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Fibro Is Brain Jogging Related to Fibromyalgia and Brain Fog

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I've heard the expression, "gotta jog my brain" in the context of trying to recall...." Interestingly, you define brain jogging as a conscious, purposeful thing you do to kinda shift gears .....your description comes across as a process and not a natural thing everyone does.

I think your brain jogging is just the way you think...... I do have a word I use to describe the "stuckness" felt when I can't recall....I call it "glitching." That's when information feels likes its almost there....but out of reach....and in that moment....I'm glitching.....I don't have control over retrieving info as easily as usual. I do find that maintaining a healthy lifestyle helps tremendously in the "thinking" and "memory retrieval" department.

@spinningmytires As far as dissociation, that's a whole other ball of wax! I'm not in deep thought or really thinking when I'm dissociated...just the opposite.....I'm not connected to my thoughts or the present moment.

Dissociating to me is like melting into the wall.....and poof....I'm gone....it is one step this side of not existing. Now, I do have control over that....if I want to or I can let go...and choose to dissociate-and that has been long time coming when I couldn't choose because I didn't understand it. It takes practice to stay in the moment and stay clear headed, but I think it's becoming a new norm....I think I'm getting there even in T when I talk deep stuff. But when you've spent a lifetime not really being present, switching your brain's gears and staying grounded is work. Dissociating is a very different or separate topic from thinking and recall.......and brain jogging......unless I'm missing your boat.

@TruthSeeker Trying to grasp a better understanding of this 'brain jogging' myself -- Yes, it's an often conscious, purposeful and intentional process and yes, apparently not something that everyone does. But then, they might not be experiencing their mind as suddenly going blank, as I do at times. My aphasia might be part of this problem.

'Stuckness' is a good word for it. Or 'blankness' as for me everything that I'll be processing will suddenly fade away and not be retrievable. This 'going blank' just happens too quickly. This is when I'll apply my brain jog to attempt a new start-up processi. And it's not as if I'll be able to continue from where I left-off. I never get far enough into the process to recall or retrieve. However the initial idea I don't forget. Nor is this sudden 'going blank' caused by a distraction. But rather it's a sudden loss of my ability to process. I'll still be aware of my surroundings. I've experienced my brain as suddenly 'going blank' since childhood. In school I would panic when this happened -- perhaps I was too fearful of making an error.

I stuttered badly until about age 8 with difficulties forming sentences and finding words. At age 35, I was told by a tester that my learning disability was due to a processing problem, likely due to brain damage -- with difficulty forming and processing word and symbol associations -- my input, output and memory had then tested fine.

I'm been wondering if my sudden 'going blank' experiences might be a form of dissociation -- where my brain jogging becomes my attempt to reconnect with this diminished, vanishing processing activity. I recall my dissociation during my brain surgery follow-up testing ...where my thoughts were certainly there and I could have likely processed information easily -- yet I was very much disconnected from my emotions. My separation of thought from my emotions is a huge problem for me.
 
Another thing....memory needs to be practiced....as you get older. It's like with sex or anything else, don't use it you'll lose it, right. I found an app on my phone called Elevate. It is a really well-developed app for language, math, and speaking. It's not trivia...it's more basic than that. However, it is a good app for brain work....I'd recommend it to anyone who has had a TBI....seizures.....concussions.....or trauma!

Thanks @TruthSeeker I'll download and check out the Elevate app on my laptop!
 
@TruthSeeker Trying to grasp a better understanding of this 'brain jogging' myself -- Yes, it's an often conscious, purposeful and intentional process and yes, apparently not something that everyone does. But then, they might not be experiencing their mind as suddenly going blank, as I do at times. My aphasia might be part of this problem.

'Stuckness' is a good word for it. Or 'blankness' as for me everything that I'll be processing will suddenly fade away and not be retrievable. This 'going blank' just happens too quickly. This is when I'll apply my brain jog to attempt a new start-up processi. And it's not as if I'll be able to continue from where I left-off. I never get far enough into the process to recall or retrieve. However the initial idea I don't forget. Nor is this sudden 'going blank' caused by a distraction. But rather it's a sudden loss of my ability to process. I'll still be aware of my surroundings. I've experienced my brain as suddenly 'going blank' since childhood. In school I would panic when this happened -- perhaps I was too fearful of making an error.

I stuttered badly until about age 8 with difficulties forming sentences and finding words. At age 35, I was told by a tester that my learning disability was due to a processing problem, likely due to brain damage -- with difficulty forming and processing word and symbol associations -- my input, output and memory had then tested fine.

I'm been wondering if my sudden 'going blank' experiences might be a form of dissociation -- where my brain jogging becomes my attempt to reconnect with this diminished, vanishing processing activity. I recall my dissociation during my brain surgery follow-up testing ...where my thoughts were certainly there and I could have likely processed information easily -- yet I was very much disconnected from my emotions. My separation of thought from my emotions is a huge problem for me.

