Derick

I had a very traumatic childhood with a lot of physical and emotional abuse from my mentally ill father which I believe led me to become a drug addict and an alcoholic after I left high school at the age of eighteen. I spent about five years doing drugs and drinking. Initially it was a blast going to clubs and parties with my friends and girlfriends. But that all ended a couple of years later when I started exhibiting the same symptoms my father has (schizophrenia). I started to isolate more and more until I cut all ties with the world outside of my home. It was an absolutely horrible and scary period in my life. Unlike my father I got help from a psychiatrist and started taking antipsychotic medications, which made a big difference and helped me quit the drug and alcohol use. That's all good but the damage has been done. Back in high school my IQ was determined to be 128 and I was really proud of it. Two months ago I had my IQ measured again and it is 109 which as you can guess is a disappointment and it makes me depressed to the point of me wanting to go back to doing drugs and drinking. I also have thoughts of suicide because I feel like such a failure. However, I will not give up just yet and this is why I'm on a mission to better myself. I have started reading a lot and exercising which does make me feel better but I don't feel like the person I once was. This bring me to a very important question: will my intelligence (IQ) recover with abstinence? I thanks you for your time and I look forward to your answers.

Regards,
Derick

least

i used to worry about my iq also but now only consider if i'm happy and doing what i love. my intelligence is not as important as my happiness.

Gettingstarted

This is an excellent question and i'm sure it is different for everyone. My memory is getting better... But I also attribute that to not having hangovers and feeling sluggish every day.

laurie6781

Well I drank for over 24 years, 22 of it alcoholically. After I found recovery, my first 6 months, I swore my head was full of MUSH.

Now I have had many years since then, to improve (30+), have had many brain scans which do show new pathways and have recently done the IQ thing, just as a lark and boy was I surprised.

When I left high school I had a 142 on my record. A year into recovery it was 121. That ticked me off bad. So instead of reading reading reading, which I have always done a lot of, I started doing CROSSWORD puzzles. Starting with the easy, moving to the hard and extra hard in the "Dell Crossword Books" that came out monthly and huge one quarterly.

When Sudukow showed up I started doing those also.

I finally figured out not too long ago that it really had nothing to do with my IQ but I was more concerned the older I got of KEEPING MY MIND ACTIVE to stave off Alzheimer's and/or Senior Dementia.

At 43 I went back to college and in 18 months received my Nursing Degree. A lot of the IQ tests are looking for what you do know about lots of things, and about how you apply what you know at the particular age you are at. I was at 146.

Well I already knew that brain has built many many new pathways over the years, so I
went ahead last year and took the test again. Totally different test for my age now than the last one I took. Blew me out of the water, seriously, 159. Dang.

No I do not choose to join Mensa, never wanted to, roflmao

What I am telling you is DON'T PANIC. Do brain puzzles, work your best every day at your job, continue to learn and apply to your life. You will bring yourself back to where you were mentally and probably surpass it. It just won't happen overnight.

J M H O

Love and hugs,

Dee74

Hi Derick

Welcome

I wouldn't be too worried. As I understand it, our IQ can change throughout our life - it will also be different according to the tests you do to calculate it.

That being said, there's no doubt substance abuse does a number on our brains.

I don't think I'm any less intelligent but I definitely take longer to work things out nowadays after my 20 year drink'n'drugs career.

I found it took quite a while to for my brain to recover - but it did

Don't lose hope
D

Ronan

Anecdotal evidence here, but I could feel myself become slower and slower as I drank and drank and took the odd chemical. I stopped drinking and I honestly thought that I should aim a lot lower in life because I wasn't the sharp, intelligent guy I used to be (Who says he don't love ourselves ).


Anyway, fast forward almost two years and I'm infinitely more mentally fit and capable than I ever was at any other time in my life! The boost this has had to my confidence is...well...I feel like I could take on the world. And this is from a guy who stayed in bed for weeks at a time in a drunken haze just a few short years ago. I'm 26 now, so I'm guessing we're similar age groups.


All I can say is keep using your brain. I was in the process of returning to university when I quit drinking and the work involved has definitely both shaped and sharpened my mind. Good luck, Buddy! The World is yours

Derick

Great replies, everyone. I thank you many times over.

So, basically, my IQ should recover, right? That's a relief because I generally feel pretty inadequate (intellectually). To give you an idea of what it's like for me: the other day I was studying something above my level of understanding and it took a toll on my mind. Near the end I was becoming disorientated and had trouble reading. Anyway, I really do hope things will improve and keep improving until I achieve something I can be proud of.

Anymore intelligence recovery stories are most welcome and highly valued. Thank you, again.

Regards,
Derick

Terminally Unique

Try playing lots of Chessmaster.

Zebra1275

This bring me to a very important question: will my intelligence (IQ) recover with abstinence?

Beats me.

However, based upon the information you provided I'm not convinced your IQ has dropped. First of all, how was your IQ measured on both occasions? The gold standard is an individually administered intelligence test given by a trained psychologist. If both of your assessments were conducted that way, and the same test was used on both occasions, there might be some cause for concern. However, the drop could still be situational and temporary.

However, if your score in High School came from a paper and pencil test given in a group setting, and your current score came from, say a self administered quiz published in Redbook Magazine, I wouldn't sweat it.

While the 19 point difference between assessments might seem like a lot, there are a bunch of statistical issues involved in assessment which could explain much of that. In addition, your physical condition on both occasions would likely have had an effect on your performance.

There is another factor to consider too. It's a lot easier to "under perform" an an IQ test and get a low estimate of your intelligence, then it is to "over perform" and get an over estimate of your intelligence.

It's certainly not something to be suicidal over. Stay sober for a year and see how you feel then.

sugarbear1

The standard deviation is +/-15. The brain will create new pathways for the dead neurons.

Just stay stopped and you can avoid "wet brain."

Muunray

I've noticed an improvement in my analytical thinking and flexibility in thinking. I hope it continues to improve.
Not so much energy spent on suffering and surviving and more on living.
It's good stuff!

LoftyIdeals

At 5 months sober, I'm still feeling the mushy brain, but I can tell a lot of reasoning capability and emotional intelligence is starting to return. I look forward to continuing gains in sobriety, as should you.

augustwest

at two years sober my problem solving and analytical thinking has improved tremendously. my short term memory is still impaired as is my attention span. i've found that daily meditation really helps with concentration in everyday life.

i don't think my intelligence was damaged much at all, if any, from my years of using but the speed in which i process information was severely damaged but has steadily gotten better in the areas where i exercise those parts of my brain.

PurpleCat

I wouldn't worry about it. You write and use words well, so you certainly aren't lacking.

Derick

Thanks you again for the new replies. They really help in motivating me and giving me newfound hope. Maybe I make it seem like things aren't that bad but they really are. Most days are a struggle with all kinds of challenges.

It's quite obvious to me that substance abuse has caused my mental problems. I mean, at one point I had trouble doing simple things like preparing a meal. Slowly things have been improving but I'd like to do something to speed things along which is why I've been busy searching the Internet for answers and solutions.

I still have a hard time accepting what has happened and that this is my life now. How on earth did I let things get so bad? It all started with innocent experimentation and it snow balled from there into a destructive life consuming monster (aka schizophrenia). I've been told that once you develop this illness, in most cases, it's a life sentence.

However, I wonder hopefully, will removing the cause (substance abuse) reverse the effect (schizophrenia, cognitive problems, etc)? I know you probably don't have all the answers but I need to ask such questions nonetheless.

Sorry for complaining. I don't feel very well today.

Anymore of your recovery experiences are, as always, welcome. Thank you so much and stay well.

Regards,
Derick