A Sense of Mental Dead End

[Vesta]

I've been having serious difficulties lately with any work that requires mental effort. It feels like I have some issues with my cognitive functions, even though this has been a struggle for me my entire life. Reading has become a challenge for me as well. Despite having a lot of thoughts, I find it incredibly hard to bring anything to fruition in the intellectual sphere.

In recent years, I've occasionally tried to keep my brain active, but now almost everything feels difficult: reading, writing, counting, speaking. I’ve immersed myself in a world of unproductive fantasies and am desperately trying to escape from it. But even returning to reality and focusing on it seems like an overwhelming task. Essentially, I've lost all desire for personal growth.

 

[Outdated]

In autistic people this is generally a symptom of prolonged stress. For many of us our level of intellect is dramatically affected by our personal sense of well being. As long as we're happy we perform well but when stressed even those of us with genius level intelligence suffer a dramatic loss of intellectual abilities.

[Edit] Just thought I should add that your age is probably a factor in this too. My memory of being that age is one of being on an emotional rollercoaster.

 

[Vesta]

Recently, I haven't felt much stress at all. Maybe it's due to a lack of food. Or it could be the aftermath of my previous life, which was filled with stressful situations.

 

[Hypnalis]

Might this be an issue with your energy levels? (**)

Check that you're eating, sleeping, and exercising sufficiently.
Issues with any of those reduces your energy by a lot.

(**)
There are medical possibilities of course (and stress, as per Outdated's post) - but even so those three always need to be "good enough" for the context.

 

[Vesta]

I haven't been eating well lately, but even when I'm eating well, I don't feel like doing mental activities. I don't have any motivation.

 

[Hypnalis]

Eating well is about quality as well as quantity.
In the extreme case, high-sugar diets keep you buzzing, and you ll be able to stay up for hours e.g. (e.g. video gaming (low physical energy)). But a high sugar diet is quite harmful.

What about sleep and exercise?

A significant deficit in any of those three will affect you, even if you don't feel it.

Split sleep is ok, as long as you get enough.

"Enough" exercise doesn't require hours at the gym.
You need the equivalent to about an hour's walk every day (higher intensity => less time), and you need your heart and lungs running well over your inactive levels for about 4 hours a week (breathing fast enough so if your talking, you need a pause between sentences).

 

[Vesta]

To be honest, I'm not even sure, but it's probably true. Since I hardly eat anything, my activity level is extremely low. The truth is, I've been feeling this way for about ten years now. Even if I start living a healthy lifestyle, I'm afraid it won't go away. Honestly, I've lost the desire to live

 

[Judge]

Maybe it's due to a lack of food.

Start there. Scroll down to the part about how it can impact mental health. Whether a deficiency or outright starvation is involved.

Signs and Symptoms of Starvation and Its Effects on Mental Health

 

[Hypnalis]

I don't do support, so I'm not interested in the negative stuff. But I've reset myself several times (from different starting points).

I've been sick a few times in ways that really affected my energy levels, and have built myself up again. Which is harder at my age than yours.

If you choose to address your issues this way:

Food: figure out a simple, easily prepared, but complete diet. Follow it. Don't take any days off: eat every day, and no time-out for terrible food.
Don't use sugar to get fast energy hits. Eat as little 'fast-release" starchy food as possible. (**)

Exercise: Go for a walk every day, even in bad weather.
Use the gear you have from day one, but get some shoes with good heels if you can.

Sleep: Sleep takes time to reset. Decide on a schedule (wake at a certain time, sleep after X hours). If it's far away from your current schedule, wind back when you wake and sleep 15 or 20 minutes a day (it's ok tp take a day or two off, but don't stop the process for long). Start with 8 hours at first, it might come back to 7 or so.
Heavy exercise (like weight lifting, long walks in steep hills, etc) will make you sleep more - that's ok
Split sleep and other variations are possible, but don't start there unless it's an established pattern that can be tuned the same way as above.
:
(**)
You can read up on this.
Fast-release starches (widespread in processed foods) are turned into sugars very quickly, and have the same negative effects.

 

[Neonatal RRT]

Within the context of autism, it is often a compounding effect of several factors.

