For as long as I can remember, I’ve experienced severe brain fog whenever I use electronic devices. I’m usually fine for about five minutes, but then it’s like a switch flips—I start feeling like a complete zombie. My awareness and focus drop drastically, and I get this overwhelming sense of just being out of it . It’s almost as if I’m not even there, and the longer I use the device, the worse it gets. My friends often make fun of me after I’ve been on electronics because I become really spacey and slow. It feels like my brain has to work ten times harder just to process simple thoughts. On top of that, I get slightly dizzy, my brain feels hot and like it’s pulsing (I know that sounds crazy), and my face flushes red. I’m so jealous of people who can spend all day on a computer and feel totally normal. My symptoms are so severe that I physically can’t read a book or hold a conversation because I become incredibly slow and spacey. Even after I stop using the device, these symptoms can take hours—sometimes even days—to fade away. This has been devastating for my life because, as we all know, electronics are essential for nearly everything these days, and avoiding them just isn’t an option. I feel like I’m stuck in a fog all the time because of these devices, and I don’t know what to do. It’s really taking a toll on my quality of life. Has anyone else experienced something similar? Any advice on how to cope with this would be greatly appreciated. My life is falling apart because once I use a device, I essentially become useless for any other important tasks due to the severity of the fog. I eat very clean, work out, and I’m only 18—so I shouldn’t be dealing with brain fog, but here I am. I’m at a loss for what to do. Any suggestions would be a lifesaver.

evthelegend Facial flushing is very common. Not sure why, but there are tons of things that should be pursued here. It would be helpful if people created clusters of similar symptoms so it is easier to separate what is happening to people. In my view there are lots of overlap with migraine, epilepsy and "kindling" effects in the brain for most people here. Things that decrease the threshold for ending up with some kind of hyperexcitability, often because some type of compound is lacking or in excess. It could be restricted blood flow / oxygen, running out of glucose, og some electrolyte imbalance (dehydration / overhydration). Combined with some type of visual problem that makes the brain work harder while using shitty screens. At a certain threshold things catch fire and you get the typical migraine symptoms or similar. First see if you can mitigate the effect next time with some sugar, water, table salt and neck stretches. Or electrolyte mix if you got that available. Disassociation can be connected to the NMDA receptors, and can be the secondary result of an glutaminergic overload. If it happens more with chinese food and Pepsi Max you might want to look into it. Provided you're not on medications that affect it. Citicholine can also be an effective remedy if the brain fog is a result of a caffeine crash and brain strain. Provided the symptoms are related to acethylcholine. It's always worth a try as the effect can be remarkable.

See the similarity of your description to this one. https://ledstrain.org/d/1603-sea-salt-externally-applied-the-best-thing-ive-found-so-far Note of course that we may not all have the same problem (and we certainly don't all have the same symptoms). I don't get headaches or eye pain or any of that. I turn into a "zombie," is the best way I can describe it: it's as if my brain turns to putty, I start feeling disoriented, my thinking becomes slower and clumsy, I start making mistakes when I type, I start feeling disconnected with the world around me, I can no longer interact smoothly with other people, and my joy and richness of perception of the world is sapped. It is also worth mentioning that I can watch videos on any screen indefinitely with no ill effect. If I am looking at anything else on the screen -- particularly reading text -- I get the symptoms.

evthelegend wow that's like reading about myself. I am dealing with the exact same thing. Screens are used everywhere and when I use them the after effect is me not able to function. Massive brain fog, disconnect from reality feeling as if my vision is me looking at everything through a tv, whole body gets warm instantly, nausea, dizziness, head pressure and sometimes it makes my brain feel like it's being electrocuted, wrecked sleep, anxiety, depression , double/blurry vision. If I go screenless it doesn't recover right away but when it does I feel amazing until I use a screen again :/ I will be trying a spectrumview.com monitor soon when I receive it which uses incandescent light bulbs. I'm hoping it works! I got the 32" version since there's no FRC. I will say the only screens I can tolerate the most are oled/amoled. They aren't perfect but some reason they have been better. Most lcds cause the symptoms instantly.

evthelegend which electronics are you currently trying to use? this happens to me when trying to use almost all modern devices — but i've found a few really specific (mostly older) devices that are sooooo much better for me

Try using earplugs, see how it is. You might be hearing high-frequency noise.

