Concentration/reading problems
Member
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: UK
Posts: 375
Originally Posted by AlwaysSober1 
I don't think I can do this because I dont feel good at all..
It will get better. Really and you want to be here in 2 years time explaining that to somebody else.
Chin up, put the kettle on.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 276
Originally Posted by degadar
Yes you can. I thought I couldn't get through it either but I did and so will you if you want it.
It will get better. Really and you want to be here in 2 years time explaining that to somebody else.
Chin up, put the kettle on.
It will get better. Really and you want to be here in 2 years time explaining that to somebody else.
Chin up, put the kettle on.
Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: canada
Posts: 7,242
AS1
seems like a common complaint in the first year.
your brain needs to re-build, really.
if it doesn't get better much, here's an interesting book i just finished a couple of days ago:
http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&...69411363,d.cGU
it's a great overview of the multitude of things that can make a brain be foggy and miss connections,. it's more easily readable than i thought.
if you want to check out some amazing stuff about how brains can change, there's
http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&...69411363,d.cGU
the book is better than the video.
well, probably more than you ever wanted...but will keep you busy if you get antsy
seems like a common complaint in the first year.
your brain needs to re-build, really.
if it doesn't get better much, here's an interesting book i just finished a couple of days ago:
http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&...69411363,d.cGU
it's a great overview of the multitude of things that can make a brain be foggy and miss connections,. it's more easily readable than i thought.
if you want to check out some amazing stuff about how brains can change, there's
http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&...69411363,d.cGU
the book is better than the video.
well, probably more than you ever wanted...but will keep you busy if you get antsy
Guest
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Sydney Australia
Posts: 4,225
Originally Posted by AlwaysSober1
Thanks stoogy, my honest opinion me going with the PAWS thing is the only thing keeping me sober, if PAWS isn't the case then honestly I feel worse than my drinking/hungover days (even though I never got hangovers because I drank water after alcohol) and I don't think I can do this because I dont feel good at all..
Originally Posted by AlwaysSober1
Hi stoogy, I'm not too bad thanks for asking, just wish I had a clear head! Lol, I feel like I was mentally sharper when drinking, now I have a lot of memory problems, problems with clarity of thought, if someone asks me a question it takes me twice as long to answer, typing this message has taken me a good 5 minutes! Lol, overall very foggyheaded, feel mentally sluggish, spaced out a lot of the time.
Take heart it does get better...but agree, when you are in the midst of it, it can feel overwhelming and I too felt like it was almost gonna drive me to drink again. It affected my confidence and self esteem at work....I'd feel frustrated with myself also. And sometimes, just days where I couldn't connect one thought to the next one. A few out of body kind of experiences too....like, how do I do my job again, etc.
I think the AV also takes advantage of our feeling low about that and tries to feed us that it would be better to drink. Remember too, drinking changes our brain, so we feel euphoric and over confident, and always right......it can be shattering to come down to earth and be highly aware of just how vague we can be because of how we've damaged our brain.
I'm back to enjoying reading, also, which was really depressing me when I was struggling with it. It's almost like I've discovered a new hobby, it's that good!
Give it time, but yep, it is the pits when you are going through it.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 276
Originally Posted by DoubleBarrel
The other thing I really had to eventually force myself to do was exercise. Vigorous cardio. It really helped my mind anxiety and energy level.
After a while I get stir crazy if I don't do it.
After a while I get stir crazy if I don't do it.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 276
Originally Posted by fini
AS1
seems like a common complaint in the first year.
your brain needs to re-build, really.
if it doesn't get better much, here's an interesting book i just finished a couple of days ago:
http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&...69411363,d.cGU
it's a great overview of the multitude of things that can make a brain be foggy and miss connections,. it's more easily readable than i thought.
if you want to check out some amazing stuff about how brains can change, there's
http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&...69411363,d.cGU
the book is better than the video.
well, probably more than you ever wanted...but will keep you busy if you get antsy
seems like a common complaint in the first year.
your brain needs to re-build, really.
if it doesn't get better much, here's an interesting book i just finished a couple of days ago:
http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&...69411363,d.cGU
it's a great overview of the multitude of things that can make a brain be foggy and miss connections,. it's more easily readable than i thought.
if you want to check out some amazing stuff about how brains can change, there's
http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&...69411363,d.cGU
the book is better than the video.
well, probably more than you ever wanted...but will keep you busy if you get antsy
Member
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: UK
Posts: 375
It was times like this i’d go back and read my diary.
