My brain feels "stale"

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I'm trying to find words to describe what I am feeling and "stale" seems to fit the bill.  The beginning of December marked month 3 off of Xanax so I guess I am in month 4 now.  There has definitely been some improvement since the initial horror of month 1 and even into month 2.  I can taste and smell again and I can eat. My fingertips are no longer numb and I am sleeping decently.  However, brain fog has morphed into this stale feeling in my brain and my vision and balance are "off".  I can think and have a conversation but to organize anything is too much.  I used to teach foreign language classes but that at seems an impossibility now.  I do a lot of busy work like laundry and housecleaning that don't take much intricate thought.  I'm beginning to wonder if anyone really heals from the brain symptoms.  It seems like these are usually the ones that hang on long after other physical symptoms go away.  I would love to hear from anyone who has actually had improvement and/or healing in this area. Today is an especially bad day.

[[ru...]]

I can relate to your symptoms. I just jumped off of K after a 3 month use. This was proceeded by 15 years on Z drugs, so a lot of damage was done to my GABA receptor. I find I don't have the social confidence I had a few years ago. I believe these drugs really do  a number on your cognitive abilities. I describe it as "fog" as well. Like you can't connect the dots. I have experienced some of the balance issues you describe and didn't know whether to associate this with the drugs or age. Oh well....must push forward.

[[Wa...]]

Your will get better!  Here is what happened to me, that gave me hope.  Okay, it's not foreign language, but I learned how to knit a few years ago and was becoming quite good.  I stopped last year after my dad passed away, lost interest in life really. 

 

During the first month of w/d I couldn't remember how to knit, just trying to remember the most basic tasks literally made my brain hurt.  It really scared me...how could something I was so proficient at disappear?  A month or so ago I picked up my needles and I could do the basic steps to get started.  Just yesterday I knitted a hat for my daughter!  I was amazed and happy, I have my hobby back and part of my brain!!!

 

Hope that helps

[[Ch...]]

I tapered off Xanax after long term use nearly five years ago.  What you describe is normal for this process.  It takes a long time for the higher brain functions to return, but they will.  Stressing over it makes it worse, I can tell you that as well.