Brain Fog and School

[dazed_dreamer]

I'm a college student, and I'm having a really hard time doing work recently. I mostly enjoy what I'm studying (psych/neuro/bio courses), and have an easier schedule this semester. But I'm having such a hard time focusing and even reading dense material. Even when I set aside time for reading and want to do it, I just can't process it half the time.
I think this is an on and off state, not permanent cognitive damage or anything. I'm assuming it's brain fog from depression. I think it's particularly bad right now because I'm in/coming out of an acute depression crisis. Does anyone have any advice for how to manage this brain fog and get some work done regardless? I wish I could take some time off to ride it out, but that's not really any option at the moment. I mean I could, but it'd be a hard, extreme solution.

 

[AshClouds]

if you think its necessary, you can talk to your school about taking a temporary leave. You get a recommendation from a doctor, and you can take as much time as you need. I know someone who took off two years.

 

[dazed_dreamer]

if you think its necessary, you can talk to your school about taking a temporary leave. You get a recommendation from a doctor, and you can take as much time as you need. I know someone who took off two years.

That's probably a good idea, but I'm scared to. I've known I could use time off since freshman year, but have never done it. I'm not sure it'd help at all, actually it probably wouldn't unless I was in some sort of treatment program. Even then, I can't be sure it'd work, meanwhile it'd be a huge financial burden for my family. I don't have it in me to advocate for myself like that, and it wouldn't feel fair to waste more of my family's money.

 

[Inthewind]

Right now I have been doing okay but sometimes I get that fog too when I do assignments. I just feel like I am staring at a screen and not maintaining any of the information. Hard to reread my own words. I have just been trying to face it head on to make sure I dont fall behind, I work slower and complete less and make more mistakes but so far I still attend luckily. And hope brain fog wears off.

 

[ThatStateOfMind]

I'm a college student, and I'm having a really hard time doing work recently. I mostly enjoy what I'm studying (psych/neuro/bio courses), and have an easier schedule this semester. But I'm having such a hard time focusing and even reading dense material. Even when I set aside time for reading and want to do it, I just can't process it half the time.
I think this is an on and off state, not permanent cognitive damage or anything. I'm assuming it's brain fog from depression. I think it's particularly bad right now because I'm in/coming out of an acute depression crisis. Does anyone have any advice for how to manage this brain fog and get some work done regardless? I wish I could take some time off to ride it out, but that's not really any option at the moment. I mean I could, but it'd be a hard, extreme solution.

Yes The bus is exactly happening to me, and it's so hard to do my school work and focus. Imma have to lock on because I have a speech I need to get prepared for next week, and an annotation essay done. I don't really have much to offer besides condolences, apologies.

Right now I have been doing okay but sometimes I get that fog too when I do assignments. I just feel like I am staring at a screen and not maintaining any of the information. Hard to reread my own words. I have just been trying to face it head on to make sure I dont fall behind, I work slower and complete less and make more mistakes but so far I still attend luckily. And hope brain fog wears off.

I agree. Generally, when this happened to me before it usually fades away. Im trying to get on ADHD medication soon and hopefully that will assist me because even without the brain fog, ADHD makes doing some assignments a bitch.

 

[moondazed]

I'm a college student, and I'm having a really hard time doing work recently. I mostly enjoy what I'm studying (psych/neuro/bio courses), and have an easier schedule this semester. But I'm having such a hard time focusing and even reading dense material. Even when I set aside time for reading and want to do it, I just can't process it half the time.
I think this is an on and off state, not permanent cognitive damage or anything. I'm assuming it's brain fog from depression. I think it's particularly bad right now because I'm in/coming out of an acute depression crisis. Does anyone have any advice for how to manage this brain fog and get some work done regardless? I wish I could take some time off to ride it out, but that's not really any option at the moment. I mean I could, but it'd be a hard, extreme solution.

I have a degree in bio, and is is a really difficult subject, so it's not just you. It's good you enjoy the material (I do too), that will get you through the thick of it.

If you haven't already, I would try the pomodoro technique. Its where you set a timer for 25 minutes, and you try hard to do deep work and avoid distractions as much as possible. When the 25 minutes is up, you stop what you're doing and go do something else for about 5 minutes. Scroll on your phone, do the dishes, stare at the ceiling, and then set another time for 25 minutes and repeat. You can make it 10-15 minutes breaks if it helps and play around with the technique until it starts to feel rhythmic. It helped me get through college as a severely depressed person (without meds too yikes).

For reading materials (especially in bio), sometimes it helps to make really detailed notes. I would straight up mind numbingly scribe passages from my textbooks verbatim. If you like drawing, spend time copying the circulatory system or other diagrams in your texts. Make it look pretty if you want, if that helps elevate your mood.