Aspergers or something more? Feel like an 80 year old man.

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I've been feeling horrible lately in terms of mental health. I'm only in my early twenties but I feel like I have the mental sluggishness of an 80 year old man. I'm forgetful when it comes to remembering/hearing what was said during a conversation. Sometimes I get paranoid like when my boss is behind my back watching me work, or when someone is walking directly behind me. I get easily distracted. For instance, if I'm holding a conversation with someone and I hear someone off to the side say something loud enough to catch my attention, it throws my whole thinking process off and I start to fumble my words and get anxious. Also, when people pass me by in a hallway I feel like I don't know where to put my eyes.

Another thing is I've been trying to clear my mind lately because I usually have racing thoughts. And my head literally feels like a balloon that's barely attached to my body. I'm always feeling "out of it". Also, my energy level is really low-- even on seven hours of sleep-- and I'm extremely anxious around people to the point where I can't think clearly. It's irrational because I know that I have nothing to worry about. Also it effects my self-confidence and self-esteem. This is me about 80% of the time.

Today was really bad. I felt really paranoid and sensitive to noise (moreso than usual) and really fatigued. It's like my head was reacting to every noise, and I constantly felt like I was on the verge of head tremors, especially when I had to conversate with people. I also smoked a few cigarettes the night before, which I only do socially. So I'm wondering if this could still be effecting me (cigarettes tend to slow my thinking process and make it hard for me to think clearly. Also I get a little paranoid).

Occasionally I'll be feeling great and I'm able to stay attentive and have an easier time conversating and dealing with people, but it's not common enough. It's worth mentioning that my parents have both told me they are anemic, but personally I've never had a doctor mention it to me (and I've had blood drawn a couple times yet they werent actively looking for anemia). I don't know what is wrong with me and unfortunately I lack health insurance.

I guess the first step is clearly to not smoke any more cigarettes

I had these symptoms a few years ago. I kept telling people I felt 80 or 90. I got blood tests done, specifically to see if I had a thyroid problem, but no problem, and no anemia either.

In any case I take fluvoxamine maleate (Luvox) now and have a year and a half I think as well as as-needed anxiety pills and I don't have those issues anymore.

That may or not be helpful to you. If I were to try to analyze the problem from a psychological point of view, I think I was completely overloaded and burnt out and worn down by years of improperly treated depression and anxiety and my mind had just slowed to the point of nonfunctionality. Chemically yes there must be a reason like low [something] levels but it never did show up in my blood tests. But medicine solves the problem.

If you get a thorough check-up from a doctor and you turn out to be fine, you might want to try taking B-12 and folic acid suppliments, which I think have a good effect on Aspergians overall. Many I know take these two vitamins, and for me, it helps reduce spaciness quite a bit and I tend to be able to stay better focused on tasks at work.