pay attention to those.”

Heather Jo Skidmore said, “Google Calendar. One for work, one for my MA program, one for my three kids’ activities. Color coded, and shared with my husband.”

Download Google Calendar app for free from Apple or Google Play.

13. ColorNote

This Android app lets you make color-coded notes and checklists to help you stay organized. You can also set reminders for each note to make sure you get each task done on time.

Christine Cousins wrote, “I love ColorNote. I can make checklists for groceries or things I need to get done or write myself notes about things I need to discuss with my doctors so I’m prepared for my appointment. The app automatically backs everything up, so when my phone took a swim and I downloaded ColorNote on a new device, all of my stuff was there!”

Download ColorNote for free from Google Play or Amazon.

14. Stop, Breathe & Think

This meditation app encourages you to stop what you’re doing and check in with how you’re feeling, practice some mindful breathing and think deeply to broaden your perspectives and increase your level of relaxation.

“SBT is an amazing app that allows you to rate how you’re feeling physically and mentally and specify certain emotions. It then tabulates and suggests meditation/mindfulness exercises in order to attend to whatever issues you’re experiencing. Once finished with an exercise, you can again rate how you’re feeling. You can earn stickers as you accomplish certain exercises, and it keeps track of your emotional and physical check-ins. Pretty cool,” Meghan Leigh explained.

Download Stop, Breathe & Think for free from Apple or Google Play or use on your web browser.

15. ICE Contact

If you have a medical condition and ever find yourself in an emergency situation, an ICE (In Case of Emergency) app may be of use. You can store all your personal and medical information here for either yourself or others to access in an emergency. Having this information handy can also be useful if you struggle with brain fog.

Stephanie Bowman told us, “I use an ICE app. It stores a list of all my illnesses, medication, people to contact and my allergies. I’m never stuck when put on the spot to think of important information.”

Download ICE for free from Apple.

16. Cozi

Cozi is an organization app specifically designed for families. You can keep all of your family’s activities and appointments in one place, and create checklists (grocery lists, chore lists, to-do lists, etc.) to share with other family members.

Crystal Dewey said, “It’s a calendar app on steroids! It connects with my family members, sends reminders, we can all add to-do and grocery lists… It’s my electronic brain!”

Download Cozi for free from Apple, Google Play or Microsoft.

17. Waze

Waze is a navigation app that lets you know what traffic conditions are like in real time and which route you should take. Waze can also give you reminders when it’s time to leave based on both the time you need to arrive and current traffic. After you arrive at your destination, park your car and close Waze, it will automatically drop a pin to remind you later on exactly where you parked.

Jess N. Law recommends integrating Waze with Google Calendar. “Reminds me of everything I have planned and when to leave. Lifesaver some days.”

Download Waze for free from Apple or Google Play.

 

via 17 Apps That Can Make Life Easier With Brain Fog and Chronic Illness | The Mighty

[WEB SITE] Finding Freedom after Brain Injury – TBI Survivor

Is a little freedom too much to ask?

Free from worry. Free from pain. Free from confusion. Free from doubt. Free from all the “little” nagging, ever present stuff   that can make life after TBI difficult.

We focus on repairing ourselves so we can get back what we lost, but really, what we are looking for in one word, is freedom.

Those Limits

Many of us feel held back by the limits our brain injury has imposed on us. Sometimes there are physical limitations. Many times we have cognitive limitations or feel the pressure of  financial, family or societal constraints; we have no money and we feel like outcasts.

When you put all these factors together, you come up with a life half lived. How do we make it a full, free life, full of moments of living without a care, soaring through life like an eagle?

As I said earlier, we don’t often think of our life after brain injury in terms of freedom. Rather we discuss it in terms of recovery, or getting our life back.

Well, freedom is not just about what we are able to do. It’s about who we are.

What is Freedom?

We want to break the bonds that bind us, but we are so focused on this thing the doctors call recovery, that sometimes we forget to live our lives; it’s almost as if we are marking time until we get back to where we want to be, and we don’t allow ourselves to live or be free.

