Why does my brain shut down when I try to work on uni stuff?

[hmpf]

And not just my brain - whenever I *try* to work on anything even remotely 'important', I *immediately* get *physically* tired - can't concentrate, eyes are burning, eyelids drooping, limbs feeling heavy... also, I'm freezing, which at 24 degrees Celsius is just a *tad* odd. And it's been like that for weeks. Months.

Anyone know that feeling?

Just for the record: *Really* about to finish the two essays/papers/thingies now; one of them is total crap, but I don't care. That one also happens to be six months overdue, so chances are the prof won't accept it anymore, anyway. The other one's about three weeks overdue and slightly better. Also, I have a *really important* exam on Wednesday for which I should have done *massive* amounts of revision, yet I haven't done *anything* yet (reasons: see above). I mean, I haven't even *opened* a book yet. Tomorrow I don't have time to do any revision because I have classes followed by work; can't skip classes because I skipped them last week already because I was feeling quite ill (and frantically trying to finish my papers/essays/thingies, as well); can't skip work, either - they're not that flexible there, and I *do* need the job. Tuesday I can't do much revision either, because I have classes again, again followed by work. So I'll probably fail that exam. I may be fairly smart, but I do need to revise before exams.

And, you know, failing that exam isn't the end of the world because I can try again, but it *will* set me back another semester I can't really afford. Then again, I *should* have finished a third 20-page essay by now already, anyway, *and* gotten the topics for yet another two, and I haven't even been able yet to drag myself to classes...

Friend of mine with experience in psychological crises says I should go and see a doctor, get a note that I'm having a bit of a crisis and can't have that exam right now. But then, I figure, I don't really have much to lose by sitting it - I mean, the worst that can happen is that I'll fail, and, as I said, while vaguely embarrassing, that's hardly the end of the world. And if I *do* manage to somehow scrape through, then that will be one more hurdle taken.

Maybe I'll get a doctor's note yet try for the exam anyway. Hmm.

Comments

arbeit

[(Anonymous)]

Wo arbeitest du ? John.

In einer Bibliothek.

[hmpf.livejournal.com]

nt

[nogias.livejournal.com]

I've been having some real issues with this semester too. I think it's in the air. I was diagnosed with mononecleousis, and the symptoms sound really familiar to what you are going through. Stress makes it worse even.

If it helps, you may want to focus on the first things due right now and then start thinking about each one in succession. I ended up writing down everything that was pertinent on a list from most important to subsequent importance. I wouldn't even look at the next thing on the list until I was done on the one I was working on, and I'd take lots of breaks to do stuff that just let my brain fry and had really nothing to do with my academic work (like ten minutes to play solataire or eat a sandwich).

Oh, lists...

[hmpf.livejournal.com]

lists don't help. And 'focusing on what's most important' only works if there is a hierarchy of importance of some kind. If you only have three thousand things that have been overdue for ages, it doesn't really work. I mean, sure, I could probably have focused on the exam instead of the essays, because those were overdue anyway and the exam *is* on Wednesday... but I kind of thought I could finish the essays weeks ago, and then didn't want to stop because, well, if I stop I can't get back into it again afterwards. Also, I *needed* to finish the essays, because I couldn't go to uni anymore for fear of meeting the prof...

Also, most of these things are things that will take weeks and months to accomplish, so it's not like I'd be able to cross a lot of stuff off a hypothetical list anytime soon.

And it's not like I don't try the list approach, sometimes. The list always ends up as long as my arm, and the top ten items on it are always items that would take months even if I could concentrate on them completely, so... yeah, lists don't work, unfortunately.

And this has been going on my life for ages and ages. Years. It's just always getting worse, and finally reaching the point now where I can't go on like this anymore.

Essentially, I need to get rid of 90% of everything that's going on in my life. Just don't know how.

Also, even if I got rid of stuff, I'm not sure the concentration issue would be solved by that.

Re: Oh, lists...

[nogias.livejournal.com]

Huh.. That is awful. No wonder you are stressed.

However, all those symptoms you listed are very consistant with viral infection. Deffinately see the doc, if not for the excuse note, at least peace of mind of knowing whats going on.

Infection?

[hmpf.livejournal.com]

Seriously?

Can it last for years? Because all of these issues have been present in my life for about a decade now; they've only finally reached critical mass. I tend to think it's psychological, really. But maybe I should get myself checked for physical stuff, too.

Anyway, thanks for trying to help. It's appreciated.

Re: Infection?

[nogias.livejournal.com]

Yes, viral infections never leave the system. Hence how someone only really gets chicken pox once in their life because the anti-bodies were created from the dead virus already present in the bloodstream.

There is a really rare instance where you could have been infected by the ebsteen barr virus that causes Mono and it actually reactivates and becomes another infection when the body becomes abnormally stressed out.

Check the glands on the front of your throat and on your neck for swelling mostly. Always go to a doctor to confirm, but it is a rare possibility.

It might also be psychosematic and only come up when you have so much stress. Who knows.

Wo bist du in Deutschland? Bei Hamburg? Bei Berlin? Nort? Ost?

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

It occurs to me another two reasons why it might make sense to get a note from a doctor:

1 - peace of mind for yourself - or a more measured opinion as to whether or not you need help.

2 - it might weigh in your favour re: the late essay being accepted.

I'm not sure I know the feeling physically tired bit. I know the feeling of your brain betraying you - of every time you get yourself worked up to do *work* - your brain decides to shut down - think about something else, *refuse* to let you concentrate even if it's something you want to do. Like...you can't even get through a sentence without your mind wandering. Being completely disconnected and bored from your reading material even if you *want* to be getting it done. Even stuff you're doing for yourself sometimes.

But the getting physically tired not quite so much. I suppose it could be something similar to what happens to me but with physical tiredness being a psycho-somatic reaction to your brain disengaging?

I'd certainly suggest asking about this viral thing.

[(Anonymous)]

Well, could be anything, stress, burnout, major or atypical depression, thyroid
or some other hormones, or just the typical trend towards hypochondriasis when
you have to listen to yourself and your feelings doing something something
creative. Plus everyone of these can lead to the others.

Sounds like you defeated it this time, if you don't want it to happen again, you
could try several ways of coping with it, maybe some more organizing (well, THAT and
creativity is an oxymorone), maybe by a friend, or letting go of some things.
And if it has been this way for many years, you could always try legal speed, eh,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adult_attention-deficit_disorder

Just in case it really gets bad again. And well, check the viral thing, IANAD,
most infections get better after some time, but there are viruses that stay in your
system to resurface when the immune system is compromised, herpes simplex comes
to mind, but there are others. And then maybe it's just creativity... ;)

best regards, Andreas

PS.: Sorry for stalking again, just wanted to see if you had made any disastrous
remarks about the chaotic guy fighting the beamer and talking too much at LOM at
DortCon...
Sorry again. And yes, I'll see a doctor about it. Sorry again, eh... ;)