The Fog.

[varkam]

My girlfriend has told me about this experience that she has sometimes. It's very difficult for me to explain, as she can't explain it very well to me (which is why I'm posting here). The best she can describe it is that she feels like her mind is "in a fog", and that her mind feels sluggish and she feels sort of disconnected. I know that's a piss-poor description, but she told me that she was talking to someone about it and they instantly knew what she was talking about when she mentioned the fog - so I thought maybe someone else would know what I'm talking about and be able to explain it a bit better. If anyone has any experience with it, or can shed any light on it for me, I would greatly appreciate it.

[Tab]

1. Is she on any medications

like an anti-depressant or something? Some of those can do that to you. If so, she should talk to her doctor and get moved to something else.

[varkam]

2. Yes.

She's currently taking fluoxetine, but this has gone on since before she was on meds.

[Nikia]

3. Does she sort of feel like this?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=276x3215
I think that I have this to some extent. I am glad to read from these links that it does not mean a serious mental illness.

[varkam]

5. A good deal, yes.

My girlfriend also has these periods of disassociation. She tells me that sometimes she feels as though she's watching herself, like in a movie or something like that. I can't really understand it myself, but I certainly don't doubt it. One of the problems though to figuring out the fog thing is that her situation is kind of complicated (whos isn't right?). She has a comorbid diagnosis of Dysthymia (a kind of low-grade but persistent depression), hx of Major Depressive Episodes (which, from what I understand is termed "double depression when it's combined with dysthymia), and polycystic ovarian disorder.

I guess what I'm trying to figure out in asking what it is, is trying to figure out what it stems from. Is it a sx of dysthymia, pcod, mde, or something else entirely like an undiagnosed personality disorder (I know depersonalization is really common with borderline personality disorder).

[politicat]

4. It's common with fibromyalgia...

I have a friend who, now that her pain is under control, complains mostly of the mind fog that goes with it. She explains it as a sense of being wrapped in a couple of layers of cheesecloth, all of her senses muted, her thinking slowed and disconnected, her attention span short and yet she can do nothing for hours, just staring at a wall.

Now that my own meds are kicking in, I understand a lot better. After years of diagnosing and treating various mental health issues, I only truly understand anxiety and depression now and knowing the fog of fear and anxiety that I was living in before, where I couldn't concentrate on anything much and was scared most of the time, I'm finally understanding how debilitating that sense of being unable to affect one's world can be.

[varkam]

6. That sounds a lot like it.

But, unfortunately she doesn't have fibro. As I mentioned a couple posts up, she does have pcod (and one thing I didn't mention, also endomitriosis (sp?)). Perhaps it comes from that.

Thank you so much for your comments, I really do appreciate it.

[politicat]

7. PCOS/Endo and mental fogs are not uncommon...

(Every female in my family, save me, have one, the other, or both. Not having children has protected me so far....)

She should track it and let her GYN know. It may be hormonal.

[CoffeeCat]

8. What you're describing to me, sounds exactly like disassociation...

...I'm certainly not an expert, but what your describing sounds like disassociation.

As I understand it, disassociation is a coping mechanism. Often, it is developed in childhood--to relieve the mind of stress or overwhelming emotion.

Everyone disassociates. My therapists says that if you've ever spaced out, during a boring class--then you've disassociated. Disassociation runs on a continuum--from spacing out, to completely losing time and blanking out for days.

It sounds like your girlfriend has some mild disassociation going on.

Each person is different, and my experience may not fit with your girlfriend's situation. However, I can tell you what I experienced. When I was in therapy and processing some pretty tough childhood issues, I began spacing out a great deal, staring into space--and there were times that I had "brain fog." I felt like I was floating and as if I was protected or disconnected from things happening around me. It's as if I feel partially present. Usually when this happened, I was stressed or processing my painful past. Sometimes it would happen and I wouldn't understand why.

Disassociation doesn't mean that a person has a mental illness. It means that the person is using a coping mechanism. Disassociation is a person's way of shrouding their mind, when things get too intense. My therapist said that adults rarely begin disassociating as adults. Usually, if an adult is disassociating, this is left over coping mechanism used in childhood. Children disassociate more easily because they lack the cognitive ability to think their way out of stress or calm themselves down--as adults can. Furthermore, children cannot physically escape, drive away or pick up the phone and call a friend when they need support--as adults can.

Is your girlfriend seeing a therapist? Many times, talking about the disassociation can help a person to understand what is triggering this coping mechanism, and the disassociation fades.

If disassociation upsets your girlfriend, tell her that it's ok that this is happening. Her mind is taking care of her. A part of her is being very protective and wanting to shield her. My therapist tells me to thank that part of myself and make friends with it. I know that sounds strange, but it works for me. The mind is a very kind thing. If it's used to going into protective mode when things get dicey--that's not necessarily a bad thing.

[varkam]

9. Thank you very much.

Your reply was very articulate and thoughtful. That's as much as what I understand about disassociation, but I wasn't sure if it was related to that or something else (because she does also experience periods of depersonalization, which she describes to me as qualitatively different from the fog). Thank you again.

[fight4my3sons]

10. I have a blood clotting disorder called APS

antiphospholipid antibody syndrome also known as Hughes Syndrome

Sometimes I feel as if I am in a fog. A lot of people with APS expeience it, we refer to it as "brain fog". I don't know how to explain it either it just is there or it isn't.


edit: spelling

[Susang]

11. Get her thyroid checked

You mentioned that she has PCOS. It's very common for women with PCOS to also be hypothyroid. Sounds like the hypothyroid "brain fog" I experience when my meds aren't calibrated correctly. I'm not saying it is, of course, since I'm not a doctor; but it doesn't hurt to have it checked out. It's one of the most underdiagnosed diseases in women.

Have her look at this site and see if the symptoms are familiar.

http://thyroid.about.com/cs/basicinformation/l/aathyroid101_b.htm