Hello, lovelies!
So, today we're going to be talking about brain fog.
What is brain fog? Let me illustrate.
Well, here I am, today
and here I am, two days ago.
[sound of camera dropping]
[ukulele music]
So, as you maybe know,
I have a neurological condition...uh, genetic,
mixed with a connective tissue disorder.
Now, this means that I can kind of dislocate
or paralyse myself pretty randomly.
Now, bonus symtoms include being blind in one eye,
deaf and having Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
Which doesn't just mean being a bit tired all the time.
Oh, no, it does not!
"Brain fog" is a term that is used to describe the confusion and forgetfulness
and sort of lack of mental clarity and focus
that come with many chronic, long-term illnesses
because after all, if your body is always just fighting and trying to try and get you better
then obviously it's not gonna have a lot of ability to
do much else.
I like to describe it as
one's brain is full of treacle,
which means that it just takes a long time for any kind of thought to reach the surface.
[confused noise]
When you're foggy, it means that not only is it
difficult for things to come out,
but also it's really difficult to take in new information.
You can read the same line over and over and over again
and you have no idea of its meaning or what it's saying or
necessarily the language that it is in.
Or someone asks you a question and you're so confused
and worried you're about to mess up
and sure that everything's gonna go wrong, and feeling a little bit overwhelmed
that anyone has asked you anything anyway,
that you kind of just stand there and cry.
[shaky intake of breath]
Yeah...
Yeah, that is genuine footage of me crying.
So, taking in information is quite hard
but, equally, putting it out is difficult because
either you get lost half-way through a sentence
to just being completely unable to get the words out.
[exhaling]
Um...uh...um
Plus, how do you get dressed if you don't remember
where all your clothes are or what clothes are
or how they should be put upon one's body?
When you're unable to call up the energy to really do anything
it can be incredibly distressing,
but it does get better.
Here I am, two days later and I'm feeling better.
There I am in the fog.
It gets better, foggy Jessica, I promise.
If someone near you is in that state,
just be kind to them; take some time.
Give them a little moment to breathe.
Don't ask questions, no. No questions.
No, "Do you want the red cup or the blue cup?"
Just give them a cup.
That's it.
What are your suggestions for when you're in a bit of a brain fog?
What can people do to help you? What do you think?
Let me know in the comments!
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Good stuff.
[upbeat trumpet music]