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Is this a mental health crisis?

3 replies

Cornonthecob17 · 07/05/2026 23:04

Hi all. I’m worried I might be having some sort of crisis but not sure if I’m overreacting.

I’m diagnosed GAD but this has been successfully managed with SSRIs for years. The past two days I have taken a major downturn out of nowhere and I don’t know what to make of it. There has been no conscious trigger.

I have a stressful life so it’s not surprising my mental health might suffer, but It’s the suddenness of severe symptoms that is concerning to me. Yesterday I was driving my dd and suddenly started to feel quite dissociated. I still felt in control and dropped her off but on the way home I became increasingly anxious which culminated in me having to pull over as I felt faint and my heart was racing. I sat for fifteen minutes, calmed down quickly and was able to drive the last two minutes home. I suffer from migraines and had had one the day before so I initially put it down to that. I took it easy yesterday.

This morning I woke up feeling initially ok. DD needed a lift again but almost as soon as I got in the car I didn’t feel right. Ended up anticipating the panic this time and pulled over and recovered quickly. Same thing on the way home. I was ok and then suddenly I wasn’t. Got us home safe and I have of course banned myself from driving until I can resolve this but it’s just so bizarre. I have no fear of driving and have never had an issue like this.

I’ve rested in bed today but the dissociated feeling has not changed. I really feel quite out of it, like I’m technically in control of my body but I’m looking at myself doing things.

I have no concerning thoughts and I don’t think I’m a danger to anyone or myself (with the exception of driving which I now know I can’t do at the moment). The dissociation is really bad though and even lying in my bed I have waves of pins and needles and a panicky feeling. I think the fact this hasn’t been triggered and has just come out of nowhere is terrifying me. I want to phone the gp tomorrow and say it’s a mental health crisis but is it?

OP posts:
raisinglittlepeople12 · 07/05/2026 23:07

It could be something physical or mental. Go to the GP tomorrow. Ask them to run some tests to rule out anything physical, like an infection. If you can’t get a satisfactory answer from them, call 111. In the meantime, you are right to stop driving and you need to make your partner/close family or a close friend aware in case you dissociate completely

Cornonthecob17 · 07/05/2026 23:15

Thank you. I’m going to phone the gp first thing tomorrow. I’m finding this frightening but don’t know if it’s just anxiety making me spiral.

OP posts:
Objectrelations · 07/05/2026 23:25

Definitely go to the doctors -it could be something physical like Iron deficiency or thyroid

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