I feel like I'm losing my mind

[Thzae]

I'm an otherwise healthy, fit 20 year old male that has been struggling with a problem for 4-5 months now, and I am REALLY hoping to have this settled by the time my classes start back up in September. I consider myself a fairly intelligent person and college is very important to me, which is why this is incredibly frustrating.

I've had a lot of time to think about it and tried a lot of different possible solutions, none of which seemed to work. As I type this I feel "out of it", which is something I've been feeling a lot lately.

I don't feel it every day. When it first started happening it was about twice a week, now it's closer to five or six days out of the week. When I'm feeling this way I react to everything more slowly, and can't quite think straight. All my life I've been pretty "sharp" and quick to react, mentally and physically, but lately (when I'm feeling this way) if I'm walking down a street and someone is heading in my direction I'll have trouble not colliding with them.

It's almost as if I'm high. My first concern was that I was feeling this way as a result of having smoked marijuana, so I immediately stopped and haven't since. I find it highly unlikely that I'm "burned out", as I can count on one, or perhaps two hands how many times I've smoked before, throughout the course of probably a year and a half, but I thought it was certainly worth mentioning at least.

I did some googling around and learned that you can feel effects of marijuana for up to a month after smoking it, but after a month and a half passed and I was still feeling this way (on occasion) I began trying to figure out what else could be the problem.

My next guess was sleep. Sometimes I fall into some unusual sleep patterns (I'm up quite late now) and I wanted to adjust that and make sure to get 7-8 hours of sleep most nights, but I didn't notice any real changes. It does seem however on days that I sleep extra late, for 9-10 hours or so, I wake up feeling even more "out of it".

Next, I began thinking it was something in my diet, so I started taking One-A-Day Men's vitamin pills every day, as well as eating healthy. Again, no noticeable changes.

Next, I suspected a lack of exercise was the culprit, and again, no results. It should be noted that I didn't just try these things and give up; I am still doing all of them. I am living a very healthy life style as of late. I'm well rested, exercising often, and eating well, but as I type this I can't quite think clearly.

One of my newest thoughts is that I'm feeling this was because I don't get enough caffeine. It seems everyone around me drinks coffee and soda (I drink neither) and I always thought I was doing my body good by exercising and trying to stay attentive naturally. Please someone assure me I am...

In a conversation with a friend who does smoke a lot of marijuana he told me that "Niacin" when taken in a high dosage can flush out and detoxify your body and it's made him feel more alert. This isn't something I think I'd want to try without talking to a doctor, however.

Speaking of doctors, however, I finally have an appointment with one. I was explaining all of these problems to my mother (minus the marijuana part) and I told her I desperately wanted to see a doctor. She told me she had noticed me acting strangely as of late, and she put another idea in my head, that it could be allergy related. Perhaps I have some kind of allergy that's triggering or contributing to this.

I'm sure (if anyone tries to help) one of the first questions will be whether or not I have a high amount of stress in my life, and the answer is no, not really. I did break up with my girlfriend a couple of months ago, but it wasn't too bad. I spend a lot of time on my computer, alone, but I've been trying to not do this so much lately in case this also has something to do with it. It's not as if I'm awkward socially, though, I can hold a conversation just fine, I'm just "slower" these days and I can't stand it.

My doctors appointment isn't for another 32 days. I'm sure they'll do bloodwork and perhaps I'll get some answers there, but please if ANYONE has ANY advice I would love to hear it. I want to be myself again....I feel like a different person and I can't stand it.

Please, help me.

[Aleksander Krstic]

Well first of all a good thing to try would be to not take it so hardly. It is just a minor set-back that will pass away. I especially suggest this if you're into LOA.

Besides I believe that if you're able to live healtily, cut marijuana out of your life instantly and all those great changes you've made to life I see no problem with you excelling at college.

Most of all, have no worries.

[Mynder]

Get a piece of paper. Grab a pen. Start a conversation with yourself. Just write. Questions. Answers. See where it goes.

[Thzae]

Originally Posted by Aleksander Krstic

Well first of all a good thing to try would be to not take it so hardly. It is just a minor set-back that will pass away. I especially suggest this if you're into LOA.

Besides I believe that if you're able to live healtily, cut marijuana out of your life instantly and all those great changes you've made to life I see no problem with you excelling at college.

Most of all, have no worries.

Sorry, what does LOA stand for? And thank you for the help. I'm going to bed now but will be checking this thread in about 7 hours.

[ssandra]

Coffee or caffainne will not help you! they will give your short time fixes maybe, but in the long run you will only feel worse.

Have you tried sleeping less? I feel like that when I am sleeping too much. You eat healthy and do excersice; you maybe don't need 8 hours of sleep a day.

[Thzae]

Sorry to self bump, but does anyone else have any more advice? I don't feel as "out of it" right now as I did yesterday, but still a bit slow. I'm about to go for a run and work out a bit before work, hopefully that will help.

