Strange problem, need help

Hey /prog/

I have a programming-related problem, and if you guys could help me out, I'd be forever grateful.

I used to program a lot, and made complex stuff without much trouble. For some reason, I stopped programming and thinking about programming and algorithms for a while, almost a year now. Now, I feel that I want to get back to programming and do what I used to do, but for some reason I can't.

I try to read my old source code, but I can't even wrap my head around the hacks and techniques I used before, it just blows right over my head. I try to read about the things I used before, but now I can't even begin to understand those things that seem to have had come so easily before.

I'm scared that I'm getting stupider, /prog/, and that I won't be able to program anymore like I used to. It's not so bad seeing that I regressed, as that is expected if I didn't program for an entire year, but what makes me depressed is that I can't seem to recover from it, that I seem to be stuck in a state of less understanding.

My question is this: Have any of you guys ever had a similar experience/feeling? How did you overcome it and get back to your hobby and passion? I would really appreciate any help you guys have to offer.

>>4
Thanks for replying

That is a good idea, it would serve me well to sit down and try to re-learn programming and CS from the ground up rather than continue from where I have left off.

I used to program a lot in x86 assembler and pure C, and had great fun with it. Now, even basic concepts like the stack and heap, and how stack frames work completely elude me, and I feel that I'm stupider than I was before.

I try to be as humble and not arrogant as much as possible, trying to learn everything I can, because more knowledge can't hurt you right?

I don't know, maybe I just need more time to ease myself back into the programmer's mindset, but I can't stop worrying that I may never be able to do it, and that I may never be able to read my old code to learn from my mistakes