I can’t work on maths problems: by the time I key a calculation into my calculator I’ve forgotten what I was actually calculating.
When I open my phone to write an email, by the time I have the ‘new email’ screen open I’ve forgotten what I wanted to write and to whom.
When I go off looking for something in another room, I forget what I was looking for by the time I’ve entered it. I constantly mutter ‘What was I doing? What was I doing?’
This is so debilitating – I can’t live like this. What can I do?
I’ve had the same thing since I caught Covid. My working memory was fucked to begin with, but long covid made it significantly worse.
That’s not really normal. Off the top of my head, in order from most likely to least, here’s a list of things to check. Unfortunately, all of them cost money.
-
Carbon Monoxide detector. Put the batteries in outdoors before you set it up in your house: some require calibration in clear air first. Follow instructions.
-
Schedule a MD appointment to discuss this. Or at least monitor your heart rate while you’re asleep to see whether it might be sleep apnea. You might also ask about getting tested for ADHD.
-
Check for black mold or water leaks, probably requires a plumber, or home inspection, or your own testing hardware.
-
Can you change your diet to see if it’s anything you’re allergic to, like nuts or rat poison? Do you make your own food?
-
A Geiger counter works wonders to see if anyone’s stored unprotected fissile material in your home, like that wacko who disassembled smoke detectors.
-
Have you tried marijuana?
I almost suggested the same. I have been vaporizing herb for a few months, it can help me get into a state of flow that’s otherwise hard to attain. It also calms my anxiety in small doses (big doses can have the opposite effect). But it’s a double-edged sword, because it can also encourage idling. This means I make sure I am stimulated (mentally speaking) before doing any vaping, then when I start I’m already treading the good path and it’s easier to maintain that momentum. Otherwise I’m at risk of firing up Cyberpunk and doing parkour for an hour. I sometimes end up over-obsessing on a single task (multitasking is utterly impossible), and when it’s done I naturally engage the next task in such a smooth and determined way I don’t even recognize myself.
This, paired with earplugs, works for me. But then again I work from home. It’s not possible for everybody.
