1000 Yard Stare?

[Anna]

I sometimes phase out and "go somewhere else" which results in the 1000 yard stare. I sometimes don't even realise I am doing it. At work though I suddenly realised that my collegues were suddenly staring at me, freaking out.... Was really odd. No idea what sets it off, but it is like being put on stand by and not really being there anymore. I never even realised it had a name. Has anyone ever been noticed by others doing this?

I snapped out of it pretty quit and said I was daydreaming... worked, but how did you deal with it? Do you even realise you are doing it?

 

[Anna]

Sometimes as well, when I do this people will talk to me and say my name. I won't respond during this time, and they have to say many times my name before I realise. It is really weird.

 

[8404]

This happens to me ALL the time, i too dont realize im doing it, usally occurs after a trigger..i hate it

 

[Sethe]

I've done this most of my life. I think after my divorce I learned to 'fake' normalcy. I had been slowly moving in that direction anyway. I guess I just realized that in order to 'fit in', I had to be more aware of certain behaviors I had.

I suppose this 'stare' is a form of dissociation- defense mechanism. There's a reason we have it.

My father has this same stare, only I still have trouble looking at him. I just can't.

 

[Froggie]

This happens to me ALL the time, i too dont realize im doing it, usally occurs after a trigger..i hate it

Welcome to the forum 8404, there is a special section for combat vets with PTSD. As Sethe mentionned, that 1000 yard stare sound like a dissociative mecanisme. I'm not a combat vet, but I've also got that problem.

 

[Kim]

Yeah I do it all the time as well. I can find myself staring off in the middle of a conversation. In the second grade I was labeled a "daydreamer".

 

[KP the nut]

Yep, I do it as well. Depending on whom I'm with, I either say I was 'blue sky thinking :roflmao:' or that I had just 'zoned out'

 

[Sazza]

I to am guilty of this hard snap self out it at times.

 

[intothelight]

"Earth to PTSD Forum members...Come in?"

Sounds like we all do this when stressed or triggered.

 

[Lionheart]

I do this too but not as often as I used to. I have had a change in medication and don't know if that has had a positive effect on it or what might have changed, but it is better than it used to be. I still zone out from time to time and my family is like 'what the heck' when it happens, but no harm, no foul. *(they do get tired of repeating themselves when this happens) lol ...but it hasn't caused any real problems for me.

 

[OKRADLAK]

Yes. But I also have learned to fake normal. It happens when stressed. I zone out for long periods. But now i have learned to kind of flick my eyes or turn and stuff to appear "congent". If I am really out, can't do it. Then I lock down on a stare and that's it till I feel safe.

 

[KP the nut]

It is actually quite useful sometimes to be able to zone out the :poop:.