Loss of intelligence after long depression

[GiantSquid]

Has anyone noticed a change in their ability to learn new things after depression? I've been seriously depressed for last 3,5 years and a month ago I decided to try learning a new language because I couldn't bear living in a limbo anymore. It's been a struggle. Teacher uses English to teach me Russian, which could be the reason, but I have previously studied some university courses in English and it hadn't been a problem. My ability to memorize words is especially affected. I do all right with grammar, but memorizing a list of ten adjectives is a real struggle no matter which method I use. I tested my theory trying to teach a few adjectives to my husband whose matriculation examination grades in languages are lower than mine, and he learned them quicker than I did. I have previously finished two Master's degrees and never struggled with my studies like now.
I'm wondering whether the effect on my intelligence is permanent or does it go away if the depression ends... which isn't in sight right now. If anything, feeling bad about this issue has pushed me five points lower on Beck's depression scale to 35.

 

[Survivor3]

Hi @GiantSquid , the simple answer is yes for me! I have experienced a loss in the capacity to learn from depression and mental illness on a whole. I mean chuck in decades of alcoholism and then medication aswell and the damage is quite significant what with abuse and trauma. I have good days and bad days.

But to my credit I have been learning the saxophone so that proves all is not lost and there is hope!

 

[Ecdysis]

Yeah. I feel like my IQ has dropped 40 points

 

[mszl]

Same for me. Thinking and concentrating is so hard. I've been in depression for many years now. Not good in my line of work as a software engineer.

 

[GiantSquid]

Harvard medicine says we're right . The article is more about antidepressants not helping with intelligence issue, but it does confirm that depression affects intelligence.

 

[enough]

the idea that stress causes physical changes in the body is easily acceptable by most people but many of us doubt the same idea when it applies to our mental ability.
for me the concept that makes it palatable is that our brains are our “budget keepers” and will conserve energy when faced with limited reserves. Physical changes brought on by stress are quantifiable, things like digestion being slowed, even growth in adolescents is slowed in an effort by our brains to conserve energy for fight or flight for survival during times of stress. It feels like a small jump from there to easily accepting some of these same changes are caused by depression and from there to accepting that mental changes are also a possibility.
If my brain is trying to put available energy to its best use, I kind of expect that solving the problems caused by depression will get a higher priority than learning, curiosity, even memory and creativity.
thats kind of comforting, thinking that temporary limitations to what we call intelligence will pass when our fantastic elastic plastic brains heal from the damages of depression and stress.

 

[Friday]

Language is one of those quirky things for me… it takes me about 3 days to get conversational in-country, a couple of months to be fluent… but after 6mo of formal study in a classroom? I’m still absolute shite, retain next to nothing, and my accent is unintelligible if I can even remember the words.

Did you do well learning languages in isolation, before you were depressed?

 

[GiantSquid]

Did you do well learning languages in isolation, before you were depressed?

I was quite good. I guess that's why I notice the difference so much.

 

[Friday]

I was quite good. I guess that's why I notice the difference so much.

It is profoundly personal when we suddenly go stupid. Being sick? Or tired? We’re used to that. Reading the same page, paragraph, sentence over and over. Nothing sinks in. It’s all fog and confusion and wrong. It’s OFTEN the time we go home from work, sick. Because we can’t even READ. And that’s what hits us more than the lethargy. More than the everything. The basics, not working.

PTSD? f*cks the ability to read…. Here & there. A giant blob of text, incomprehensible. Words, words, words.

But? Like being sick? It’s transitory. So we cope/adapt/move on.

If you still feel stupid? Don’t have access to the intrinsic facilities of your mind? Your innate talents and strengths? You are still depressed. “Just” not as badly as you were… OR… this is a side effect of your medication.

IE/EG = Keep fighting.

 

[parrotthepolly]

I agree, and swear my own IQ has dropped at least 10 points over the last few years.

I've noticed with severe depression and being in a constant fight or flight mode it's hard to think clearly, learn to do slightly difficult tasks as well as physically be able to do everyday tasks, not just no motivation but like I'm frozen in one place, both mentally and physically.
Also have no interest to do anything... Makes sense since the brain is in "survival" mode.

The ability to remember things, especially making new memories and learning is also affected in both PTSD and depression from what I've read.

 

[squeedle]

I encountered a dramatic shift in all of my cognitive abilities a year and a half ago. Horrible short-term memory, focus shot even with Ritalin. Cognitive testing showed no brain irregularities, so I'm blaming my severe CPTSD for now.

 

[arfie]

depression isn't the only psych symptom which affects my ability to function, be it for learning, loving or just getting by. for my strictly personal self-esteem, i refuse to accept any of my symptoms or their side effects as permanent. i feel a pall of hopelessness at the very thought. i like to think of my psych symptoms in physical analogies. recovery from a bout of psychic flu can be managed far better than a loss of hope.

but that is me and every case is unique.

steadying support while you sort your own case.