Cognitive decline as a result of trauma
I would like to know if anyone else here has experienced cognitive decline after going through trauma. I have seen my linguistic, cognitive , creative abilities disappear overnight after i eperienced an emotionally traumatic event. But i do not get how that could happen since i was never physically hurt. ,only psycologically and emotionally. Is it same for others?
@inthequeue
Hello inthequeue. I have noticed the same. It is frightening at times, I find myself making more errors when it comes to pronouncing words etc.. As a whole I feel more slower and sluggish, but especially having trouble forming sentences and switching words around bugged me alot. I have since grown more used to it, and have also read that the brain can recover from this given adequate treatment and time/healing, so that is a hopeful thought for me.
@KittyKeats yes, it has been really hard for me to start from scratch, specially when being good at studies was a big part of my identity, and afterwards, I could not even comprehend basic concepts. I am looking for more people who experienced the same and willing to understand how they got through it. Its hard to explain the effects of trauma and stress on cognitive abilities to people around me , they do not really believe what I'm saying.
@intheque sure, sudden onset of cogtinave abilitys are not uncommon right after truma, it can also manifest after long term psychological trauma as well. The brain is a computer, it finds the most efficient route signals for survival. Side affect loss of availability to be creative
@Charley6R Yes all these fit me to the tea. I experienced long term psychological trauma, and for years my brain did just the bare minimum to get by, and sometimes even less. Hopefully, It can recover .
@inthequeue recovery from long term psylogical truma is treatable! and you're taking action to rebound just by being here. I try to find all my past joys and take out all the toxic crap associated with it and redo some events
@Charley6R Thanks 
, this gives me hope. I become discouraged seeing how much my abilities and skills have decreased. But I am seeing slow recovery in myself.
I experience the same. It adds to my depression some days. It really helps to read what others here have said. Thankyou.
@shellofashell yeah for the longest time I could not understand why I'm getting worse at everything. But once I realized many people experience this due to trauma, it made me feel less scared. Learning that these functions are recoverable also gives me hope.
Yes! Not overnight but slowly..
Exactly. Misery loves the company!!! So glad it's not just me. I sound like I acquired a speech impediment. I try to say things that are mapped out in my head, clear thoughts, and then I get all flustered and tongue twisted and my lips can't get out the words and I sputter out something that people can figure out by context but I feel so uncomfortable that I can't even speak "normally". My speech has definitely been compromised. How about concentrating and short term memory loss? I find myself in the middle of a story and I just stop and I go blank. And if someone interrupted me, forget it, that train of thought is gone. I can hear you tell me something and in 2 minutes I don't remember what you said?????
@hopeful1971 I get memory problems as well. I recently learned that it is a sign of dissociation, to go blank and forget in the middle of your speech. Everything justt becomes 10 times more difficult because of this.
It just makes me feel dumb. I make the effort to spend time with other people, which at times is hard for me right now, and then I go blank and everything stops. People stare at me, waiting for me to finish my sentence and I’m just stuck. I then can either say that I have mental problems and share things I’m not ready to and can’t yet, or I can ask the person to remind me of what I was saying and apologize, usually using humor in some way. I feel like people think I’ve had a stroke- not kidding!
@hopeful1971 yes, I understand your frustration, I felt stupid as well. Right after I experienced my cognitive decline, I had to start university. I was in a hard STEM program, and at every class and at every lecture it was terrifying to realize I didn't grasp simple sentences in the lecture, let alone complex concepts. I was in mortal fear of being caught, and I still remember the times my professor asked me sometching really basic, like an algebra equation from high school, and I could not answer it. But, I soldiered through bearing all the embarrassments, and after years of it, I now finally am much better. I stubbornly stuck to pushing myself with reading more, attempting more cerebral challenges, and even though I failed hard in most of it, my cognition has definitely improved. I'm much better at holding conversations now, although I still get caught making embarrassing mistakes. In my case, having a quick routine in the morning that challenges the brain has paid off. I usually go through chemistry flash cards in the morning to jump start my day. Journaling, or reading a few pages from a book also helps.
Yeah it happens happening with me too but as you start healing things will get back to normal. Just focus on healing.
It always helps me to hear from others who are having the same challenges. And knowing that there can be an end to it someday is reassuring.
Thank you for all your support and kind words. Feeling blessed for the support.