Re-Training My Brain to Watch TV and Play Video Games
 

This is just an experiment...I'm not sure if its going to be beneficial or not.

Why can't I watch TV or play video games? I'm 9 months into my recovery...I should be able to do that by now...right? Wrong.

Let me explain. I was an avid gamer pre-injury. I was absolutely addicted to my X-Box 360 and was in the video game store at least once or twice a week. I spent countless hours gaming...online and offline. It was one of my favorite things to do.

I was injured in June of 2011. My life changed that day...I spent 3 days in the hospital and about 3 weeks in bed. After I was able to walk and the pain subsided...I felt like I was my normal self again. I went back to playing video games and watching TV. Those two things didn't cause me any problems...at all. Even after my symptoms showed up in September, I spent another 2 months playing without it aggravating my cognitive or physical symptoms.

Then, in November, I played a new game that I bought all day. When I turned the game off...I was a complete space cadet for an entire week. Ever since that day, I've been unable to play games or watch TV without bringing on extreme, long lasting brain fog.

I'm fed up...I want to play my games and watch TV again. My neurologist told me the other day that he thinks its psychological. I think that part of it is, but not all of it. I have a theory...I think ever since that day I played all day and spent an entire week in space...it scared the crap out of me and every time I've tried again and felt a little spacey, I turned the TV/game off so it doesn't happen again.

Anyhow, when I told my neurologist that I can't watch TV and play games he said..."Yes you can. Why not? You THINK that you can't". He said I'm not having seizures...so...I hope that he's right.

I also think that since its been so long since I've watched TV or played a game, my brain is just not used to it anymore....so....

...today, I started watching TV again. It got me spacey...and messed me up cognitively, but I noticed if I watched for 5-10 minutes, took a break, and watched for another 5-10 minutes...It wasn't as bad. Each time I did that, I could watch it for longer and longer.

Now...I'm playing a simple 2D fighting game on my X-Box. It was space cadet city the first round. So, I took a break. Now I'm able to last a whole round or two before I need to take a break.

I guess I'll find out if its messing me up when I wake up tomorrow. I really hope not...I'd love to dust my controller off and start playing again. I'd love to watch a movie with my girlfriend.

TV and video games have anti-anxiety properties.

We shall see...

Nick

The jury will be out until you see how you are tomorrow.

If anything has anti-anxiety properties it would be sex. The hormones and neuro-transmitters that flow during and after sex should be settling the anxieties.

You may have a dopamine disorder from your years of drug addiction. Addiction is strongly tied to the way the dopamine response works.

hey nick, just curious if your latest neurologist gave u any meds. Mine gave me topamax but it makes me more dizzy then i am.

anyway about the tv stuff, i'm the same way, at first it was abou 10 min of tv, 5 months ago now i can usually watch a movie with a few breaks in between. but it definietly brings on the symptoms so i have to watch it. sometimes I wonder wether it's anxiety or the brain injury because i was told that anxiety brings on physical symptoms but it's so hard to tell.

for gaming i don't do much but my kids play the Wii and I don't last long at all maybe 5-10 min so Tv for me is much easier especially on a smaller screen.

valleybob,

The brain injury makes you susceptible to over-stimulation.

The over-stimulation causes the anxiety.

After a couple of games last night, I got really spacey and got a feeling of derealization. I turned the game off and it wouldn't go away so I went to bed.

Today, I woke up and its still there. I feel derealized, spacey and my left frontal lobe is pulsating and burning inside my head. Weird.

I'm gonna wait till I start NCEP and see what they have to say...They might have some kind of therapy for this. I'm gonna wear myself out before I even get there.

So frustrating.

Valleybob - He didn't prescribe me any medication. He actually said he was going to treat me as if I was having seizures since the EEG's came back clear, but after I described the feeling I get when I watch TV...and the fact my cognitive problems are constant and only get worse with TV, he said it sounds likes its psychological. So, no meds from him.

I have a ton of anti-seizure medication called Gabapentin... I haven't taken it since October...and I also haven't taken it since this problem started. But, I really don't think its seizures because I've read and heard from others they last a couple seconds...not the whole time you watch TV. I also don't lose consciousness. I'm fully aware that I'm becoming spaced out and foggy.

What happens when you watch TV? If its the same thing as me...your the first person I've ran into that shares my struggles.

Nick

If I watch a screen with moving parts, I quickly experience overstimulation. The more action on the screen the worse it is. The more noise, the worse. I can handle no more than about 30 minutes, with breaks. If I push it, I become foggy and confused and the following day is downhill. Of course, I am still early in my recovery, so that may have something to do with it.

On a good note, we got rid of tv/cable. What a wonderful choice. Now if I want to see something, I have to choose (a video). So much better. :)

I'm sorry to hear you struggle with something similar to me...it sucks!

I'm almost 10 months into my recovery. This problem didn't start until 5 months after the injury...its weird, nobody can figure out why. Prior to November, I had no problem watching TV or playing my games. I also had more thought clarity and much less problems than I have today....

...but its a mystery to my doctors and everyone I have ever spoke to about it.

I'm told its all psychological...not so sure.

Nick

After my car accident i only had headaches. It wasnt for 4 or 5 months later that i started to notice other symptoms. Know its been over 3 years with pcs.

Can't watch tv
 

I experience the same thing. I don't believe it's psychological at all. The white on the screen is VERY difficult for me to view then add the movement

and the sound and I can only handle a fewe minutes. I haven't watched tv, listen to music in my house or car for 18 months. I keep trying...but all I
want to do is be in the dark, quiet room with a pillow over my head. Have
you read the book "Stroke of Insight"? If not, check it out.

hey nick, for me it's when i watch too much tv, or computer or any screen, I get this weird pressure headache from tempo to tempo, and i get really dizzy. And it doesn't take much to trigger, so maybe it's not quite the same thing as you.

i have the same feeling of brain fog, but its 24/7 and without any kind of stimulation. :( It dosent matter if im driving, brushing my teeth, watching tv. Brain fogs my primary symptom too. it sucks

Me too...although improving. Make sure you check out posts on vision and neuro- opthamology, chickenmonkey.

From My Journey experience
 

At my 9month mark of "unknown" diagnosis:I had wrote in my journal on my iphone that, I took my child to a cartoon movie one evening.The whole time in the movie I felt like I was seeing tracers, blur or double vision, psychedelia, nausea, depression and felt REALLY WEIRD!I had just got back from a vacation in the caribbean so I thought maybe I had jet lag. I spent the whole movie googling material on Malaria!I thought I had Malaria as well then I decided jet lag lol.

I don't remember anything after that 9month mark.I was on bed rest for 5month's and some genius MD put me on 4 different muscle relaxers at the same time!!!(That I had to wheam myself off)I went to a physical therapist for myofascial massages at this time.The physical therapist was scared to do anything with me because this "unknown" diagnosis stage and my speech was impaired BADLY!I was only able to move around for MAYBE a hour at a time.My head felt like it was about to blow up from my ears, jaw, eyes, everything!

After getting a diagnosis I have improved greatly. In the last 5 months I have shown improvement by having the fighter attitude, self help, right medical aid, medical direction, change of lifestyle, correct eating, Reading my body, correct vitamins and medication.

I hope things start turning around for you and you find some relief soon.But most important you can get better in time.I learned patience is the BIGGEST reward in this syndrome.And the concussion and post concussion have to run the course(that's how I look at it)You will get better.