1. Low dopamine and/or low serotonin in the brain. You don't have to be "clinically depressed" to have a diminished pleasure in life and the people around you. You might walk around with a flat affect. You might have a sense of emotional neutrality...not really feeling anything, per se.
2. Psychologically, there are people who are competitive, goal-oriented people that wake up with a purpose...they have things to do...a list of things to accomplish today. They have a series of short-term goals leading to future long-term goals. They have plans and a direction in life. Then, there are those that...for the use of an analogy...are in a boat, with their oars out of the water, floating around at the mercy of the winds and currents and never put the oars in the water to direct themselves. These are the ones who have feelings of powerlessness. Both of these are psychological constructs. No one fully knows their future...any of us could accidentally die tomorrow...who knows...but not having a direction in life is not good either because we do have some control over our lives. We are not powerless.
3. The brain is an organ...and the autistic brain is often hyper metabolic due to the significantly increased density of synaptic connections. That means it needs more fuel, nutrients, oxygen, blood supply...and rest. Not unlike anyone else with a cardiac condition, diabetes, kidney, or liver disease...it requires some conscious effort to manage the condition...and autism is no exception. We cannot operate our lives like most neurotypicals in this respect. When we get tired and exhausted, the very worst thing we need is stimulants like caffeine...you're forcing the brain to work harder when fuel, nutrients, oxygen, blood supply, and needed rest are in high demand. Yes, caffeine can be a good "day starter" when the brain is fully rested, but if you are mentally trashed...pay attention to that and what your brain is telling you. We need to manage our diet, exercise, and sleep with much more conscious attention than neurotypicals. We need to pace ourselves and pay attention to how our brain is feeling.

There may be more contributing effects, but these are the top three things that tend to get folks a bit "off the rails" with regards to their autism management.

 

[JayCee]

Diet ,most important, as above trying to always reduce sugar .But eat to satisfaction ,IMHO. Savory foods over sweet. Salads with least amount of sugar in the dressing
or make your own. And for thinking intellectual pursuits of all kinds , give yourself a manditory time limit,or hours of the day to do that type of stuff, no more no less,unless,you tire. then take your breaks or stop for the entire day. Then you will know that you will have a certain amount of time the next day. For some Aspies you
might not schedule yourself well. Set timers , or reminder notes. So you also know when to stop stressing your brain. Between good eating and the other stuff you might get some recovery . You might look into the research on simple neutropics
They can be alittle expensive. But you might try out tiny amounts in juice or coffee.
1/2 pea sized amount. After you have made alittle recovery. You maybe surprised
at the results.? but these are just my experiences and ,experiences with two others I know personally. But healthy eating is key. Especially for Aspies , am believing.

 

[Judge]

Diet ,most important, as above trying to always reduce sugar .

Sugar is so inherently toxic while so many take it for granted. Though I'd think such toxicity would or could be accelerated with persons who have a minimal food intake in general. To me sugar is just another drug that can easily "play with your head".

When reducing my sugar isn't so much a struggle as it is a "war".

 

[Outsider]

Several causes of low energy levels were mentioned at this thread. I'm going to add one that wasn't mentioned before.
Certain illnesses such as kidney disease, problems with balder and many more are known causes of low energy. It makes sense to go thorough a comprehensive physical exam to see if you have any of these conditions, none of which has anything to do with autism.

 

[Neonatal RRT]

Sugar is so inherently toxic while so many take it for granted. Though I'd think such toxicity would or could be accelerated with persons who have a minimal food intake in general. To me sugar is just another drug that can easily "play with your head".

When reducing my sugar isn't so much a struggle as it is a "war".

Sugar...glucose in the body...in and of itself is not "toxic", per se. Glucose, after all, is the primary intracellular source of energy. The larger problem, especially in excess, over time, can cause insulin insensitivity, metabolic syndrome, pre-diabetes, diabetes, obesity...and all the other downstream secondary health effects. The problem is the amount. In the US, sugar is added by manufacturers into all manner of processed foods, even in restaurant proprietary recipes...and humans are generally "hardwired" for "sweet things". After the first bite of your favorite sweet, your brain sends a signal that it wants "more"...triggering, in some, an addictive response and desire. As a business model, it makes sense...$$$.

