User:Amcgeesa/Brain fag syndrome

Not to be confused with Brain fog.

Brain fag syndrome (BFS) describes a set of symptoms; somatic, sleep-related and cognitive complaints, difficulty in concentrating and retaining information, head and or neck pains, and eye pain. Brain fag is very common in adolescents and young adults. It is believed to be the most common in these age ranges due to the immense amount of pressure occurring in life during these years. The condition was arguably first described in Nigerian high school and university students in the 1960s. It is considered a culture-bound syndrome caused by excessive pressure to be successful among the young.

Contents

 * 1Classification
 * 2Causes
 * 3Treatment
 * 4Epidemiology
 * 5History
 * 6See also
 * 7References

Origin
Brain fag, also known as mental exhaustion, is an effect of over studying and learning. Around 1850 the term "Brain fag" was created in early Britain after some people became victim of it. It was brought to light that some individuals were suffering from high anxiety due to their work and this resulted in a public health crisis.

Classification
BFS is classified in the fourth revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) as a culture-bound syndrome. Individuals with symptoms of brain fag must be differentiated from those with the syndromeaccording to the Brain Fag Syndrome Scale (BFSS); Ola et al said it would not be "surpris[ing] if BFS was called an equivalent of either depression or anxiety". It is fairly easy to get the feelings mixed up because when experiencing brain fag, one typically feels awfully drained and tired. Overstimulation is another way of getting brain fag. Brain fag has a few different similarities with both anxiety and depression. Brain fag can also be a gateway for other mental health problems such as depression and anxiety. With these mental health problems comes feeling low, hard time caring about things, detachment issues, pessimistic mindsets, dreadfulness, hard time paying attention, bad memory, and many more.

Causes
Brain Fag is typically driven in people with high anxiety and people with high stress levels. Morakinyo found in 20 people with BFS an achievement drive that was anxiety-related that led to the use of psychostimulants and consequent sleep deprivation which contributed to cognitive disruption. Omoluabi related BFS to test anxiety.

Symptoms
There are a few things you should expect if you have brain fag. Some the mental symptoms are listed above. Some physical symptoms of brain fag can be body, head and stomach aches, fatigue, illnesses, and a frequent feeling of not feeling well. Experiencing some behavioral symptoms are also very likely. Experiencing symptoms such as procrastinating, decline in performance of daily tasks, using substances to feel better, and isolating oneself are also very likely. An individual may not experience all of these symptoms together, but they are all very likely.

Treatment
19th-century American trade card, listing a cure for "brain fag" among other things Anumonye reported treatment success with lorazepam; others found benefit with antidepressants and relaxation exercises.

Some ways to treat brain fag at home can consist of anything that will bring relaxation. Trying things such as removing whatever the stressor is, removing yourself from the situation and taking a mental break, yoga, aromatherapy, catching up on sleep, and more could help treat brain fag.

Epidemiology
BFS has been reported in other African cultures, and also in Brazil, Argentina, and Ethiopian Jews. Historic higher reported prevalence among males may be due to more males being present in higher education in African countries.Studies since the 1990s have not verified gender differences. Other studies found a possible association with low socioeconomic status, an association with average or higher intelligence, and a high association with neuroticism. Individuals with BFS have been found to have problems with isolation, poor study habits, and the use of psychostimulants as well as physical changes including in muscle tension and heart rate.

History
The condition was first described by R. H. Prince who named the condition based on the term brain fag used by students who believed their symptoms were attributed to "brain fatigue". However, this term was used in the United States and Europe dating back to 1839. Furthermore, in a detailed historical account, Ayonrinde (2020) illustrates that contrary to widely held and published belief in diagnostic manuals, psychiatric, social science and educational text, the term "Brain Fag" and associated syndromes of anxiety, affective and somatoform symptoms in student and "brain worker" populations were first described in nineteenth century Britain (Tunstall, 1850) with dissemination across the British Empire. Ayonrinde concludes that, the time has come for the decolonization of brain fag and its African syndromization in the true spirit of ethical scientific rigor in the twenty-first century.

See also[edit]

 * Burnout
 * Exhaustion