[Mynder]

Look, it's either physical or psychological. You already got an appointment with a doctor to check out the physical aspects. The psychological aspects, if they are the cause, can be identified and worked on.

That's why I suggested the "self-talk", sometimes our subconscious leads us to write things down that help us finding out what we feel bad about.

[chrisrushton]

could be a gluten allergy. try cutting it out for a while, see if you notice an improvement. honestly though, it could be one of many things. Your best bet is to see a doctor. someone who can give you professional advice.

[rawxstasy]

I have experienced the same thing. I tried adding vitamins which helped and exercise helped also. I found that I was the clearest when I did raw food diet. I am slowly transitioning back to raw again. It could be food allergies. I am allergic to dairy, wheat and eggs.

This could also be psychological. I agree with the previous poster, about being aware of your thoughts and feelings and see what happens.

[Albalida]

Does it feel like living through a fog, or like white mold is growing on the inside of your skull and making the very shape of thoughts difficult to discern? Like you can still understand ideas, but it's difficult to hold them long enough and connect them?

[CroMagna]

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Another thing, what do you mean by eating healthy? Are you vegan?

Another thing, try meditation and mantras. Repeat a word like "om" or "satnam" to stay focused. Or focus on the breath.

But pls go to a doctor immediately. Maybe they should put you on Risperdal or Concentrix. These are all supplements.

[loic]

Originally Posted by Thzae

...

cut the marijuana. Sleep. Exercise a bit each day.eat well. AND DON'T MISS THE APPOINTMENT WITH THE DOC.

[Plays With Life]

I know the feeling. What about sex? A lot of times after I have an orgasm, I have this exact experience and worse for 3 days or more. If it's orgasm related I can point you to a forum of people who have the same experience and have been working to resolve it .. some of them have successfully resolved it already.

The Bach flower remedy Cherry Plum is for when you feel like you're losing your mind: When there is a dread of the mind being over-worked, and the fear that it cannot stand the strain.

And Olive is for extreme exhaustion that affects your physical AND mental capacities: When you are exhausted with no reserves of strength or energy.

My guess is you're having some old emotion come up that wants to explode out of you, and it's pushing so hard that it's overwhelming your other capacities.

[Thzae]

Thank you so much for the help, everyone. I originally came to these forums because of this problem but I look forward to becoming an active member.

Today I woke up, ate breakfast, took a Men's One-A-Day vitamin, and hopped on the treadmill for 30 minutes. After I got a shower I meditated for about 10 minutes, which I had never really done before. Immediately after finishing I felt foggier than ever before but by the time I got up and started walking around I did feel a bit better, although still not quite myself.

To answer some of the questions:

Originally Posted by Albalida

Does it feel like living through a fog, or like white mold is growing on the inside of your skull and making the very shape of thoughts difficult to discern? Like you can still understand ideas, but it's difficult to hold them long enough and connect them?

Yes, that's a pretty good description of it. The second part is on a more extreme day that I'm feeling it though.

Originally Posted by Plays With Life

I know the feeling. What about sex? A lot of times after I have an orgasm, I have this exact experience and worse for 3 days or more.

No, I don't think it's sexually related at all.

Originally Posted by CroMagna

Another thing, what do you mean by eating healthy? Are you vegan?

Nope, just mean I'm avoiding fried foods, and trying to get all of my pyramid groups, etc... Nothing fancy



I suppose it could in fact be a food allergy, I can't wait for the doctors appointment.

Originally Posted by loic

cut the marijuana. Sleep. Exercise a bit each day.eat well. AND DON'T MISS THE APPOINTMENT WITH THE DOC.

This sounds good

[Ecomouse]

Hey I have exacly the same problem, although I have never smoked tobbaco or green. Im 19, tall and felt the problems for arround 6 months now. On top of all the things you've said I've also got yellowey eyes under Neath my eye lids and there realy veiny. Do you still have the problems? Thanks sam

[Penelopi]

Im waiting an explanation to this one. I felt exactly the same before w/c caused me lots of stress and until now still don't understand why it happened. I know how this feels.

[billionairekid]

Originally Posted by Mynder

Get a piece of paper. Grab a pen. Start a conversation with yourself. Just write. Questions. Answers. See where it goes.

This is great advice. I would make one alteration. Write the answers with your non-dominant hand. It might be hard at first but once you get the hang of it, the insight you can gain is incredible. And yes, I speak from experience.

[miksob]

Hi,

There is probably nothing wrong with you. I was in the US Army and heard 20 year olds cry; I have a business degree and liberal arts degree. I am also working on a social sci graduate degree - not post grad or PhD. I'm 34 with about 15 years work experience, and have a small business in start-up (seed).

