I too dislike the raining MATH and I am bad at word finding bubbles.

Sorry for jumping in on this topic, but I just joined up so I could write here. I've been suffering from the effects of three, maybe four concussions in the last 2 years. Mostly the usual symptoms, cognitive and memory difficulties and such. I was always a unorganised and forgetful person already, now it's just ridiculous. Plus I have Bi-Polar Disorder to boot, so mood changes are quite bad.

But that's not my point. I've always been a very creative person. I've been studying photography and am embarking on my career and wanting to start a business. I've always been doing projects, I'm also a musician, did a bit of writing, all that sort. Lately I just haven't been able to do anything like that, I just get completely stuck. It only occurred to me a few minutes ago that this may be linked to my concussions. Is it possible? And do you think I can get it back?

My creativity is (or was) a big part of who I am. I really do feel hollow and pointless without it. If it's gone then I'm not quite sure what I'm supposed to do with my life.

1erasmus,

Welcome to NeuroTalk. Your struggles sound familiar.

Please feel free to start your own thread with the symptoms you are struggling with. There are many good people here to help and support you. The thread "Vitamins" has some good information and links that you may find helpful.

You say you are on a lot of meds (Your Sleep Apnea post). What meds are you taking ? What is the objective of each med ?

Many doctors use meds rather than trying to understand their patient's symptoms. Over-medication after a concussion is common.

How long have you been diagnosed as Bi-polar ? Does it have an coincidence with your concussions ?

My best to you.

CC and DFayes,

What are you trying to accomplish by doing Lumosity ? It sounds like it is stressing you. Its value for rehabilitation has not been studied successfully.

I know exactly how you feel. I have felt much the same way. The good news is, that I have started being more creative again. It just takes a lot of effort and doesn't feel easy, but then I guess it never really did. At least with writing, it can be hard work but so rewarding. The main thing is that I think it's like everything else with PCS pick--you have to ease into it and you can't jump in with both feet. In particular, I can only read about one poem, maybe two before I have to stop. (Mainly this is because of my eyes.) Reading is a part of my creative process. I don't write if I'm not reading. In this way, I guess my remaining PCS symptoms are still holding me back. I do believe that they will get better with more therapy and more time, so for now I just have to at least start. I have to do what little I can to get out of this stagnation. When I was at the height of my PCS symptoms, I did just have to accept that fact that I was not going to be creative until I started feeling better. But then once I did start feeling better, and I felt up to it, writing my first children's book was such an awesome feeling. It's not poetry but it's something I always wanted to do, and I'm proud of myself for pushing the limits of what I thought capable of doing and creating something again.

I know it feels hard, and I don't know where you are in your struggles, but have faith that you can get your creativity back. I think it's just a process. I'm not finished with the process yet, but I'm getting there. I think you can to. Just think baby steps!

Mark, as I've said in my previous posts about it, I found Lumosity to be an invaluable tool in recovering my cognitive function, regardless of whether or not there is any science to back this up yet. In fact, rather than increase my anxiety, it's actually had the opposite effect. By allowing me to see myself getting better, it helped to alleviate a lot of anxiety. I'm not saying it's for everyone at every stage of the recovery process, but it's worth doing the free trial to see if it' might be helpful IMO. There are times when my eye-related symptoms make it so I'd better restrict my computer usage, but that's about the only negative from my POV. You can feel free to disagree but you won't change my mind about the benefits I have experienced.