Can mental disorders turn someone from bright/normal to dumbed down/psychotic?

I started out being a happy bright kid. Always did well in school and in life. I encountered many difficulties in life, and eventually got over them, but somehow ended up experiencing extreme anxiety and depression in my adolescent years. It went away only to resurface within the last two years, and I literally went from bright, speaking affluently with wonderful selections of vocab, to speaking about world events and generally being sophisticated, to a total mess, where at times I couldn't even put a paragraph together without darting on 5 different tangents, and forgetting what I said, and having my mood shift erratically.

I couldn't really see it coming until it got bad, and then I thought to myself, I don't know what I have, but I'm not normal anymore, how I used to be.

Can mental disorders really do this, even if you're not born with them?

Also, is there help to completely reverse or heal what has happened?

It's scary stuff. It really is.

Yes, you can manage and/or heal what you are describing, but you will need to see a psychiatrist for an evaluation, possibly take medication, and spend some time in therapy.

What you are describing can be a number of things. It could be challenged coping skills, anxiety and depression. Perhaps bipolar has manifested, too (teen depression and anxiety is common). It could be post-trauma peeking out, or maybe it's mostly limited to feelings and memories that you need to work thru. In other words, there are lots of possibilities. It's unlikely any will take care of themselves without professional help.

My own guess... bipolar because I've experienced what you are describing.

I have had bipolar dis order for 17 years now and can get like that, I can have mixed episodes where my thoughts are all over the place and I jump from one thing to the next really fast and remember very little of what I have done. I think you need to go back to your doctor and tell him/her whats going on. You know you have been like this before and it can get better again, you just might need a little help to get back to that point again. good luck take care.

I have similiar problems. I suffer from PTSd and major depression due to a traumatic event that occurred to me two years ago. Because of the issues with the event and the hell I have gone through it has changed me in many ways and the medication they had placed me on would make me feel like a totally different person. Sometimes I still feel parts of my old self but for the most part I feel that this has greatly affected myself and I don't feel like the same person anymore. I try to work through things the best I can and I know that there are limits to myself now that I once was able to handle with no problem. This is something I have learned to accept. It may be hard for you, but you will also learn your limitations and will have to accept them. Everyone changes in life from day to day this is life and it is what you make of it. I also have a son with a mental disability which can be challenging, but it also makes life interesting and eventful.

You don't have to be born with a mental disorder to experience the debilitating effects of one. Depression can manifest itself in many different ways, from physical pain, to mental anguish, to symptoms not unlike ADD. I highly recommend that you find a psychologist that you can trust. This may just be depression resurfacing, or it may be a mental illness of another kind. A psychologist can help diagnose the underlying problem and find treatment. It may or may not be completely reversable, but a psychologist will help you try different treatments until you find one that will bring you back as close to normal as possible.

I'll pray for you, and I wish you the best of luck.

Mental illness is a very general description, but you sound distracted, and very self conscious about it. Have you ever seen a hamster on an exercise wheel? If you have no idea where you are trying to go, you will never know when you get to that place. If you question your mental health, you will eventually make yourself feel worse. If you find yourself an interest, you can set your goals. Look outwards for your answers. Listen to others for your comfort. Sometimes the internal chatter of introspection is a waste of energy that only causes anxeity, and is very difficult to stop. But unlike the hamster on the wheel, it is more difficult to get off that track.
When you use up all your energy and thought on one issue, you will have less energy and focus to use outside of your predicament. If you can't stop the internal chatter, try jogging or some other physical activity in the mornings. Build new routines. It is good for you, and it will give you time to organize your thoughts.