Regaining intelligence/brain power?

I was just wondering if anyone can provide advice based on their experience on how long it has taken for you to regain your brain power/thinking capacity/intelligence through recovery from your ED?

I have always considered myself a reasonably intelligent person but through my ED I found that my capacity to even work out simple things like calculating something, processing logic etc was reduced. I am seeing good signs from my recovery from an emotional perspective (e.g. I feel more emotions now rather than just being a hollow unfeeling shell) but am a bit worried about how the 'intelligence' side of things is still a bit slow....

I suspect part of it is because ED's are all consuming and that made me lack focus and interest in other things? I am so desperately wanting to be interested in other things again, i want a hobby and I want to be able to think about things like I used to!

The brain is an energy hog. It is only 4% of your body mass and it needs 20% of all the energy you take in. Of course without the other vital organs to get all the nutrients to the brain, the brain is really of no use -- which is why when you recover the body works to protect vital organs first and you have to suffer through a reduced capacity in thinking while that happens.

The emotional system will come on line first because it is critical for decision making and judgment -- it has real value for survival. We are taught to believe that it is the logical system (the prefrontal cortex) that is critical, but decisions and good judgment only happen if you have a functioning emotional system.

So you are already well on your way. The intelligence will come up to speed last because there has to be lots of energy around for that kind of concentration. Your system is going to make extra sure that all the other body systems are well with room to spare before you'll be able to do a difficult crossword puzzle.

However, you'll find fairly soon that you will have short bursts of your normal levels of intelligence but it will tire you profoundly at first. You will probably be at your goal weight (or hopefully beyond it) when you feel like your brain is 'normal' again.

I too am interested in regaining mental power, and memory. What is working for you and pardon the ignorance but what is  "ED"?

J

Original Post by johnmaurer07:

I too am interested in regaining mental power, and memory. What is working for you and pardon the ignorance but what is  "ED"?

J

ED=Eating Disorder ;)

given I am also trying to find a hobby (my ED took over all my thoughts/activities) then maybe it needs to be something that challenges me mentally and starts to help my brain get back into gear!

try sodoku.

I've been in recovery since 2007 but I don't really notice any "knowledge loss" anymore. I still get straight A's or A+'s now (I have always been a good student pre-ED) and I'm finding it a lot easier to concentrate in school. In the past two years things were more difficult, but not so much anymore.

The only problems I have now mentally are feelings of depression or losing control. I have always been a little OCD but that's gotten worse now too, and I think ED is a big part of it.

thats fantastic zebulancherry - thanks for sharing your experience. It gives me hope regarding the stages of recovery.

Sorry you are struggling in some other areas but if you have come so far in certain aspects of recovery I am sure you can do it across all! :)