I've been struggling recently to understand not only a lot of things around me in my life and the news cycle, but within my own head. Deadlines are anxiety-inducing, I worry about every message I send to friends and family, and I'm not even sure what direction my life and identity are headed.
And that, my friends, is brain fog. Brain fog can be defined as the state in which a person feels that their processes of thinking, memory, understanding, and perception are not working properly.
Brain fog is sending a friend a message, you get a response a bit later, and don't remember the context of that response.
Brain fog is repeating yourself because you didn't remember stating something even minutes before.
Brain fog is writing a to-do list multiple times a day, crossing out the same items because you need to feel like you accomplished something.
Brain fog is looking at a school assignment, knowing the answer, and yet being somehow physically unable to write down and comprehend that answer.
Brain fog is being on a phone call and not remembering which conversations have already happened.
Brain fog is asking questions and remembering you already know what's going on.
Brain fog is feeling like everything you say bothers everyone else, because you can't process their behaviors as anything else.
Brain fog is constantly checking your email because you swear you forgot to respond to someone.
Brain fog is struggling to leave bed, be presentable, go outside, for fear of being seen as "faking", "stupid", or any other invalidation of experience.
Brain fog is a complete and utter loss of control.
Brain fog is writing this article and being unable to fill out the list without sadness, frustration, anger, defeat, and a headache.