We all have different opinions on what it means for us to feel free, really free after experiencing a brain injury. Maybe you are looking for the freedom you feel when you’re skiing through a layer of soft, fluffy powder.  Or perhaps you want to feel as though you are on the beach in the Caribbean with the surf crashing around you. It could be that freedom for you is simply being in control of your destiny.

So often, we feel trapped– trapped in our bodies, our heads or our circumstances, as we attempt to live our lives after brain injury. It’s almost as if there are these invisible straps holding us down, and we feel trapped by a condition that affects everything we do, say or think.

We desperately want to escape from this heavy, dark curtain that has fallen over us, but we don’t know how, except to faithfully follow the regimen our therapists and doctors have mapped out for us.

We may not realize it, but when everything we do is governed by a desire to recover, recover, recover, we are being c0ntrolled by our brain injury. Maybe there is a way to be thinking about how to live, live, live instead. Maybe we have to change our ideas of what it means to live, to be alive, and how we seek those things that make us feel free.

The Banshee War Cry

One of the best examples I can share of achieving true, momentary freedom, occurred about two months after I was discharged from the rehab. We had gotten about a foot of snow, and a friend and I went to a nearby hill to go tobogganing. I don’t have a clear memory of it, but I believe it was early evening.  The hill we were going to come down was short and steep, with a long run out.

We dragged the toboggan to the top of the hill, lay it down and got on.  I took a breath and then we pushed off. It was the first time since I had awoken from my coma that I felt alive; my senses bombarded me with stimulation. The wind blowing in my face. The powder snow spraying all around me. The speed. The smell of fresh snow, and everything around us completely still…except for us of course. We barreled down the hill.

Temporarily, anyway, I was free.

I had forgotten what freedom felt like. I wasn’t worried about crashing. I wasn’t worried about hitting my head. I didn’t care if I wiped out. It was just me, my friend, the snow and the toboggan.

Overcome with the feeling that I could do anything, I gave a loud “Whoop!”, like a war cry, when we were at our top speed.

I saw the importance of stringing the small moments together, of living for every moment and taking nourishment from them because they gave me freedom. They gave me life.

That’s what I want for myself. That’s what I want for all of us: to feel free with no worries. To feel what it is like to be alive and be full of possibilities.

Thanks, Jeff

 

via Finding Freedom after Brain Injury – TBI Survivor

[BLOG POST] 9 Tips to help clear brain fog

How do I say this? I CAN’T THINK STRAIGHT THIS WEEK. Ok, I guess I came up with those words pretty easy but if I want to speak past a 6th-grade grammar level I need a thesaurus.

Many suffering with chronic illness find themselves plagued by a condition known as brain fog.

You may have also heard of fibro fog in the fibromyalgia community. Same thing! At it’s very worst it can cause a disorienting effect that can leave a person not knowing where they are or where they were headed for 30-90 seconds or more. I haven’t experienced it to that extreme, yet.

My main problems are losing my train of thought mid-sentence, comprehending what I’m reading, and having trouble following conversations. Sometimes it can feel like a bunch of static in my head and I wish I could just tune in to whatever channel needs to be my focus for that moment.

There are a few little tricks I keep up my sleeves to help clear brain fog. I thought I’d share them with you.