Sometimes we miss our families when everything is new. You mentioned you were 20, and trying to serve the proposed social cognitive model. I imagine you are multi-ethnic as you are multi-cultural. Don't feel stigmatized or dehumanized for trying pot. As men often do.

Though abstinence may be an alternative life style, extroversion is in the genes; meaning we become socially sensitive, and at times need a rebound (another woman, so that it becomes 2 to 3 to 4 to 5). I believe that was proved by the genome projects; which is why some introverts argue that alcoholism is a genetic predisposition. It probably is. Then comes learned behavior, and etc. can cause a person to be an alcoholic. Just for example.

Most dominate social cognitive models proposed in primetime by leading experts lean toward a Euro high class ideal. Plus popular culture - which has been defined by Euro scholars as being everything that is immoral in the U.S. - can make a moral young man feel guilty. Go to church if that's the case.

I can only assume that you are probably overweight, if not of an ethnic culture; if you are not overloaded for doing the right thing all the time, proposed by the dominate pop culture.

You are a unique case -- I'd call it depression after breaking up with your girlfriend, and the latter (meaning you miss mommy). After all you are only 20. At least you have voting rights, at 21 its your choice.

One last thing, accomplishment, paying the bills (like rent, PG&E, phone), getting to class on time, doing the homework, dealing with social networks and getting good grades can be a lot of responsibility. I returned to college in my 30, and observed everything. It was hard not to.

Good luck.

[zabjoa]

Oh I got this back in the day, completely non-drug related, like everything moves so freaking slowly and you feel your thoughts spilling onto the floor. I would get such episodes when switching from one activity to another quickly.
Also get them when I have a fever, but then other people are losing there minds not me.
Anyway, I grew a plant and the problem disappeared, cant really tell you how I reasoned it out, but you know, whatever floats your boat.

Hollar

[SnerpGoodWord]

I remember feeling something similar at times in college. I didn't smoke pot, so that wasn't the cause for me. I just felt like I wasn't as sharp as I was a few years back in highschool. Nothing overt, but I didn't react as fast or think as fast.

The news, good or bad, is that it never really got better. The effect can be overcome to some extent by caffeine, adrenaline, or an intense desire to complete whatever I'm working on, but 90% of the time I just live with it.

At the time I thought it might have been diet and exercise related since I was overweight. But I've subsequently lost the weight, and experienced little or no benefit in mental sharpness, although I am less tired and need to sleep less. I now believe it's a natural part of the aging process - kids just think faster than adults who in turn think faster than the elderly. The compensation is that I now think better. I have more experience, more tools, and in some sense more intelligence to bring to bear on problems. So I can tackle much more difficult problems than I could at 16, but I can't tackle the easiest stuff as fast. I think I'm OK with that tradeoff, not that there's anything I could do about it if I wasn't.

[Wit and Itch]

I can think of 3 causes:
1) Anemia.
Check your blood pressure. It would be low if you are anemic and you would need to take iron supplements and eat more red meat and green vegetable. If your blood pressure is normal or slightly high and your pulse is too fast, you may not have a sufficient quantity of blood. Reason can be internal bleeding or dehydration. In both cases try to move your appointment to an earlier date.
2) Sinus infection.
Are you congested? Is it painful when you press your lower forehead and area around your nose? In this case you would have a fever and need antibiotics.
3) Yeast overgrowth.
If you eat a lot of sugar, white bread and pasta, if you had antibiotics often. You may have problems with your skin and digestion. Here is a questioner you can take for this one: Wit and Itch

[Mynder]

Originally Posted by SnerpGoodWord

The compensation is that I now think better. I have more experience, more tools, and in some sense more intelligence to bring to bear on problems. So I can tackle much more difficult problems than I could at 16, but I can't tackle the easiest stuff as fast. I think I'm OK with that tradeoff, not that there's anything I could do about it if I wasn't.

Doesn't it make sense that the thinking process takes a little longer when you are taking into account much more life experience, events, and deductions than when you were young and just went with the first thing that sounded reasonable?

Where in youth you'd reason out a viable way to proceed, later on you have gathered more "intelligence" on what works and what doesn't, and can either answer with a learned response (this can happen very quickly/reflexively), or will process a kind of checklist that allows you to get better results.

The mind always tries to put things into context, find explanations and a proper background for appropriate action. The longer you live, the more background there is to compare the current situation to.

That doesn't necessarily mean that your mind has slowed down (although we CAN (I think reversibly) dumb ourselves down by not exercising/challenging the mind).

[Flowrist]

Hi there ,,, I'm loosing my mind . I feel the exact way , its like all my life is turning out to a dream
Plz plz plz tell me did you found the cause ? Or did u find out how to fix it . I hope u still get alerts for your private msgs

Any help would be great , I spent over 2000$ on doctors with no redult

I feel sad and I want to know what is going on with me

Thanks