I'm wondering if severe stress can cause further damage to the brain and permanent symptoms?

I'm asking because I just found out something, through a text, that sent my body into stress mode. My heart was beating like crazy, my face turned red and I'm just extremely stressed out...

...but I'm more calm now and my mind is still screwed up. I just tried to make a phone call to a nurse about some medication I'm taking and my speech was messed up. My words were coming out faster than my brain could think them, I was stuttering and saying stuff that didn't make sense.

I'm also writing the wrong words in text...BIG time. I usually mess up a word once every 20 text messages or so. I'm doing it like every text message now.

I'm freakin' out.

Don't freak out.

I think stress not only makes my brain screwy while I'm stressed but since it takes so much energy to be stressed out that my brain stays screwy until after I've rested it significantly. And that might mean a nap but usually means a full night's sleep.

And, as you know, the stress I'm talking about isn't every-day levels of stress - but the tiniest little wrench in the system. Something that I wouldn't even consider stressful if I had my normally-working brain back. So at first, and still sometimes, it's difficult to recognize it as a stressful event.

Take it easy. Breathe.

Thanks, I just read an artice that talks about how a highly stressful event can damage brain cells. As if I've got very many to spare...sheesh.

http://www.fl.edu/learn/brain/stress.html

I'm wondering if I should take a Xanax and just chill out.

Your link doesn't work. But just the idea of it has now freaked *me* out!

http://www.fi.edu/learn/brain/stress.html

Sorry, that one should work. I was surfing from my phone and had to write the website out by hand.

OMG I'm so messed up right now.

Recent research shows that just taxing your brain with constant 'multi-tasking' can cause damage to brain cells. The current mantra to learn to multitask goes against good health practices.

Life without multi-tasking is much better. I used to be able to do three or four things at once. No more.

Good find, Nick.

btw, The loss of brain cells is over an extended period of time, months, not days. This is why counseling is often offered to those who experienced a stressful and traumatic event. The de-stressing of the brain can stop or slow this deterioration.

My best to you.

Stress and lack of sleep make my symptoms a lot worse.. Ironically, although I am a neontatal intensive care nurse, my job doesn't stress me.. I can function ok at work, although I am overstimulated most of the time with the alarms, phones, babies crying etc.. My stress comes when my electric or water is turned off because I didn't pay the bill.. and the time my car was reposessed a few weeks ago because I didn't pay the car payment (even though I had more than enough money in the bank!). Under stress I get worsening headaches, difficulty finding words, difficulty concentrating on tasks at home and work, easily distracted, lightheaded ness, easily overstimulated etc.. If I can keep the stress at bay after a few weeks I go back to my new norm (for past couple of years) of still having symptoms, but more tolerable..

Your problems are classic Post Concussion Syndrome. Nothing sounds like ADD.

At work you have the alarms to keep you on task. The over-stimulation leaves you more symptomatic at home where you do not have the alarms and other system.

There are two PCS symptoms that are difficult to live with. The poor memory makes it difficult to use memory only to remember to complete tasks. The easy distractability just makes it worse. You can start to do a task but see something that distracts or redirects your attention.

So, if you can set up systems at home that make it so you do not need to use cognitive thought or memory to get bills paid, you will do much better. You are focusing on the symptoms not the causes.

Accepting the causes as who you are for the time being and developing the work-arounds will give you skills that will serve you well for life.

Hope you understand this.

My best to you.