1. 1. Don’t trust your brain. Even though you think of yourself as normally an intelligent person who’s really focused; just face it. For certain periods of time, possibly every day for some, you won’t be able to trust that little gray matter in your skull. Don’t stress about it or feel less of a person – just work with it. Determine that you’ll change how you do certain things so you can manage at your very best!
   2. Don’t panic – you’re not losing your mind. Some individuals get really nervous that they could be developing Alzheimer’s. The two aren’t related and the one doesn’t turn into the other. For example, with brain fog I might forget what you just told me but with Alzheimer’s I may forget who you are.
   3. Make lists! And use them! Use a planner too! I’m getting better at this all the time. For example, I developed a grocery list that is divided into sections according to the aisles in my local grocery store. This really helps me stay on track and focused. I don’t have to keep scanning through a list in the midst of store noise to be sure I grabbed it all; I just start at aisle one and I’m all set.
   4. Sleep. The problems with brain fog are multiplied when you’re tired and wore out. I understand insomnia can come with the territory of chronic illness too. Try your best to do what you can to unwind at night and talk to your dr to see what can be done to help. Insomnia is horrible and can highlight fatigue, fog, and pain – among other problems!
   5. Talk to your doctor about possibly adding some supplements to your mix. I discovered a supplement called ribose from reading a book by Dr. Teitelbaum called Fatigued to Fantastic. D-Ribose is a simple, natural sugar that your body uses in the energy molecules. It also helps process other nutrients as well, such as the B vitamins. As part of my treatment my doctor has me taking B vitamins 3x’s a day; mainly for the fatigue. However, I have noticed a drastic difference with my brain fog on days I don’t take them.
   6. Get oxygen moving in your blood! Exercise increases the flow of oxygen and blood to the brain and helps with the fog. I understand there are days we can barely shower, let alone get out for a walk. For those days, I’ve noticed sitting on my porch, or even in the house in a quiet room for a bit, and breathing deeply helps calm down my mind when it’s racing or foggy and it allows me to focus better.
   7. Cut back on the sensory overload. I grew up in a house where the tv was on almost constantly. Sad to say it’s on way too much in my own home. To top it off I have my cell phone, my Kindle, my computer, my husband, my kids and my grandson all contributing to the amount of input my brain is trying to process at any given moment. On days I’m at my foggiest I find taking some time away from all the media noise helps! I can’t turn off the people in the home, I’ve tried ;). But I can limit those other things!
   8. Uni Task. I don’t know who decided multi-tasking was the benchmark for productive women but they certainly didn’t have a chronic illness or brain fog. I’m not militant about this. Yes, I’ll do other things while I have a load of laundry in the washer but trying to do too much just adds to the already confused state of our minds. Focus on one thing at a time and don’t allow yourself to be distracted by trying to do multiple things at once.
   9. Avoid caffeine. Trust me, a Coke is usually the first thing I want to grab when I need to focus but it only means you’re going to crash later on. Also, because it’s a stimulant it can make all those jumbled thoughts floating around in there move faster-making things worse!

Source: 9 Tips to help clear brain fog

[WEB SITE]New Clues to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Found in Spinal Fluid

Too many times, people who suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome are told that it is not a real disease. But researchers are finding evidence that it is a real condition. The latest finding is that suffers have a distinct pattern of immune system proteins called cytokines in their spinal fluid. This pattern of cytokines may be causing the mental sluggishness called “brain fog” that can occur with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Researchers tested samples of spinal fluid from 32 people with chronic fatigue syndrome, 40 people with multiple sclerosis, and 19 healthy people. The fluid was tested for levels of 51 different cytokines. There were differences found in the spinal fluid found in each of the groups, with what the researchers called “a markedly disturbed” immune signature in the spinal fluid of the people with chronic fatigue syndrome.

People with chronic fatigue syndrome have lower levels of certain cytokines in their spinal fluid, but elevated levels of one cytokine called eotaxin that is also elevated in people with multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune disease that attacks the nerves. The researchers chose to test spinal fluid from people with multiple sclerosis because it has similarities with chronic fatigue syndrome, since it can cause fatigue and “brain fog.”

Chronic fatigue syndrome is also called myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome. Although continuing and debilitating fatigue is one of the hallmarks of the condition, other prominent symptoms include difficulties with thinking, such as confusion and inability to concentrate, as well as issues with short-term memory. It affects as many as 2.5 million people in the United States.

Finding a pattern of cytokines in spinal fluid of people with chronic fatigue syndrome may help create an objective test for it. People with chronic fatigue syndrome are often not diagnosed correctly for many years after their symptoms occur.

via New Clues to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Found in Spinal Fluid : HEADLINES : Youth Health Magzine.