It Happened Again, Dissociative Episode

[jjh29]

Well I guess with all the stress I have had last couple of days it has taken its toll on me. Today I lost 2 hours. At least this time I know how long. It seems like a long time to not know what you are doing. Does it normally last this long for anyone else? I'm talking about the total gone dissociation that's like a blackout. I am now officially depressed again.

 

[Abstract]

Sorry to hear this jjh as I know how much it has bothered you. I have years missing and still have hours missing and yes it can last that long or longer. Or shorter too.

Did you feel your anxiety peaking or building before? Pretty stupid question considering what you are dealing with but thought I would ask.

Did you look at grounding exercises? the trick is to ground yourself as soon as you feel your anxiety is getting to high or you are feeling disconnected from things around you or from yourself.

If it is from a flashback then I find I am extremely distressed after but I would almost always remember something.

 

[jjh29]

I didnt feel anything at all. It's like one minute I was doing something and then I snapped out of it somewhere else. No warning.

 

[Abstract]

Sounds like dissociation jjh. I often feel like time stood still but the clock didn't.

Some people find they are more likely to dissociate if the type of anxiety they are experiencing is linked in some way to their trauma. I am guessing that the argument was with your husband and now he has hit you so that would make possible sense.

Can you do some grounding and some nice things for yourself?

 

[jjh29]

Well should I still do grounding or is it too late?

 

[Abstract]

I find it helpful to do and it seems you are in a very stressful situation so I would do so regularly if it was me.

I try to keep track of how I feel. Not in a I-am-afraid-of-my-feelings way and rather in an oh-look-isnt-it-interesting-that-I am-reacting-like-this way. And I try to give myself what I need early on. It takes lots of practice so is best be patient with oneself. If you start noticing the first warning signs of dissociation you can learn to head it off by lowering your anxiety and grounding.

Just comforting sensory things can help too. My favourite when I am very overwelmed is cuddling up in my fluffy blanket.

 

[jjh29]

Yea but I don't even know what signs to look for. It's only happened that one other time for me. What signs are there?

 

[Abstract]

I think its very normal not to know what signs to start.

I think the anxiety is one thing to look at. What you want too is too feel nice and solidly centred in your body and surroundings. Where you are able to concentrate and react quite clearly and feel real in yourself and in the world. If you start loosing any of that and start to feel a bit fuzzy or slowed down then do something to take care of yourself and to ground. But look around as different things work for different people and give yourself time to gain awareness.

 

[Pietro]

It's astounding to me that someone can just lose hours at a time like that -- or more. And yet, there's something that seems so familiar to me in this. I don't lose hours like this now, in the present, but I think I was more prone to this sometime in the past.

 

[jjh29]

Yea me too. I still don't understand and never will! It bothers me. It's crazy. I have only had 2 flashbacks, never had a nightmare(that I know of), no insomnia, and never had a panic attack. Oh but I sure can blackout and lose time. It baffles me. :mad:

 

[Jyar]

I've lost minutes and hours. I've driven to work with no earthly idea how in the blazes I got there. I remember getting in the car and starting it, backing out of the drive way. Next I'm shutting down the car and walking up to the front doors. I have the nightmares, panic attacks, anxiety attacks, night writhing, dissociative episodes, and until recently insomnia, Geodon has handed some of them but with its own adverse effects. I posted about the Geodon in a separate forum.

 

[jjh29]

What is geodon? When you lose time has anyone ever filled you in on what you look like or sound like? Sorry since the last time this happened to me I like to ask that question. It really baffles me.