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Brain fog may not be a diagnosis for brain or memory problems, and it’s not a recognized medical condition in scientific journals or magazines, but it certainly should be listed as a warning sign.

The definition of brain fog, according to Wikipedia is: Clouding of consciousness, also known as mental fog is a conventional medical term describing an abnormality in consciousness. The sufferer experiences a subjective sensation of mental clouding described as feeling ‘foggy’.” It has been described as mental confusion, causing a person to be forgetful, detached, depressed or discouraged. It usually is a lingering feeling, although there are periods of more clarity than others.

Brain fog is actually quite common, although it is not something you can test for. There are many common reasons why it exists, and many can be treated. They include:

  • Dehydration
  • Thyroid disease or imbalance
  • Diabetes, hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia
  • Lack of adequate sleep or chronic fatigue syndrome
  • Poor nutrition – including a vegetarian or vegan diets, and high levels of calcium
  • Improper digestion of food (bowel toxicity)
  • Chemical imbalance
  • Toxic metal exposure – most common is high copper or low zinc readings, mercury, aluminum, cadmium and lead
  • Candida albicans overgrowth or yeast infections
  • Food or chemical allergies – sugar substitutes, wheat, soy, gluten, milk are most common
  • Drugs – prescription or non-prescription, or a combination of medications
  • Hidden viral infections
  • Parasites – Lyme disease infection, trichina worms or cysts from consuming pig products, fish tapeworm eggs and other common parasitic organisms
  • Exposure to electromagnetic fields
  • Overstimulation of the brain – such as those with ADD
  • Poor circulation
  • Vision problems – sometimes from a sensitivity to light
  • Kidney problems
  • Dyslexia or autism
  • (And well….it may be a fair trade off but…) Too much sex

Brain fog is not a mental illness, a form of dementia, mental retardation or anxiety. It does contribute to poor memory, inability to sleep well, problems at school or work, low self-esteem, unhappy relationships, and an overall feeling of failure and stupidity. Brain fog is also a contributing factor in crime and delinquency due to the frustration and inability to function.

Since most of these with brain fog are not diagnosed with any of the reasons for the inability to think straight they may have this feeling for years. Some may be misdiagnosed with mental problems, ADD, ADHD. At times it may simply develop overnight, such as from an illness or exposure to chemicals or materials toxic to their system.

It is possible that some people may experience brain fog from exposure to an electromagnetic fields – such as cell phone towers, computer screens, or even the electrical wiring in their homes. If you find that when you are away from the home or your electrical appliances for any length of time and seem to get past the “fog,” it could be possible this is the cause. There are companies who are experienced in testing this.

Although brain fog is not in itself a mental illness, it could be brought on by mental conflicts, unresolved trauma or other psychological causes. In these cases, the brain fog is actually a defense mechanism released by the brain.

Since there are no real tests for brain fog, it may involve the process of elimination. Start with easy things, like better nutrition, sleep and drinking more water and work your way up to others that require medical testing. Work with your doctor in eliminating reasons. It will be worth the time to find out the cause, and get your brain back.
 

 

About the author:

Ron White is a two-time U.S.A. Memory Champion and memory expert. As a memory speaker he travels the world to speak before large groups or small company seminars, demonstrating his memory skills and teaching others how to improve their memory, and how important a good memory is in all phases of your life.

 

Sources:

The Center for Development – Brain Fog, by Lawrence Wilson, MD: http://www.drlwilson.com/articles/brain_fog.htm

Wikipedia – Clouding of Consciousness: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clouding_of_consciousness