Seeing that things were happening - the scary drunk dreams had virtually stopped. I’d stopped waking up with a virtual hangover, I’d got a long list of cases where I’d stayed calm where I would otherwise have blown up ... and it reminded me that changes were happening.
The benefits creep up slowly over a matter of years, not days weeks or months.
Seeing that things were happening - the scary drunk dreams had virtually stopped. I’d stopped waking up with a virtual hangover, I’d got a long list of cases where I’d stayed calm where I would otherwise have blown up ... and it reminded me that changes were happening.
The benefits creep up slowly over a matter of years, not days weeks or months.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 276
Originally Posted by Croissant
Hi AlwaySober...I've bolded above what you said above that I COMPLETELY relate to.
Take heart it does get better...but agree, when you are in the midst of it, it can feel overwhelming and I too felt like it was almost gonna drive me to drink again. It affected my confidence and self esteem at work....I'd feel frustrated with myself also. And sometimes, just days where I couldn't connect one thought to the next one. A few out of body kind of experiences too....like, how do I do my job again, etc.
I think the AV also takes advantage of our feeling low about that and tries to feed us that it would be better to drink. Remember too, drinking changes our brain, so we feel euphoric and over confident, and always right......it can be shattering to come down to earth and be highly aware of just how vague we can be because of how we've damaged our brain.
I'm back to enjoying reading, also, which was really depressing me when I was struggling with it. It's almost like I've discovered a new hobby, it's that good!
Give it time, but yep, it is the pits when you are going through it.
Take heart it does get better...but agree, when you are in the midst of it, it can feel overwhelming and I too felt like it was almost gonna drive me to drink again. It affected my confidence and self esteem at work....I'd feel frustrated with myself also. And sometimes, just days where I couldn't connect one thought to the next one. A few out of body kind of experiences too....like, how do I do my job again, etc.
I think the AV also takes advantage of our feeling low about that and tries to feed us that it would be better to drink. Remember too, drinking changes our brain, so we feel euphoric and over confident, and always right......it can be shattering to come down to earth and be highly aware of just how vague we can be because of how we've damaged our brain.
I'm back to enjoying reading, also, which was really depressing me when I was struggling with it. It's almost like I've discovered a new hobby, it's that good!
Give it time, but yep, it is the pits when you are going through it.
I look forward to the day I feel more resilient, quicker on the mark with some clarity back, I'm going to give it another 6 months before I really get concerned, hopefully everything will return to normal.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 276
Originally Posted by degadar
It was times like this i’d go back and read my diary.
Seeing that things were happening - the scary drunk dreams had virtually stopped. I’d stopped waking up with a virtual hangover, I’d got a long list of cases where I’d stayed calm where I would otherwise have blown up ... and it reminded me that changes were happening.
The benefits creep up slowly over a matter of years, not days weeks or months.
Seeing that things were happening - the scary drunk dreams had virtually stopped. I’d stopped waking up with a virtual hangover, I’d got a long list of cases where I’d stayed calm where I would otherwise have blown up ... and it reminded me that changes were happening.
The benefits creep up slowly over a matter of years, not days weeks or months.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Washington State Nuclear Wasteland
Posts: 25
Hey AlwaysSober1, did your concentration/memory/brain fog get any better? Looks like it's been a year+ since your last post.
I know I have the same problem here right about at 4 months sober, and it's my first recovery after only drinking for like 15 months or so.
I know I have the same problem here right about at 4 months sober, and it's my first recovery after only drinking for like 15 months or so.
