So bizarre. What you’re describing sounds a lot like fainting, which happens to me a lot during my 2nd–3rd period day. I believe it to be the body’s reaction to physical pain, it “shuts down” in order not to feel. Can it be fainting from stress or low blood pressure? Have you tried drinking water or eating something when it happens?
@Esther Yeah, it’s sorta like fainting but with the mind playing tricks on you? I mean, fainting should not make you feel like you’re going to die. I think you don’t even have the time to think about anything like that when you’re about to faint. And sitting down normally helps stabilize the vision.
What happens to me is different cause my mind sorta tries to shut my body down first. I don’t really know how to explain it. The closest way I can describe it is that my body is overwhelmed and tries to go into reboot mode, which terrifies me cause I’m not sure what happens if I give in. I can’t imagine making myself go to the kitchen, all I could do was stand up and try to walk to the window to breathe in some fresh air and calm myself down a bit. I’m afraid I’ll pass out if I try doing anything more than that.
Perhaps multiple things can cause this, like stress combined with anxiety – you’ve mentioned you’re taking the medications for it. I don’t suppose there is anything to worry about medically. Maybe something to mention next time you see a therapist or the doctor who prescribed the antianxiety medications. By the way, did it first happen before or after you started taking the medications?
Yes, stress can be the cause of many unexplainable body behaviors. My sister-in-law thinks her autoimmune disease was caused by long-term chronic stress. 😒 However, I wouldn’t rule out neurological reasons, and my first line of action would be to see my GP and ask them to do some checkups, including an MRI and ECG. If there’s nothing wrong there, it’ll help you feel safe when/if it happens again, and that might help you learn to cope with it, like with any panic attack, by simply letting it wash over you and pass.
@GoldenHand It started before I had the meds, and my doctor does not believe it’s a physical condition, so I’ll be having an appointment with a therapist end of April. But I’m worried it _is_ something physical, a seizure of sorts?? I don’t know, it feels very physical...
@No_way_out That’s what I’d really like to do but I’m afraid my GP will say it’s only an extreme case of a disassociation cause I’ve been having them before (I have C-PTSD) and won’t allow me have any checkups
@sub~script Based on your description, it could be related to various medical conditions such as anxiety, dissociative disorders, or even identity disorders. I see you’re having an appointment with a therapist soon. My only recommendation is to keep a symptoms diary to track when these episodes happen and any potential patterns/triggers. I’m 100% sure your therapist will want to know about the triggers.
I know for a fact that during dissociative attacks the body freezes because of the painful memories that try to resurface exactly when your mind is not distracted by daily chores or other people, so being in a relax mode or preparing for sleep would be just the right time. The way you described your mind “floating above your body” is another common disassociation symptom, so I would primarily explore that path.
Beware that therapy may provoke the onset of similar attacks at the beginning, your therapist should warn you of it. Your sessions will probably be focused on teaching you to stay grounded and in the moment, as well as able to tolerate and handle the memories and emotions that switch your mind into this mode. BTW, dissociation can fully go away (as in “be cured”) without any medications.
@sub~script Hey, why worry about it before you even try? I know it’s sometimes hard to convince a doctor you’re having a problem unless you’re literally dying, but sometimes all it takes is to be a bit more pushy and scandalous to get all you need from them.
Oh WOW, I’ve never thought I'd meet another person with similar complaints O_o I’m almost certain I’ve been through the same experience earlier in my life when I was unpacking my childhood traumas. I did not have the dizziness or the hearing issues, but all the rest was so vividly the same! I definitely remember disconnecting from my body and losing control over it for several minutes. It wasn’t as strong as yours and I could quickly brush it off, though I remember being hot and sweaty afterwards and needing a shower. I bugged my parents about living-in-a-dream moments. I was a teenager and couldn’t explain it so eloquently -_- No one really understood it. It went away on its own when I grew older.
@lemoon noon Yeah when it’s over I’m sweaty as hell too, but I’m so tired of this internal fight I usually have no strengths to go to the shower and drift to sleep eventually. It’s good to know I’m not the only one on this planet experiencing this! Did it happen often? So you did absolutely nothing about it?
Hello,
Anxiety attacks have different symptoms for each person. Yes it is triggered because of past trauma or stress. Due to life circumstances stress accumulates in our body over time and this increases cortisol in our bloodstream which is responsible for such symptoms. The panic that you experience with such symptoms is just your body way of releasing those built up stress energy leaving your body. Yes it scary and unpleasant but just accepting those sensation will reduce your fear of panic. if not you will always be scared and fear will just instigate it further.
When you feel slightly calm after a episode you need to sit down and identify the root of attack and what triggered it. Truth is there is always a trigger. it is just that it is not obvious but its always there in surface which you need to dig in your mind to find out. Therapist can help you with this. Thinking of exact cue that has caused it will help you in dealing with this anxiety attack.
Whenever you have an anxiety attack just do these:
Just simply yawn or stretch yourself. This helps in relieving the muscle tension and stress.
Inhale for three counts and exhale back. Do this till you feel in control.
You can also do visualisation technique where you just look at object for a min then close your eyes and imagine the picture in your mind. Try recollecting intricate details about its shape, pattern, colour. Doing this will distract your mind and would relax it.
As you say you can see what is right in front of you next time just look at what you can see right in front of you. name that object loudly in front of you with colour, shape, pattern. This is a grounding technique which will help you get back to present and help you to calm yourself.
Regularly exercise say 20-30 min a day would help our mind to also to be engaged and be present.
Take time to evaluate the activities that you do that lead to stressful moments for yourself. Write it down see how can you reduce the stress or how do you re-energise yourself by doing something you enjoy to charge your self.
Whenever you feel your body is in the freeze mode then try taking shorter and sharper breaths. it is like you are panting. This would activate your sympathetic nervous system which would awaken your body and bringing blood to your limbs. This will get you back to reality.
You can also do another grounding technique as you are not able to get up during this time and feel dizzy. Just place your legs on the ground and just feel the ground beneath you. start saying how do you feel the ground is cold/hot, then with hands touch the couch/bed anywhere you are sitting. Just start saying how do you feel the couch. Touch it and feel the sensation running in your body. keep speaking about it to get you back in the present and be aware.
i hope this helps.