Difficulty reading?

[EveHarrington]

I’m just wondering if anyone experiences this symptom as a part of dissociation?

Writing is difficult, too.

It just seems to be getting worse for me, and I’m concerned.

Thanks.

 

[blackemerald1]

Yes. I can go through phases where I have immense difficulty processing what I am reading. Remembering what I am reading and sometimes staying present enough to read what is in front of me. Terribly frustrating but I do persevere because I refuse to lose this part of my life.

But then it eases and I am okay again.

I think it is worse when my symptoms are heightened.

 

[Reflections]

Yes, I'll read a sentence and have to re-read what I read sometimes. Occasionally multiple times. Or the chapters I read, I can't recall the details and end up re-reading them.

I recently posted about this subject :)

I struggle with writing. I'll make all sorts of mistakes so I re-read what I wrote multiple times but typos and errors still get through. I also mold what I say carefully. I'll edit and re-edit my words. It generally takes me twice the time to write something of equal quality or length that others do.

 

[Abstract]

It is so sad for me as this is barely possible for me anymore and reading was one of my passions. Not quite sure about the why and the how. My whole life I have read, every day, and now I cant remember the last time I read a book. Its a real loss.

 

[grit]

I find when I see myself spending too much time writing emails at work (simple emails but I am deleting writing and sometimes even I do not know how to write a simple email and I google samples), oops it is that I am experiencing dissociation.

I also find school work both reading and writing got impaired. It is a sign for me that I am dissociated and not aware of it.

Weirdly, the way I learned I have dissociation was I lost any creativity to write.

Now when the words fall off my fingers, I know I am a bit more aligned.

PS. I did spend few extra moments on this post so I guess I am not fully aligned yet!

 

[Abstract]

One of the weird consequences of getting to a stage with way less dissociation than previously in my life is I am doing everything so much quicker. So strange. Always thought I was just a little slow in the doing department. Seems I was just dissociated.

 

[blackemerald1]

Not quite sure about the why and the how

^^Can you describe this more?

I've had periods of time pre ptsd where I did not read books for fun but I was reading tonnes for work and school so I had enough happening. Then when that eased off I didn't pick up non fiction books because I was too busy. But these periods were short. I have always read wanted to read and I think it is a great way of escaping. :)

I have also noticed the size of the text and the length of the paragraph are extremely important in terms of readability now.

 

[hithere]

I have these struggles frequently and I'm sorry you are getting concerned. Perhaps you have too much processing at the same time and not able to focus on one thing. I went through a period where I could not write even two sentences... it took me days to complete a task that should take a few hours. I think if I'm blocking information that wants to come out I end up in this difficult state of dissociation. Dissociation can cause just a "blank" mind, just nothing working at all

 

[Abstract]

^Can you describe this more?

Thanks Blackemrald. : ) Don't want to derail thread as its not due to dissociation. I am way less dissociated. Used to read for pleasure and for work. Love information but also love the escape of it and being enlightened by others perceptions or thoughts. I find language beautiful. I can't concentrate. I feel overwhelmed when trying to read. My attention wanders. The only thing I can still do is research. Information dense preferably and short. Fiction. And on the computer. Paper and books which I love so much don't happen any more. Anyone who really knows me would think I am another person.

 

[Friday]

Traumatized brains are well known to have intermittent issues with reading (as well as other kinds of processing, storing, & accessing information), you might recall we used to have basic grammar rules on site because of it (and we still break giant blobs of text into readable paragraphs)...

...but some medications cause that, too. If you’ve changed your medications recently, that may well be a side effect.

...as does low blood sugar & low oxygen.

I know you asked specifically about disassociation, but all 3 of those things create symptoms similar to disassociation. They simply have a chemical cause (medication, glucose deficient, oxygen deficient) rather than a psychological cause.

(If I’m remembering right, and you’re new to asthma? Hit your puffer a couple times, wait 5 minutes, and try again.)

 

[bellbird]

Yeah I really struggle with reading at the moment. Though I think for myself it's primarily from prolonged sleep deprivation.

Reading out loud helps a little bit, though it's not always practical I know.
Also when I think of/come across random words during my day I'll challenge myself to think of their meaning, or their synonyms, or to spell them in my head. It helps to keep working on the things our brains find difficult, instead of being totally disheartened and abandoning it completely.

 

[PatrickOrPatrick]

Reading has been challenging for me as long as I can remember. When reading for school or something important to me, I have the reaction of getting very sleepy. I am guessing it is a response to my narcissistic mother's anger toward the suggestion that her children had something to learn from someone other than her.

As an older adult I still struggle with it and am hoping that treating it as a form of dissociation provides some improvement because it really is a significant source of frustration in my life.