Has Anyone Dissociated While At Work Or Commuting?

[cupfish]

I think that dissociating while driving is incredibly dangerous to other people. I am far enough along in managing my PTSD that I can feel it coming and pull off the road. I have never blacked out for dissociating, at least not that I remember. I have huge memory gaps and can't remember a lot of my childhood. Dissociating at work is less critical, comparatively because I can hide it. Except that it's yet another way we have to manage our lives around our disorder, not cure it.

 

[Hashi]

Is it fair to others? that it occurs behind the wheel?

Yes, that it occurs behind the wheel of a moving vehicle. I'm wondering if it's fair to others who are driving, or who are walking, within range, or who might witness the results if something happens.

If @cupfish is frightened about dissociating while driving, doesn't that indicate a risk to other people while cupfish is driving?

 

[Go Hungry]

This sort of dissociated driving would happen to me too, but only in the sense that I kinda spaced out while driving, but not enough that I was a danger to anyone else. My eyes are always on the road, but sometimes my mind is somewhere else. From what I've read it's quite a common experience. I generally don't loose consciousness when dissociating anyways, I just take on radically different attitudes and thought processes. I'm always 'present', I just may be working through a paradigm filter, as it were...

 

[CheeryFetchling]

I'm not driving at the moment (other health problems) which is lucky.

I tend to get a bit dissociated in the photocopier room. I wondered if it was the lighting or the atmosphere, then I realised it is because our photocopier is so very slow that my brain has time to wander. A lot.

 

[Lucycat]

It is quite normal to dissociate while driving. We can go into autopilot and not recall the entire journey. You do not have to have PTSD for that to happen.

For me I find dissociation worse at times of stress. So everyday at work is usually fine, but put me on the spot, or put me in an interview and my brain flies out the window. I have learned what is likely to send me off and avoid such situations when I can.

 

[silkleaves]

I do dissociate at work, I do find I tend to do more in depth thinking (intrusive thinking and maybe even having internal DID dialoguing) during the times I am actually doing "busy" work; i.e. cleaning tasks. When I am behind the register, then it's focused on what I am doing, if it's a cash transaction, I make sure I correctly give back only what the customer is due in change.

Ooh, by busy work, I meant stuff that keeps my brain busy, like when I'm writing code ..my mind is completely focused on just that. It's an escape for me, to not think of random things (consciously anyway) because I need to pay full attention to what I'm working on. It's not foul-proof though. Every so often, I will be busy at work, and then realize I've been staring at my computer for a couple hours. Not working, not doing ...anything..just staring at it. blah.

But then, like for hands on busy work, like when I'm working in the warehouse or doing inventory...I will almost always drift in and out, because it really doesn't take much thought for me to do those things. Repetitive tasks are the *eaaasiest* way for my mind to start trying to amuse itself with other stuff to do. Like ruminate over something that happened years ago. Very annoying... I have had to re-open and re-pack boxes because I can't recall packing them and what I put in them!!!

 

[Notsowild]

My latest trauma was a serious car accident so I found myself dissociating while driving. I have to ground myself plus lots of diaphragmatic breathing to keep myself alert. I usually just drive to work about 3 kms. I am just starting to drive further distances. Baby steps as they say.