Feeling like your brain has been "fried"

[Anonybrit]

I find this really hard to describe but I find that at random points throughout the day I will suddenly feel like my brain has been overloaded and is just fried. I'll become a bit lethargic and withdrawn and unable to focus very well. It's quite subtle but definitely noticeable and scary.

I am calling it brain fog but is that the right term for this? is this common with anxiety?

I've never had a seizure but somehow I imagine it's how you'd feel after one, like your brain has just blown a fuse or something :/

[PanchoGoz]

Pretty much, yeah, your brain is overloaded from the thinking. Perfectly harmless though, it's just taking a bit of a rest now. You would do well to rest your mind on meaningless tasks where it goes into "recieving mode", like when you talk to other people or play computer games. Any distraction is good too. You're not in danger of going nuts or anything, we all experience it from time to time.

[Anonybrit]

It's just his has been happening daily for 3 weeks now :( and at random times too.

But yes, games and other distractions help a lot.

[Anonybrit]

Anyone else have any experience of this?

I don't know why it happens or how long it is supposed to go on for.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Yes, I think many people will have had this, I know I have. Your mood drops with it.

I find it happens after I've had a period of very high anxiety and once I've calmed down, I slip into this state where I feel like I'm wading through treackle. I don't get it much thesedays because my anxiety levels are far lower other than the blips.

Anxiety is making your body work harder than it should be, its the fight or flight, and you are depleting yourself in the process and it needs some time to balance out the chemicals again. Have a rest, rehydrate, possibly eat something that helps with this or helps with serontonin levels such as nuts, seeds, pulses, etc (look up which ones are best though, I can't remember offhand about them).

Don't be scared of it, its part of the process to rebalance. Try to accept it for what it is and don't recognise it as anything other than this, don't give it further emotion because it will be counterproductive.

[trish1955]

Yesterday I was doing a job tidying around the sink and my daughter was talking to me as I was walking out side and I can't explain it was like iI was in a trance and felt something strange in my head I began to feel a bit freaked out and anxiuose I was kinda trying to act OK and I answered her but was feeling well weired is it my medication I am sertaline started four weeks ago I built my dose up from 12.5for two weeks then25for one week then37.5 last week due to take the full 50today but with that yesterday I am scared like I won't have control over my mind I mean wen the phyicitrist put me on them I was a compleat mess crying couldn't sit still for one second shaking I got to say thing like that are less but now I feel emotionless as well xxxx

[aprilmoon]

I've had the "fried brain" feeling as well,that's a good description.
The way I see it,is that your brain just becomes exhausted, like any other part of your body can,and it needs to slow down to regroup again.
When I was really poorly a few months ago,my psyche told me that your brain is like an elastic band,that gets stretched and stretched,till in the end,it can go no more for a while,and that's when you get these sort of symptoms.
Try and do things that let your mind go on auto pilot as much as you can.
You'll have your own ideas as to what works for you,and be kind to yourself.
It does improve,it just takes time:)