discombobulated
/ˌdiskəmˈbäbyəˌlādəd/
adjective
1. confused and disconcerted.
This word was apparently first recorded in the early 1800s, ostensibly originating as playful rootless take on the hifalutin-sounding Latin words, conveying a sense of confusion. Perhaps this is what makes this word work so well to explain that feeling of being without bearings, the word itself is rootless, not anchored to any real word in our language. Discombobulated sums up that generalised feeling of low-level anxiety, that feeling that something isn’t quite right, feeling untethered. And for me, this word describes precisely how I felt coming out of 21-days of quarantine.
To be honest, it took me by surprise. After all I had not only done the research exploring the psychosocial consequences of mandatory quarantine (see link below), but had also had done 14 days home quarantine and 14 days hotel quarantine. And even the 21 days of hotel quarantine was manageable. So why did I feel discombobulated after getting home?
Having spent a lot of my time in quarantine listening to neuroscience podcasts (see Huberman Lab), I felt that there must be some neurobiological explanation for this. Indeed, there has been recent evidence that have shown that pandemics increase the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), irritability, sense of loneliness and social dysfunction following social isolation. Additionally previous research has shown that prolonged periods of social isolation (over 10 days for humans) can have a profound effect on the brain, which, in turn, affects behaviour and mood.
Whilst I most certainly am not a neuroscientist, my rudimentary knowledge of neurobiology includes knowing that t serotonin, dopamine and melatonin affects mood, motivation and sleep respectively. A recent study by Wang et al (2020) reiterated that neurohormones and neurotransmitters are implicated as mediating behaviour and psychological action-related neural circuits in both animals and human beings. Without going into too much detail, what this study suggests is that the stress of social isolation alters levels of neurotransmitters and receptor sensitivities in many areas within the central nervous system (CNS). Interruption of these neurotransmitter pathways in socially isolated have animals have been shown to play a major role in developing psychological disorders. Other studies have demonstrated that social isolation can suppress the release of several of these neurotransmitters include serotonin, dopamine, adrenaline, GABA and glutamate. If social isolation is associated with changes in these neurohormones and neurotransmitters, it makes sense that on being released from quarantine, levels of serotonin and dopamine (colloquially referred to as the “happy hormones”) soar. And perhaps that discombobulated feeling is these happy hormones returning to base level. I feel that this explains some of it but not all. What about that feeling of brain fog, that lack of focus? How do we explain that?
Research has found that chronic social isolation stress can alter neurotrophine levels (which are key regulators of synaptogenesis, neuronal plasticity, and adult neurogenesis) and is also associated with reductions in the volume of the hippocampus, while chronic stress can modulate the volumes of both the amygdala and frontal cortex. While the amygdala’s main job is to regulate emotion (and is also involved in linking emotional meaning to memories, reward processing and decision making), the the last region of the brain to evolve, the frontal cortex, plays a key role in executive functioning. Interestingly, Yuan & Raz (2014) found a positive association between the size of the frontal cortex and executive functioning. So in other words, a decrease in volume of the frontal cortex would result in a decrease in executive function, which could further explain the discombobulation.
Executive function refers to the set of mental skills that we use every day to learn, work and manage daily life. While the three key executive functions are: working memory, cognitive flexibility and inhibitory control, it is also responsible for other skills such as:
- regulating emotions
- paying attention
- self-monitoring (i.e. keeping track of what you are doing)
- organising, planning and prioritising
- staring tasks and staying focused on them to completion
- perspective taking
What I don’t yet fully understand and what I would like to pursue further from a neurobiological point of view, is why did the 21-days of quarantine affect me more than 14-days? There must be a certain threshold that the body can tolerate for a certain period. Andrew Huberman talks about the circannual entrainment, (the process by which our brain and bodies are matched to the season), the circadian (24 hours) entrainment and ultradian rhythm (90 minutes) that govern our ability to focus. All of these are bound to have been affected by lack of sunshine, fresh air and no access to the outside for 21-days
It would be remiss of me not to share what has helped me tolerate these period of discombobulation. Aside from the hugs from my son and cuddles from my animals, there is some additional advice that I came upon while doing my research. And, although at 5 days post quarantine, I do not feel fully functioning, here a few recommendations for coping with the feeling of discombobulation:
1. Find what grounds you – there are some things which are just so rooted in our brains that they put us back in
our bodies. That might be visiting a specific place, hiking your favourite trail or cooking a certain food
(smells are some of the strongest memory triggers)
2. Fresh air, sunshine and nature – go out there and breathe, commune with nature, marvel at the small things,
let the sun shine on your skin and wind blow through your hair (studies reveal a direct relationship between
sunshine and the production of serotonin).
3. Let go of the pressure to make sense of how you are feeling – just simply say that you feel discombobulated
4. Select one thing that you can be in control of – buy that Christmas present, post that letter, file your
receipts. Just get one task done in a day that you can complete.
5. Be gentle with yourself – take some time to sit down, even if it is for 2 minutes, sit down without giving
yourself anything to do.
6. Remind yourself that this too shall pass – No feelings or thoughts last forever, even feeling
discombobulated.
References:
Judith Blaine, Exploring the Psychosocial Consequences of Mandatory Quarantine During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Hong Kong, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences. Vol. 10, No. 2, 2021, pp. 96-103. doi: 10.11648/j.pbs.20211002.13 (https://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/journal/paperinfo?journalid=201&doi=10.11648/j.pbs.20211002.13)
Huberman Lab Podcast #46: Time Perception & Entrainment by Dopamine, Serotonin & Hormones | (youtube.com/watch?v=8IWDAqodDas)
Wang, L., Nabi, G., Zhang, T., Wu, Y., & Li, D. (2020). Potential Neurochemical and Neuroendocrine Effects of Social Distancing Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic. Frontiers in endocrinology, 11, 582288. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2020.582288
Yuan, P., & Raz, N. (2014). Prefrontal cortex and executive functions in healthy adults: a meta-analysis of structural neuroimaging studies. Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews, 42, 180–192. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2014.02.005