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Not exactly brain fog but I often find myself in extreme left-brained mode after a challenging day of coding. If I meet friends after work I am a horrible conve

by bantic 9y ago

Not exactly brain fog but I often find myself in extreme left-brained mode after a challenging day of coding. If I meet friends after work I am a horrible conversationalist for up to an hour while my brain slowly (and reluctantly) stops actively churning on coding problems. Related to the right-to-left thinking mode changes, sometimes the words that I am using at become eerily meaningless or unfamiliar. I've spent a few moments asking myself "is that really the way 'else' is spelled?". I recently learned this phenomenon is called semantic satiation [1]. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semantic_satiation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semantic_satiation

hosh 9y ago
Oh yeah! I have had that phenomena pop up on occasion. Didn't know it was a thing. It isn't a result of repetition for me though. Since I have practiced meditation enough, I can watch how my consciousness shifts and changes. I remember watching a creeping doubt enter, and then a word loses meaning, or I'd forget how it is spelled, even while staring at it. Knowing that jusf a few seconds ago, I knew what it was. I also chalk it up as a state change. I sometimes google it just to be sure and if it shows up, let it go and move on. I don't remember if I ever tried sitting through and seeing how the consciousness shifts back -- would be interesting to watch what happens.
alttab 9y ago
Left-brain mode after coding all day is certainly a thing. I thought it would go away once I got into management, but the truth is I solve those problems with the same analysis, so even though I'm problem solving people, I'm still a horrible conversationalist right as I leave work.
aswanson 9y ago
Yeah, I noticed I have trouble conversing or paying attention to what the person is saying to me, particularly if the talk isn't geared to resolving a problem.
ivm 9y ago
Oh yes, this is the worst part of programming. I do not like being low on empathy.[0] Metta meditation helps to reset this but sometimes it's so heavy – it's better to take a nap first. [0]: http://blog.case.edu/think/2012/10/30/empathy_represses_analytic_thought_and_vice_versa http://blog.case.edu/think/2012/10/30/empathy_represses_anal...
RUG3Y 9y ago
I've been experiencing language difficulties since I started programming more, usually during the workday, when I'm actually working on the code. I thought I was going crazy, but it sounds like you have similar experiences. Is this somewhat normal?

by bantic 9y ago

hosh 9y ago

Oh yeah! I have had that phenomena pop up on occasion. Didn't know it was a thing. It isn't a result of repetition for me though. Since I have practiced meditation enough, I can watch how my consciousness shifts and changes. I remember watching a creeping doubt enter, and then a word loses meaning, or I'd forget how it is spelled, even while staring at it. Knowing that jusf a few seconds ago, I knew what it was. I also chalk it up as a state change. I sometimes google it just to be sure and if it shows up, let it go and move on. I don't remember if I ever tried sitting through and seeing how the consciousness shifts back -- would be interesting to watch what happens.

alttab 9y ago

Left-brain mode after coding all day is certainly a thing. I thought it would go away once I got into management, but the truth is I solve those problems with the same analysis, so even though I'm problem solving people, I'm still a horrible conversationalist right as I leave work.

aswanson 9y ago

Yeah, I noticed I have trouble conversing or paying attention to what the person is saying to me, particularly if the talk isn't geared to resolving a problem.

ivm 9y ago

Oh yes, this is the worst part of programming. I do not like being low on empathy.[0] Metta meditation helps to reset this but sometimes it's so heavy – it's better to take a nap first. [0]: http://blog.case.edu/think/2012/10/30/empathy_represses_analytic_thought_and_vice_versa http://blog.case.edu/think/2012/10/30/empathy_represses_anal...

RUG3Y 9y ago

I've been experiencing language difficulties since I started programming more, usually during the workday, when I'm actually working on the code. I thought I was going crazy, but it sounds like you have similar experiences. Is this somewhat normal?