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Lithium and concentration/abstract thinking

Posted by Adam Donahue on November 26, 2003, at 14:52:17

Folks,

I posted a couple weeks ago following a drinking binge and the horrible depression that followed. My mood has definitely started getting better -- I'm not so easily distracted and I'm not obsessing as much -- but I'm not 100%. My main complaint now is my mental abilities. And this is why I'm writing.

Two weeks ago, I started on lithium at 300 mg, twice daily. My mindset had been horrible at the time, so I didn't attribute my lack of concentration and my fatigue to the drug, but rather to the depression caused by alcohol.

Now, however, I feel my mood getting better, but my concentration is still haywire. I am starting to wonder if this is the lithium.

For a couple days, I dropped the dose to 300 mg once per day, and I think my head started to clear a bit -- I wasn't as tired, and I could focus on something I typically enjoy (philosophy) without a brain pang.

But two days ago I upped the dose back to 600 mg, and last night felt the same way -- unable to focus on something.

It's a hard thing to explain, but it exhibits itself this way: I seem to have a hard time making mental 'connections' in my brain. Particularly with regard to abstract concepts, like mathematics and logic.

Usually, I am very, very sharp at making (or receiving) these connections -- highly logical, organized, and able to tackle the most complex problems, and to analyze and abstract them as necessary to come up with elegant solutions. That means thinking about mathematics in an abstract way; reading philosophy and being able to comprehend and /question/ it well; and solving problems in my professional domain of computing.

Now, however, I feel like these 'abstractive' abilities have been hindered -- and I am wondering if this might be the lithium?

I also tend to get a weird sensation reading, like a tingle in my head, as if the words are simply seeping into my mind, but not being GRASPED by my brain. Again, it's hard to explain. My memory seems fine -- but I can't just HOLD the concepts like I know I typically could.

Is this lithium? The alcohol (which would be a dramatic change of one alcoholic binge)? Lingering depression? ..... Does it go away?

Anyone else had these experiences?

Adam


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poster:Adam Donahue thread:284138
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20031126/msgs/284138.html