My mind has been "cloudy" for the last two years or so, and it's ruining my life?

[bethgoldstien127]

PLEASE to read this

It feels like there is a lot of pressure on my brain, like I constantly have a mild head ache. I feel like my ability to access the "thinking" part of my brain is blocked out, it's almost as if I'm a zombie. I use to have a very vivid imagination and could solve puzzles and do complicated math problems in my head quickly, but none of that seems possible anymore. I just feel like a dummy.

I feel like I'm wasting my life away because I can't access the deepest most important parts of my brain. It's like I don't exist.. It's really scaring me, I want to be "smart" again. My brain is just lazy, it refuses to work with me..Here are some facts about me that could help you answer my problem. I'm 18 years old, and I'm pretty stressed out. I don't know if I'm depressed, I'm definitely not happy though. I eat healthy. I don't eat fast food very often. Although I eat healthy, I don't exercise. I'm not fat or anything, but I definitely lose my breath after some running. I don't drink alcohol and i use to smoke for 3 months.

e last thing about me is that my sleeping schedule is messed up. Sometimes I sleep really long, and sometimes I just don't sleep very long at all. Even if I sleep normal for a few days straight (8-9 hours of sleep), I still have this cloudy feeling in my brains.

I don't have any blood problems or anything, so what's going on? I start college soon and I really don't want this hopefully temporary problem to ruin my future.

What type of doctor would help me figure out the root of the problem if I need professional help? I'm crying out for help. =(

[CDC91]

A related discussion, Losing my mind... was started.

[jackie722]

Yep you need a CT Scan or MRI ...just to be 100% sure everything is okay...there....

[LVGirlRN]

PLEASE SEE A NEUROLOGIST RIGHT AWAY for an MRI of your brain and some blood tests. It is normal to feel a little depressed when you just dont feel like yourself. Your problems are not normal for your age. You will have to go thru some testing to figure it out so be patient... Ive been thru the same thing so I know how you are feeling. Its frustrating. But get to the specialist doctor right away and figure out whats going on. Dont delay!

[Ricobord]

There a number of different conditions that could cause the cloudy feeling you have.  I am guessing it is the same as the "brain fog" that many other people describe.  Brain fog, along with non-refreshing sleep are vague symptoms that don't always have an obvious cause.

Some possibilities are autoimmune disorders such as Sjogren's or MS or Celiac, as well as Fibromyalgia, Thyroid malfunction, and some infections, such as Lyme Disease.  (I have Lyme and I had the same mental sluggishness and fatigue you describe for 6 months before other symptoms started.). Some nutritional deficiencies can also cause this feeling.

Your best bet is to go to your regular doctor first. S/He can do a number of blood tests to see what direction they point to. A CBC, a metabolic panel, levels of vitamins and minerals whose deficiency could cause fatigue, rheumatic factors, ANA, Lyme (although negatives don't exclude it), immune systen function, and others would give you more information and might point you towards a particular specialist, such as a rheumatologist or neurologist.

Good luck!  And go see your doctor soon. The diagnostic process sometimes takes a while.