☀️⛳️
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Scotland
Posts: 1,506
Hi All, I've been away for a while as some of my closer friends would have noticed as I've been back to my worst in a little while, plans are in place and i am going for a life sober and happy, I've done it in the past so i realise it aint easy but i can like anyone can.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Pacific Coast
Posts: 785
Hi CometJo and welcome!
I feel like I've been kind of the poster boy for all manner of PAWS-type symptoms, including fairly severe memory and cognition issues, since I sobered up for good around 2 years, 8 months ago.
I've had my ups and downs, but the bottom line is that IT DOES GET BETTER with time -- as long as you don't drink at all
If you drank to excess for only 15 months or so, I'd hazard a guess that the chances are probably good that you'll make a full recovery. Be patient!
I feel like I've been kind of the poster boy for all manner of PAWS-type symptoms, including fairly severe memory and cognition issues, since I sobered up for good around 2 years, 8 months ago.
I've had my ups and downs, but the bottom line is that IT DOES GET BETTER with time -- as long as you don't drink at all
If you drank to excess for only 15 months or so, I'd hazard a guess that the chances are probably good that you'll make a full recovery. Be patient!
Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Washington State Nuclear Wasteland
Posts: 25
Originally Posted by Andante
Hi CometJo and welcome!
I feel like I've been kind of the poster boy for all manner of PAWS-type symptoms, including fairly severe memory and cognition issues, since I sobered up for good around 2 years, 8 months ago.
I've had my ups and downs, but the bottom line is that IT DOES GET BETTER with time -- as long as you don't drink at all
If you drank to excess for only 15 months or so, I'd hazard a guess that the chances are probably good that you'll make a full recovery. Be patient!
I feel like I've been kind of the poster boy for all manner of PAWS-type symptoms, including fairly severe memory and cognition issues, since I sobered up for good around 2 years, 8 months ago.
I've had my ups and downs, but the bottom line is that IT DOES GET BETTER with time -- as long as you don't drink at all
If you drank to excess for only 15 months or so, I'd hazard a guess that the chances are probably good that you'll make a full recovery. Be patient!
Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Washington State Nuclear Wasteland
Posts: 25
Yep you guys are right. It's been six months since I quit drinking, and things are starting to improve a lot. My ability to concentrate and read and such has dramatically improved, along with a whole host of other PAWS symptoms.
Thanks for all your input and support and to anyone else who recently quit -- stick with it, it DOES get better!
Thanks for all your input and support and to anyone else who recently quit -- stick with it, it DOES get better!
Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Pacific Coast
Posts: 785
We're all familiar with the odd phenomenon of "denial" in alcoholism, in which you're utterly convinced, despite all evidence and assurance from others to the contrary, that you don't have a drinking problem, and even if you did, you can manage it just fine. I've thought for a while now that denial was an actual part of alcohol's mechanism on the brain rather than a purely psychological effect.
Now I'm thinking that an integral part of PAWS may be a kind of "anti-denial" in which you're utterly convinced, despite all evidence and assurance from others to the contrary, that the physical symptoms and the mental issues such as memory and concentration lapses are going to be permanent and that you'll NEVER feel better. This is certainly how I experienced it.
Perhaps they're just two sides to the same coin biochemically -- the irrational confidence of denial and the irrational defeatism of PAWS.
Sorry if this is off-topic, but the idea occurred to me in a rare moment of relative mental clarity so I thought I'd share it
CometJo, glad you're doing better.
Now I'm thinking that an integral part of PAWS may be a kind of "anti-denial" in which you're utterly convinced, despite all evidence and assurance from others to the contrary, that the physical symptoms and the mental issues such as memory and concentration lapses are going to be permanent and that you'll NEVER feel better. This is certainly how I experienced it.
Perhaps they're just two sides to the same coin biochemically -- the irrational confidence of denial and the irrational defeatism of PAWS.
Sorry if this is off-topic, but the idea occurred to me in a rare moment of relative mental clarity so I thought I'd share it
CometJo, glad you're doing better.
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