Severe Brain Fog from Using Electronics - Seeking Help

async

Sunspark +1

Both vibrations and noise can trigger things, the same way flickering can.

https://ledstrain.org/d/2729-introduction-post-mtbi-severe-photosensitivity-to-blue-led/11

jonnyapps

I just discovered this forum and it's like I've finally found a voice to what I've been suffering for the last few years. I suffer from exactly what you describe, having been fine until the last 3 years, where upon my symptoms slowly began and increased until they're constant and unbearable. I have been diagnosed with chronic daily migraine, and suggest you consider looking into the same.

I have been seeing a private neurologist (due to waiting times for NHS in UK) in order to be prescribed a treatment called AJOVY, which cannot be prescribed by a GP as it is a new treatment (the first of its kind specifically designed to target migraines). I am on my first month of the treatment and beginning to see results. Those I've spoken to say it is life changing once it takes full effect.

Lauda89

jonnyapps I tried one injection of Amovig 140mg 6 month ago and I had fever-like symptoms for two weeks without using any PC/phone. After two weeks I was back to “normal” but still I was not able to use the gaming PC with the RTX 4070.
The fact that I was sick for two weeks scared me a lot and I did not do the second injection! I hope it works better in your case 😉

The only medication that actually helped me a lot is fluxarten 10mg, however, again there were other side effects. Primarily sleepiness and not feeling mentally clear, as well as weight gain (5kg in 6 months).

evthelegend

jonnyapps no more symptoms whatsoever? I don't think its available because im in the USA and if it was its going to be 1000s if you need to get it from a private neurologist am going to look into it though.

qb74

Consider EMF's around you and healing your gut lining.
People underestimate the impact the electromagnetic spectrum has on the human.
Sources:
https://emfwise.com/
https://bioinitiative.org/
https://www.emf-portal.org/en
https://www.powerwatch.org.uk/
https://www.saferemr.com/2022/06/recent-research-on-wireless-radiation.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRYLoKl6NeY - "Electromagnetic Radiation: An Invisible Danger"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdPE_4HLTYE - "Einar Flydal: Electromagnetic fields, health and CSR – What the telecom industry should do now"

EMI/EMF's can manifest on desktops too. It comes from a lack of grounding, thus transfering to your peripherals.

evthelegend

qb74 I have as clean of a diet as you can have in attempt to solve my issue and to no avail. I do believe EMF could be the source but what im interested in is how I can make it so it doesnt affect me so much.

evthelegend

async wow! thank you for this, I will try salt/sugar/electrolyte water and maybe even the salt on the head thing that was mentioned in the tread you linked although it does sound like pseudoscience. I am so desperate for a solution that Im willing to try anything. I don't think its anything to do with screens because every electronic has the same effect except for a projector (its the only way I can use the internet and feel okay). for now I just want to find the "why" so I can figure out how to fix it.

evthelegend

DisplaysShouldNotBeTVs projectors have no effects on me, laptop is maybe usable for an hour a day and my phone is by far the most severe with a daily limit of 30ish minutes before my day turns into mush.

evthelegend

jordan let me know how it works, I am so desperate for a solution and am looking to hear back from you!

evthelegend

Sunspark can you eleborate? how would I be hearing these noises from a phone etc.

Sunspark

evthelegend Some people have good enough hearing that they can hear coil hum, or even the high frequency sound some IC chips can produce that's why I suggested the earplugs as an experiment just to see if blocking sound changed anything.

Larkenn

evthelegend Is it all electronics or is it just LED electronics? Maybe try devices with other light sources.

E-ink - You can get phones, ereader, tablet and monitors.
CCFL - Tvs, monitors, laptops.
RLCD - Monitor, tablets.

evthelegend

Larkenn the only thing that does not affect me is tvs, phone is the worst and my laptop (Mac m3 air) is usable.

balthazar

Have you, while suffering from these symptoms, at any point had your blood work done? What are your iron levels, especially ferritin?

Have you had food poisoning/ taken antibiotics prior to the onset of symptoms?

evthelegend

balthazar

bloodwork is good, was extensively looked at for a non related issue and I am perfectly healthy. sometimes the fog isn't as severe as other days and weeks but I can't seem to find a single correlation.

evthelegend

Sunspark will try, I know I do have really good hearing might be the issue.