If we look at this from the perspective of autism...excess dietary carbohydrates (complex sugars) presents as a mixed issue.
1. A rush of glucose into the brain can trigger the release of dopamine...initially making you feel better. Autism, being a low-dopamine condition...can be particularly sensitive.
2. Insulin, a hormone that is primarily responsible for carrying glucose into the cells, is released. However, insulin also has vasodilatory effects in the body and can shunt potassium into the cells, as well...both situations may be good or bad depending upon the situation.
3. The neurodevelopmental events associated with autism can leave the brain with a hyper metabolic condition, primarily a combination of minimal neuronal pruning in early childhood and in adolescence. Furthermore, we know that the neurons, themselves, are characterized by a significant increase in synaptic connections. On one hand, there is a relatively high demand for glucose, on the other hand, insulin-related vasodilation may cause an increase in intracranial pressure, capillary leak, and leakage across the blood-brain barrier. One may actually sense the head and neck feeling warm, a generalized pressure within the cranium, and an uncomfortable "brain fog".
4. As an autistic individual one should be seeking out low-glycemic foods, good fats, and lean protein sources...and when that isn't possible, minimize the volume of food. Some may even use fasting and timed-eating strategies to minimize the average blood sugar and insulin throughout the day. The production of ketones within this context, may actually be a desirable strategy...using fats to create gluconeogenesis and ketones. Both processes minimize insulin production, increase insulin sensitivity, and ketones are actually a more efficient intracellular fuel source than glucose.

The issue is not glucose, but rather under what conditions it was produced, how it was produced, in what quantities, and the timing.

 

[Rodafina]

@Vesta
Some of what you describe could also be caused by clinical depression or autistic burnout.

Do you have a good understanding of why you don’t eat much?

 

[Vesta]

@Vesta
Some of what you describe could also be caused by clinical depression or autistic burnout.

Do you have a good understanding of why you don’t eat much?

I think the issue is with the dishes themselves. My pickiness with food is probably a fairly typical trait for people on the autism spectrum, related to sensitivity to textures. But overall, I don’t really enjoy eating plain or simple meals.

 

[Judge]

I think the issue is with the dishes themselves. My pickiness with food is probably a fairly typical trait for people on the autism spectrum, related to sensitivity to textures. But overall, I don’t really enjoy eating plain or simple meals.

Point taken. I too was a pretty picky eater as a child, which annoyed my parents to no end. And I suppose I am still of such a mindset several decades later.

Lately I've decided to reassess the foods I normally purchase on a monthly basis. An odd combination of what is in my budget, along with foods I actually enjoy. Though recently I came to the conclusion that it's stupid to buy foods that I buy only based on price rather than taste or nutrition.

And that with prices so high, I have to now think of reducing the portions of foods to prepare. And to make the most out of foods I like (particularly Mexican food). Using far more fresh vegetables now. But my pickiness still makes the process less then pleasant. Especially with an intent to reduce my sugar (or whatever you want to call it) content. Not easy at all given its addictive qualities. And yet I still somehow try to manage to keep things within my budget, which frankly is getting harder every month to do.

One other obstacle to it all. My OCD, which goes against most serious efforts to cook an elaborate meal for one and only one 24/7. I can't stand the mess cooking inherently involves in the kitchen.

 

[Vesta]

Point taken. I too was a pretty picky eater as a child, which annoyed my parents to no end. And I suppose I am still of such a mindset several decades later.

Lately I've decided to reassess the foods I normally purchase on a monthly basis. An odd combination of what is in my budget, along with foods I actually enjoy. Though recently I came to the conclusion that it's stupid to buy foods that I buy only based on price rather than taste or nutrition.

And that with prices so high, I have to now think of reducing the portions of foods to prepare. And to make the most out of foods I like (particularly Mexican food). Using far more fresh vegetables now. But my pickiness still makes the process less then pleasant. Especially with an intent to reduce my sugar (or whatever you want to call it) content. Not easy at all given its addictive qualities. And yet I still somehow try to manage to keep things within my budget, which frankly is getting harder every month to do.

I feel the same way — ideally, I’d eat out at cafés every day. The meals I make at home just don’t appeal to me as much

 

[Judge]

I feel the same way — ideally, I’d eat out at cafés every day. The meals I make at home just don’t appeal to me as much

That's another issue that makes my life a mess at times. In as much as I never felt self-conscious going to see a movie by myself, I could never imagine going anywhere to eat alone other than take-out from the proverbial fast food joint.

But because of my OCD I do end up in that "rut" of a home meal that loses its luster so quickly. Buying simple meals means simple messes, but it also can become literally boring to me. I get that.

 

[vergil96]

I think the issue is with the dishes themselves. My pickiness with food is probably a fairly typical trait for people on the autism spectrum, related to sensitivity to textures. But overall, I don’t really enjoy eating plain or simple meals.

what are the examples of plain and simple meals?