There is a term "brain fog" used that doesn't totally describe it. I tell my husband, its like I just went stupid. Seriously. I can't think, can't process, can't take in any information. Responses are delayed. Watching Harry Potter tonight the closest I could come is "Stupify!"
Voila! I am now stupid. I do not see this as self deprecating or insulting. I am really stupid.
Cognitive fatigue is created when the brain is so overwhelmed with stimulus and information is slows and even freezes. There is no background program. No cognition. No memory retention. I literally stare at people talking to me and hear a buzz. Additionally you can get electrical pulses through your brain, burning pain, and heat. I have even had mini collapses where my muscle control drops and so do I. These last only short periods of time, but the results are devastating. Trauma patients lose progress.
Needless to say, I now nod and smile, a lot. That is OK. I do my best everyday and that is all anyone, even God asks of us. We are asked to give 100% each day. That amount is fluid with our changing abilities. Again, that is ok. Stress just leads to more cognitive fatigue so you breathe, accept, and look for tomorrow.
(In case you wondered I made more than 15 spelling errors in this post with my first edit and multiple grammar errors. This whole thing is not easy.)
When I was working as a tech, if I couldn't remember how to turn on a computer, I would go home then try again the next day.
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