Let’s Talk About Cognitive Dulling

 For over a year, we have had to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. Although there does seem to be light at the end of this tunnel, it'll still be a while until things return to normal.

It has been tough on our mental health, too. Life transitions can happen, but we have been in a world of constant struggle that never seems to end. It makes sense that some people may feel like their mind isn’t at the right place.

You may be suffering from what’s now referred to as cognitive dulling.

This post will look at cognitive dulling, its symptoms, and what you can do about it.

What is Cognitive Dulling?

Cognitive dulling is not a diagnosable condition but instead describing a series of mental health issues that have appeared since the COVID-19 pandemic.

With COVID-19, many of us have been trapped at home, have feared getting the virus or spreading it to someone else, or haven't been able to see other people. The impact of the pandemic has lead to several mental health issues.

Symptoms of Cognitive Dulling

These symptoms may vary, but here are the main ones. 

Irritability

When you have cognitive dulling, life stresses make it more likely that you will snap on someone. Irritating people is a part of life, but cognitive dulling makes it more likely you will act on your thoughts and give them some choice words.

Difficulty Making Simple Decisions

We all have tough decisions we have to make, but cognitive dulling will make it so that even the most straightforward decisions seem difficult.

For instance, you may struggle to think about what you want for dinner tonight. It may be difficult for you to answer “yes” or “no” questions at work.

Burnout

Burnout tends to describe working at a job where you feel undervalued, the work is exhausting, and you are just not feeling it anymore.

However, burnout in the sense of cognitive dulling describes the feeling of being burnt out over life in general. You may feel burnt out about daily life since you cannot leave your home for too long.

Burnout from COVID-19 is also known as Zoom fatigue because you are working a job from home. However, if you work at a job with the public, you may feel exhausted over wearing a mask all the time or not getting enough compensation for what you do.

Other Mental Health Issues

Cognitive dulling can cause you to feel depressed or anxious as well. For instance, you may feel burnout alongside depression.

Is it Long-Term?

As life goes back to normal, you may feel fewer symptoms of burnout. However, if left untreated, it may lead to worsening depression or you feeling irritable all the time.

That's why you need to take care of yourself should you feel dulled.

How to Treat Cognitive Dulling

Healthy Lifestyle Changes

Try eating healthier foods, drinking less, and exercising more. Take a walk out in the wilderness, do some crunches at home, and participate in other healthy activities. These can improve your mental health and lessen your cognitive dulling.

Try a New Hobby

Lockdown may be a good time for you to learn a skill or a hobby. You can practice learning a new language when you travel or find different jobs from home.

If you want to improve a hobby you already have, that's okay as well. Doing something that makes you happy and stimulates your mind is always intelligent.

Unplug from Social Media

While you want to stay informed, it’s also okay for you to want to take a break. Chances are, you’re bombarded with a sea of bad news, and this can make it much more difficult for you to live your life. You may participate in what’s known as doomscrolling, or constantly scrolling your feed to look for negative news.

Sleep Well

During lockdown, you may have had issues falling asleep, or you may be going to bed at an inconsistent time.

This is not ideal. Not enough sleep may lead to several mental health woes, including making your cognitive dulling worse.

If you are unable to close your eyes and fall asleep, try to do something relaxing before bed. Unplug an hour beforehand. When you are unable to fall asleep, get out of bed and do something relaxing. This can help you reduce your cognitive dulling.

1. Talk to Your Friends

Stay in consistent contact with your friends to get your social needs. Have calls with them, or meet up if both of you have the vaccine. This can help to reduce your cognitive dulling.

2. Mix Up Your Routine

A simple yet effective, method of sharpening your mind is to mix it up a little bit. If you go jogging in the morning, try it in the evening. Cook meals at odd hours and cook different meals.

While it’s not a foolproof way to reduce cognitive dulling, mixing it up is still good for your mind in the long run.

Try Thinking More Positively

Right now, it can be challenging for you to see the glass half full, but try to do so. Get a gratitude journal and write everything down that you are happy for. Whenever a bad thing happens to you, find a way for you to improve the situation.

Having some more positive thinking can be beneficial in many ways, including improving your cognitive dulling.

Talk to a Therapist

Finally, if you feel overwhelmed, it’s worth it to speak to a therapist. There may be more going on than cognitive dulling. Sometimes, you may have severe depression or another issue that makes it difficult to function.

What about if you are unable to leave your home. In that case, you may want to try online therapy. Websites such as BetterHelp can connect you to a therapist who works remotely. The therapists are licensed and can help you on your schedule, which is something that you may need at the moment.

Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health- related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with BetterHelp.com. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.