As you get older, and if you have had any kind of brain injury in your life....whether you overdid it on the alcohol or drugs, fell and hit your head, had a head injury, birth injury that resulted in learning issues, seizures which are just a form of reinjury, you loss of O2-like respiratory arrest, near drowning, choked till you passed out.....all these things can cause memory issues. Add trauma to the mix, and dissociation, and you can have mush for brains....especially under stressful times.

For most of us here, stress started early....so our many people here on this forum....for many of us, our brain chemistry was impacted when we were young. I doubt you'll ever nail down the one thing that causes your memory to glitch.....it's frustrating.....and a loopy part of me I guess......it's just how we are put together. I wouldn't overanalyze it....might make it worse....no need to loop on this one.

When I was in the midst of active trauma, my memory was at it's worst. It would frustrate me so. Finally, I ended up thinking....it is just a part of who I am....and then there comes the realization, ...........with the head injuries, life-long medications, pick-your-flavor trauma, strangulation, it is also a normal part of aging......so I hang with that now, and don't worry about it....just go with the glitching. It's easier that way.

Thanks @TruthSeeker I'll download and check out the Elevate app on my laptop!

I think it's only on phones....right now, but could be mistaken.
 
@TruthSeeker Trying to grasp a better understanding of this 'brain jogging' myself -- Yes, it's an often conscious, purposeful and intentional process and yes, apparently not something that everyone does. But then, they might not be experiencing their mind as suddenly going blank, as I do at times. My aphasia might be part of this problem.

'Stuckness' is a good word for it. Or 'blankness' as for me everything that I'll be processing will suddenly fade away and not be retrievable. This 'going blank' just happens too quickly. This is when I'll apply my brain jog to attempt a new start-up processi. And it's not as if I'll be able to continue from where I left-off. I never get far enough into the process to recall or retrieve. However the initial idea I don't forget. Nor is this sudden 'going blank' caused by a distraction. But rather it's a sudden loss of my ability to process. I'll still be aware of my surroundings. I've experienced my brain as suddenly 'going blank' since childhood. In school I would panic when this happened -- perhaps I was too fearful of making an error.

I stuttered badly until about age 8 with difficulties forming sentences and finding words. At age 35, I was told by a tester that my learning disability was due to a processing problem, likely due to brain damage -- with difficulty forming and processing word and symbol associations -- my input, output and memory had then tested fine.

I'm been wondering if my sudden 'going blank' experiences might be a form of dissociation -- where my brain jogging becomes my attempt to reconnect with this diminished, vanishing processing activity. I recall my dissociation during my brain surgery follow-up testing ...where my thoughts were certainly there and I could have likely processed information easily -- yet I was very much disconnected from my emotions. My separation of thought from my emotions is a huge problem for me.

Oh yeah.......brain surgery....include that in my list of causes of brain farts as I call them.
 
I think it's only on phones....right now, but could be mistaken.
Oh yeah.......brain surgery....include that in my list of causes of brain farts as I call them.

I was told that the brain gets confused after brain surgery ...brain farts...could be. My craniotomy recovery was 5 weeks to be walking and driving again as before. My image-guided surgery serveral months later was a breeze with a 2 day stay.

Actually my brain damage had not resulted from my surgery. My neuron-surgeon and his staff gave me excellent care. My bit of cerebellum dysfunction began a few months prior to surgery when I just hadn't fully recognized the cause of my symptoms resulting in coma. Some wasn't preventable. But my developmental brain damage likely occurred during my whooping cough illness at 6 weeks of age. My lungs weren't strong enough to clear my congestion. I wasn't supposed to survive.
 
I was told that the brain gets confused after brain surgery ...brain farts...could be. My craniotomy recovery was 5 weeks to be walking and driving again as before. My image-guided surgery serveral months later was a breeze with a 2 day stay.

Actually my brain damage had not resulted from my surgery. My neuron-surgeon and his staff gave me excellent care. My bit of cerebellum dysfunction began a few months prior to surgery when I just hadn't fully recognized the cause of my symptoms resulting in coma. Some wasn't preventable. But my developmental brain damage likely occurred during my whooping cough illness at 6 weeks of age. My lungs weren't strong enough to clear my congestion. I wasn't supposed to survive.

You've had lots of medical trauma! Isn't the body amazing, takes a licking and keeps on ticking!
 
I think it's only on phones....right now, but could be mistaken.
You've had lots of medical trauma! Isn't the body amazing, takes a licking and keeps on ticking!

Four major surgeries and I hope this is the last of them. But then whatever it takes and as long as there's a fix!

By the way, the Elevate app is available for download at the Apple Store. I've rather use is on my computer than smartphone, anyway.
 
