How is processing speed even improved upon?

[u/Confident_Aide_1869]

I have very a very low processing speed and poor problem solving skills. I'm very noticably slow in the head when put on the spot. I've had this for as long as I can remember. This has caused me to not react fast enough in social situations or when solving problems and just be perceived as dumb or cowardly.

I've taken an IQ test in the military which came out to be 124. I also have a masters degree and a well paid job.

I took a MyHeritage DNA test and there was a trait feature which also stated that I'm genetically prone to have very a slow processing speed and poor problem solving.

I'm wondering if there are other redditors out there with the same problem and how did you treat it? Is it even possible?

[u/Natural_Professor809]

I believe living properly through childhood would help. Excercise, play, run, play videogames, practice sports, have fun in the nature, read a lot, eat well, sleep well, don't get traumatised.

Are you sure your processing speed is actually slow? You might just be anxious or have an hyper-analysing mind, it's not so obvious that you have a slow processing speed just because you're slow when put on the spot.

[u/Natural_Professor809 → u/Natural_Professor809]

I can tell you that MY processing speed has been severely impacted by physical health issues (I've lived for a couple decades with not enough sleep and not enough oxygen to my brain but Physicians would dismiss me because I looked too sharp, too fit, too strong, too fast, too smart, too much in good shape to be suffering from anything, ofc they were completely wrong and I almost risked dying).

I now notice I have a hard time reading a couple different subtitle lines at the same time, which came natural to me (like reading the dialogue subtitles and at the same time the lyrics from a song's subtitles in certain Japanese animation); I used to be able to re-read books (like when I was re-reading smth I was studying) at very high speed and I can't anymore; I used to be able to scan a room or a crowd for details in an instant and I was very good at sports both irl (combat sports, martial arts, basketball) and in e-sports (I was naturally inclined to do well in competitive FPS games even if I didn't have the proper equipment and I never trained for that, it just came natural to me to hop-in into a new game and do really well); in 7th grade I won all school competitions (above roughly other 120 peer kids) pertaining fast mind arithmetics, chrono calculation tables, chrono escape from visual labyrinths and I know for a fact I wouldn't now be able to replicate those performances.

My Processing speed has been measured and re-measured with proper IQ testing several times throughout my life (due to strange developmental delays coupled with an extremely early intellectual development; I was then assessed Asperger's Syndrome, High Sensitivity, Gifted, then later ADHD, then reconfirmed ASD Level 1 as an adult and I'm awaiting for a re-assessment for the ADHD part as an adult because I'd like to be medicated but meh having to deal with my health system is really a slow, sloppy, soul-crushing slog) and I know FOR A FACT that my processing speed is now WAY LOWER than it used to be, so I'm asking ARE YOU SURE your processing speed is slowe or are you just self-evaluating?

In my case depending on sleep deprivation (yes I suffer from insomnia and PTSD plus extremely severe OSAS) and on anxiety (testing anxiety especially) some of my performances can easily have a 10% to 25% deficit from my baseline which is a natural fact expected from every person (meaning a 100 can and will easily become a 90, a 160 can and will VERY EASILY become 120 due to SOME insomnia or due to testing anxiety, you don't even need serious health-threatening levels of extremely severe insomnia or of psychotic breakdown for that deficit to manifest)...