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Just stress? Is this disassociation/lashbacks or what?

4 replies

Councilworker · 20/08/2021 01:20

Over the last couple of weeks I've had these strange episode's several times. I'm wide awake and sitting up when they happen. Often when I'm working but then tonight while sat at the dining table too.
I seem to lose track/connection with the world around me and it's as though I can feel myself falling into a dream. I can tell when it's starting to happen but I couldn't describe it when isn't happening. Whatever it is I experience feels like it is the same situation, like a recurrent dream. I can't remember what the dream is about properly only glimpses. There is something about Ki-Ora squash and some.big rocks.
After it happened tonight I felt a panic attack start and got my husband to hold me while I managed to get it under control. Whilst I have had panic attacks before this many years ago this is something I haven't ever felt before.

I also don't feel like I am properly in my body sometimes lately. It's like I can see my body but I feel like where it is is "misaligned". Like my hips are about a foot of where or my head isn't actually attached to my neck. I have had a similar feeling to this in Feb/Mar 2020 when my colleague went off sick for 2 months and I was trying to manage 6 teams just as Covid was starting to emerge.
Work is incredibly stressful at the moment with staff off and a new system being rolled out badly and delays in recruitment . I

I have got a history of depression and take venlafaxine 75mg AM and PM. But I've never had this out of reality sensation even at my most depressed. I don't feel down, just under immense pressure at work. I love my job mostly and home life is pretty good. 2 kids age 7 and 3 and husband who is pretty much 50/50 on domestic stuff.

OP posts:
Councilworker · 20/08/2021 01:21

Sorry that's really long. Has anyone else had this "awake but dreaming" detached feeling?

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deedeemegadoodoo · 20/08/2021 05:09

Yes I have. I start feeling like it is a memory then lots of ‘images’, I get very quiet and detached. Then I get a feeling of dread, almost as if I have done something wrong or I am in trouble. After that I feel sick and wiped out for the day. I suffer from migraine and have put it down to that, but they increased around a time that was very stressful as well, so wonder if it was a disassociative episode.

JellynoseMonkeyfish · 20/08/2021 14:42

Dissociative episodes are completely normal in the vast majority of people and are often exasperated by stressful situations.

Keep a note of it and when it happens in case you want to discuss with a GP.

Also, if you drive, you should think about stopping for a while.

Councilworker · 20/08/2021 21:16

Thanks for your responses. @deedeemegadoodoo mine feel the same as they start like I'm remembering something but then I know it's not.

@JellynoseMonkeyfish I don't drive after failing my test last month when I think I had a similar incident in the road next to the test centre at the end of the test. I definitely wouldn't feel OK behind the wheel right now.
Will ring docs next week to discuss but thankfully have a week off from work very soon.

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