@TruthSeeker Briefly about the Elevate App -- you're correct. This app is only currently compatible with mobile devices. It won't allow me to create an account on my Android g3 phone. I'll try again after my phone upgrade. Thanks for suggesting it!
 
Just trying to find a working-definition of what ‘brain jogging’ means.

If I’d stumbled across a really useful technique I called ‘heart wellies’ (wellingtons/galoshes) & was excited to share that process to help people out; because *I* know what I mean, I could very easily skip over telling people what I specifically mean by that in an attempt to be as broad minded as possible to include the greatest number of people. And accidentally include no-one, as there isn’t a shared definition, and be asked a similar series of Q’s.

Heart Wellies >>> Would ‘guarding your heart’ or ‘emotional distancing’ be comparable?
>>> Or is this more in the land of emotional monitoring & regulation? (Examples follow)
>>> Or overriding the autonomic with the somatic / using purposeful action to slow your heart rate during times of panic? (Examples follow)
>>> Or working on your emotional intelligence / self awareness? (Examples follow)
>>> Or akin to mindfulness, but instead of directing attention outward it’s directed inward? (Examples follow)
>>> Or CBT / feelings aren’t facts / reality checking? (Examples follow)


So, if I’m understanding correctly, brain jogging is intense concentration for a few seconds ________ and then returning to whatever you were doing/thinking previously?
@Friday

I know little about 'heart wellies' though found that this relates to the two-way communication between the brain and organs of the body via the vagus nerve. Yet the key point might be that, I'm mistakenly separating my heart/emotions from my mind/thoughts which results in my 'thought confusion' and my inability to feel safe when confused ...thus I will withdraw where I'll then have no ability to act on my feelings -- if I even know what I am feeling.

My emotional withdraw of the 'heart' might also relate to my bradycardia (chronic slow heart beat and depression) which had once been diagnosed as a sinus node electrical cellular bigeminy during my 20s. The heart specialist seemed puzzled when telling me that there was no logical explaining for my bigeminy since I had no history of rheumatic fever. Yet this purposeful slowly of the heart rate during times of panic does make sense. Interesting stuff about Heart Wellies!

I realize that my problem can't be resolved by thought alone, as heart/emotion and mind/thought are inseparable. Yet by acknowledging both I can then best govern myself. At least this is how I see it.
 
In regards to my 'brain jogging' activity -- I'm sure that my fibro fog has contributed to my brain's processing difficulties -- Yet I'm beginning to suspect that my 'brain jogging' activity might be more directly related to my TBI occurring in infancy. When I was tested for LD at age 35, I was told that my memory, input and output will all good and that my problem was with processing.

I've always experienced my brain as quickly shutting down or 'going blank' during my processing of words, letters, names and numbers. When given a spoken phone number or the spelling of an unfamiliar name, my brain won't be able to comprehend more than three letters or digits at one time. If the remaining letters or digits are spoken without any significant pause I won't have an opportunity to 'brain jog' and so, the remaining letters or numbers will seem muffled as if only, blah, blah, blah. Focusing my efforts doesn't improve matters either as I was already well focused. Converting vocal symbols into text symbols and vice versa is very confusingly for me.

But then with other mental activities such as, playing piano by ear, visualizing changing shapes and colors within my mind, when drawing, driving or when carrying on a spoken conversation this shutdown or 'going blank' doesn't occur. And with no shutdown I'll have no need of 'brain jogging' to restart my processing activity. Also rarely are these activities stressful.

When given a spoken callback phone number, the caller likely assumes that I can easily process their spoken number yet I never can. This can be very frustrating! When I copy words or phrases from text and into my notes I must break this information into very small manageable chunks. When reading long sentences I can only read several words at one time then, I must pause and process before continuing.

When tested for LD at age 35, I was told to read aloud a paragraph which I could do nearly as well as the average reader. But then when asked about what I had just read, I couldn't answer many of the tester's questions. He hadn't asked me to absorb the information as I was reading it aloud but to only read it aloud. The part of my brain that reads the words doesn't necessarily absorb the meaning behind the words being read -- This was something that my school teachers couldn't understand. To me these are two different mental processing activities.

Being a slow reader presents other difficulties requiring both patience and a good working memory to not forget the first part of a long sentence while reading the final segment -- sometimes requiring a reread.

Since infancy I've had binocular vision due to a slight muscle unbalance in my right eye. I was told that this too contributes to my reading difficulties which then requires additional processing. So my right-handed though left-eye dominant. Seeing two different images combined within my right eye can be an interesting entertainment …yet I'll only notice this when my eyes aren't focused or I might only be filtering it out.
 
@spinningmytires - I doubt that what you're describing has a clear relationship to fibro; it's got very clear correlations to a number of neurological processing disorders, as you've rightly pointed out. I'm curious - is there any connection that your doctors have discussed with you between your specific kinds of processing difficulties, and something like complex regional pain syndrome?
 
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