[Butterscotch.]

Originally Posted by This_is_the_greatest_plan

That sounds rough, Dawn, Im sorry youre going through that. Its really puzzling that theyre happening randomly with no apparent trigger. I wonder how the brain fogs related, if it is in the first place?

Intrusive thoughts can occur at any given time for no reason. That's a part of depression, anxiety, PTSD. Brain fog is a huge part of depression and dissociation, because you're basically moving through the day, you're body making the motions needed, you're doing the things thatn eed to get done, but it's all automatic. You're not really there.

But a lot of people use "brain fog" when they really mean they're exhausted or they're distracted. Brain fog is part of chronic illness, one that accompanies long-term depression and can be co-morbid with anxiety and PTSD. If anyone ever feels "brain fog" due to exhaustion, that can be easily solved by getting sleep, eating right, and exercising.

Whether our "brain fog" is chronic or temporary, we should always take care of ourselves. It's not easy to remind ourselves that these intrusive thoughts are just that, intrusive — they might be 1% truth and 99% fiction. Finding something to watch on your preferred streaming platform, calling up your best friend, cooking a healthy meal are some examples.

But people with profound brain fog, the one that lasts for years and isn't just a "24 hour" thing these might not be effective. Seeking psychiatric help would be the biggest, best, safest step to take. There might not be a root cause, because depression doesn't need an explanation. Depression doesn't need an excuse. It just is and we need to manage that.

It's how we manage our depression — such as talking to a therapist regularly — will improve our lives dramatically.