I am five years post encephalitis. I cannot think straight. I cannot carry on a conversation. I cannot process what people are saying when they are talking to me, which in turn leaves me useless in any type of social setting. I don't even know how to form words and put them into action anymore. I have been searching for answers for five years and came across something this morning that described the cognitive effects of encephalitis. It described my symptoms exactly. I know what is going on, but I don't know how to fix it. You can't explain it to anyone because they have no idea what you are feeling. It feels like you are slowly losing your mind. I am only 30. Sometimes, I just cry because I feel like when I am supposed to be in my prime, I am stuck in this box. So, I completely feel your frustration.

Hi bdennis,

Yes, but firstly forgive me, a slight smile came to my face when I read your frustration. I think it was a smile of relief on my behalf! Purely because I'd never read or heard anybody else admitting to this. But yes I know exactly where you are!

Now, where I am. I had encephalitis 11 years ago on april 1st (would you believe) and from that date I can't remember a thing for about a year. Like others who've had encephalitis, I had to learn how to walk, talk, read and write again along with many other things pretty much from the start. But exactly like you've written:

Doctors, friends and family try to blame these ongoing issues on getting older (I'm only 41). It ticks me off every time they do because I feel like they're dismissing the ongoing frustration I have from the encephalitis. These weren't issues before contracting it, but they immediately revealed themselves afterward.

But before I go any further, I found that a lot of my frustration was of my own doing! What I mean by this is, your friends and family, (and doctor) were not only trying to ease it for you but for themselves as-well, and I know you probably know this but...

In this case I found myself utterly frustrated. At them "brushing it under the carpet" and, at myself for not being who I was or being able to do (what I thought) the thing's I used to do! This stuck with me for years!

Now in my present state. I still loose the ability to form words in a sentence quite regularly, and everything in my head just goes to bla bla bla for a couple of minutes... I still can't remember names for the life of me. I have quite a poor stamina. My concentration is still poor and my ability to remember is ok... getting better!
But what has helped me a lot, is to not get frustrated at others for dismissing my (what I thought was a) sometimes lesser ability. And to look at it more as, they don't know any different. If we were in their shoes, needier would we! There only trying to be nice.

I don't know if this will offend you or piss you off. If it does, I'm deeply sorry. But if it does'nt it would be great to hear from you.

Anyway stay well, and take care,

All the best.

Silence sung.

I had encephalitis feb of last year, I was fit any healthy one day and lost 3 weeks whilst i was seriously ill in hospital, i feel guilty for what my family had to go through, i had to learn to walk and was released from hospital after 8 weeks feeling very alone. I still 12 months on worry about my future, and find it very difficult to explain how I feel without sounding like I am moaning. I still now cry for no apparent reason and struggle to interact with people, i was very out going previous to my illness, but find that words dont come out how they should and my concentration is very limited. I have just had my licence back to drive, and have driven with my husband and was fine, but have only driven for a short journey on my own and really panicked and have not driven since. I want to be able to go back to work at some point but not sure I can cope with the work pressure, does this lack of confidence come back over time. I am sure everyone thinks I should be back at work by now, just because I look ok, doesnt mean i am! I want my old life back !!

Hi bdennis,

Yes, I have bad concentration problems and other issues surrounding depression and anxiety. It can also be hard for me to hold a conversation in terms of following what the other person is saying as well as what my response should be.

I had encephalitis when I was five, and was never told anything about residual effects. Furthermore, anytime I ever brought this issue up to health care professionals it was brushed aside.

I think doctors are unaware of how to deal with residual issues.