Reduced cognitive function re depression

[pinktulip]

Hi there,

I would like to know if anyone who has ever felt they had reduced cognitive function due to feeling depressed been told to go see a neuropsychologist. I kind of want to know because I think I was given a brush off previously by a Mental Health Unit and they just randomly suggested it... GP wasn't aware of it...

Secondly, how are you meant to raise reduced cognitive function with a psychologist or psychiatrist? Because when I do, it's seen as perfectionism... Maybe that's because I'm still a student. If you are currently in the workforce, do you get taken more seriously re reduced cognitive function?

Because I've been told I can't have antidepressants ever again due to antidepressant induced hypomania.... and I'm in the situation when if I've gone to a psychiatrist and they suggest medication of other class my mother flips out and says I have adverse reactions to everything... And it hasn't helped when no one is definite on diagnosis... Doctor says I'm working on the hypothesis you have bipolar II... Or another doctor: being told you're autistic and that you could try medication (but no mention of bipolar)

[Yana8216]

Hi Pinktulip

Yes, I have noticed significant reduction in my cognitive abilities as a result of depression. My memory, concentration/focus, ability to learn has been impacted. I also have less patience and get upset or frustrated easily. I feel fatigued more often and get mentally exhausted when there is a lot going on (my brain decides to take a holiday for minutes/hours. During that time my symptoms described above affect me more.)
This affected my performance at work - I wasn't getting as much done as the boss wanted me to, and he wasn't very understanding. I quit that full time office/accounts job, and I am much happier now working part time at a supermarket.

The only advice I can offer is know yourself and take a break when you need some time out, if you can.

[May Tee Tee]

Thankyou for sharing
🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

I too thought that dementia or something terrible hard suddenly taken my multitasking fast thinking brain on long service leave for good at 47 years.

But YES STRESS and not the correct vitamins and a HIGH CORTISOL can to do.

It does take months to resolve, resilience and dedication to regular maintenance is the key.

🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[May Tee Tee]

I too can to relate to your symptoms.
Attention to better management of stress, anxiety and health.

Including trading a HIGH profile corporate position 50 hours a week to a change in occupation.........cooking 15 hours a week certainly helped. Therapeutic 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[rtfm]

Hi there,

Sorry for your troubles - I've experienced cognitive impairment as a symptom of depression, and it is one of those things which have made everything else more difficult. It's a tough one, but I'll share a little of my experience and what has been useful for me. I can't say that it will be the same for you, but perhaps it could help provide a bit of direction. Note: though I've had a significant level of personal experience in a variety of treatments, I'm not a doctor or psychologist, and you should take my advice with that in mind.

- I've found that the best way to deal with the cognitive impairment I've experienced is to try to break things down into very discrete parts, once they're small and simple they're easier to manage.

-I've experienced transient hypomania from a couple of different treatments. That is out of nearly twenty medications I've trialed and a handful of non-pharmaceutical treatments. Antidepressants are not all the same, and an adverse reaction to one medication or class of medications does not rule out others.

-you have not said if your mother is a physician. If she is not, and even if she is, perhaps the problem is that she needs to get some information about how antidepressants are different? Feel free to show her this message.

-when it comes to medication, particularly when managing side effects and neurological symptoms, I strongly recommend getting a really good Psychiatrist and seeing them regularly. They will be able to build up the best understanding of you and how illness effects you, and will know best the treatments that can help. It isn't the easiest thing to find a good Psychiatrist who you fit with, I can give a few more pointers if you want.

-a good Psychiatrist will be able to understand, measure, and at least partially treat cognitive impairment.

-I find that sound can make my confusion worse, earplugs or headphones can help.

-short periods of work with regular breaks help me, if you look at 'pomodoro' time management I use a similar method.

-I use lists and careful planning to reduce my cognitive load. If you have a notebook it can help to offload stuff into it rather than try to hold things in your head.

[rtfm]

At the end of the day, remember this: the impairment I have experienced has been profoundly upsetting, because it's felt often that I'm just dissolving bit by bit. It's unlikely (particularly in a non-geriatric person) for it to be at all permanent. It's not your fault, and though it will definitely cause difficulties before you can find a good treatment and management strategy, it's not something which is going to permanently lessen your life.

Take care and let me know if you have any other questions.
t

[May Tee Tee]

Just occurred to me that I have been a big list operator for years.
So I managed things better to make lists
Incorporate a diary
and Zen things I use all the time storaged in the same spot.
Regular mind challenging games.
🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[pinktulip]

I don't know how to find a good psychiatrist.

The medical team who diagnosed me with hypomania in 2011 told me & my mother for me not to have antidepressants ever again. Unfortunately, at the time that didn't say what I was to do in terms of medication if I got depressed again. Said it would take 18 months for me to recover from that.

After I got discharged to someone immediately after the antidepressant induced hypomania in 2011... After that I had someone give me allergy medication re that aftermath & said other people had it worst than me re life in general...

I'm finding it hard to trust people re potentially going on medication.

2018 because to a psychiatrist it seemed okay to attempt to charge for more time that didn't happen. Or immediately suggested to go on medication which clashed with a previous one. I said I was feeling drowsy re a medication & I didn't get asked if that drowsiness was affecting my studies.

2019 - someone else saying it was autism (Looked up & I haven't had any diagnostic assessment that is normal to say that I actually have it) & them making statements re autism and smiling. Like blanket statements like autistic people naturally get depressed.

I went to a mental health unit & someone said if you saw 10 psychiatrists you would get 10 different diagnoses.

In regard to my mother; in 2018, I did try to go back to someone who had seen me in regard to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in 2006 re ruling out depression prior to trigger of friend dying in 2009 but I waited 2 months & then I was in an appointment for less than 20 minutes for an 1 hour appointment when the doctor said something along the lines of I'm too busy & you are too complex because I thought that would allay her fears of people randomly putting me on medication just because you go and see them.

In regards to breaking work up during COVID-19 the isolation really affected me because when I've had time off being ill I've been at home. So that trick can't be used in regards to repelling negative thoughts aspect of COVID-19.

My mother wants me to see a neurologist because she read something about fMRIs showing changes in brain re depression. I told her that seems to be only at research stage re people comparing fMRIs for people with depression with well people - not used in mainstream psychiatry. If there were any fMRI studies that showed that correlated particular medication treatments with improved wellbeing.

[rtfm]

Hi there, thanks for replying, and for sharing so much of your past struggles - it sounds like you've had a pretty rough history of interactions with medical staff, I'm really sorry for that... I'm also sorry if it seemed like I was saying that your situation is something which is your fault - I can't say strongly enough that that's the furthest from what I think. I'm really sorry if it came across like that, and I'd really appreciate it if you can tell me if it did.

TThere's a lot of stuff in your reply, and I'd love to share my thoughts and what I've experienced, but I don't want to go rushing in and just talk at you - if you'd like me to tell what I know then just say the word.

I hope you've had an ok day, and are feeling alright.

t

[pinktulip]

Um, rtfm... I'm just generally wound up in general recently... so don't take it personally...

Just been feeling distressed by COVID-19 and been feeling depressed. Like sometimes doing a routine helps or sometimes it doesn't. Or doing exercise...

It's just as a Uni student because if you think you're having concentration issues because you're learning new things, you can get parents at times saying things like is it too hard or its anxiety or perfectionism.. Or depressed... Or yourself says it at times... Makes you feel rubbish because it's not like there's a blood test for concentration...