Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Support Group

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mujicaptsd 04/26/2019

Ever have a time when your PTSD symptom went more to dissociating ? I have flashbacks, panic attacks, and other PTSD symptoms, too. I've learned to cope with them better, though, than dissociative episodes.

I'm having what the Mayo Clinic and other sites call "Depersonalization-derealization disorder. This involves an ongoing or episodic sense of detachment or being outside yourself — observing your actions, feelings, thoughts and self from a distance as though watching a movie (depersonalization). Other people and things around you may feel detached and foggy or dreamlike, time may be slowed down or sped up, and the world may seem unreal (derealization). You may experience depersonalization, derealization or both. Symptoms, which can be profoundly distressing, may last only a few moments or come and go over many years."

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dissociative-disorders/symptoms-causes/syc-20355215

Yup, when I read that I could put a check mark by every one of those symptoms from that list today. It started Wednesday, so by now it's been going on for 3 days now Don't want it for the period of years the Mayo Clinic article above mentions, that's for sure.

I've written here before that of flashbacks, panic attacks, or my dissociative disorder, it is my dissociative disorder that's hardest for me to cope with practically during my every day. Today somehow I made my way through 2 classes, an office hour, and lunch with my coworker teachers at my school. My students and coworker friends were great to me, nothing bad happened, but the whole time I knew I just wasn't all there.

Lucky for me I have a routine appointment with my psychiatrist on this coming Monday. I'll be asking for an increase in the dosage of my Prazosin prescription.

Until then any practical tips out there on how to get yourself to come back from a dissociative episode? Advice welcome.

Trichster724 04/26/2019

I have dissociative episodes as well. Mine only last for a few minutes up to an hour or two. Sometimes at work (I work at a restaurant) I can have a sensory overload and completely blank out. I still go about doing my job but I'm not really there. Its almost impossible for me to pull myself out of that state, but I am very close friends with a few coworkers and have told them my symptoms. I'm very talkative so if I all of a sudden don't speak much or my eyes look kinda glazed over they know I'm dissociating and they help ground me to kinda bring me out of it. They'll help "block out" the excess stimuli or make me go to the break room where there's less of a commotion. They'll give me a really tight hug to make me breath harder and focus on getting oxygen rather than spacing out. Not sure if you experience these types of symptoms but having a good support system really helps. Hugs to you xoxo

SunCloudJD 04/26/2019

Big hug for you Muji….. I have had this a lot over the years and it actually became my comfort place.... I suppose nothing seemed to hurt me in this state... It became my coping skill

It would be hard to work and function normally in this state though..... Another hug … I hope that you're able to have some good rest this weekend and find your way back.....xo

Riverhymn 04/26/2019

I have this pop up either unexpectedly,or when straining too hard, or when I haven't slept enough. I also feel very uptight without several doses of B complex a day.
I'm still watching to see if my depersonalization-derealization happens less, as I just started the Bs. Our psychiatrist said to take this B Complex along with meds for depression and anxiety- it's the brand "One Elevated"- Methyl Folate+ with L-5-MTHF + Methyl B12. He says this is to increase brain activity and support the nervous system. I take four/day to not overdose.
Hugs.

StrengthofMind 04/26/2019

I ticked off all the boxes too. It happens quite frequently. I find the sensory skills I learned help somewhat. Especially touch and smell. But that's me. Keep experimenting. Hope you can find something that works. Hugs.

SimpsonsOK 04/26/2019

Muji, of course 3 days makes it a bit scary, but you will move past it. I needed to request the hospital records to account for the first 4 or 5 days I was there. Seemed I was awake throughout, but only the med bills told me the cardiologist had been called in twice, and I had a full psych evaluation. None of which, nor the resuscitation, will ever be remembered. I salute you for knowing when you disassociate. Amazing how we can function in spite of our issues. Comforting and healing hugs. We are here and you are here.

jewells1 04/26/2019

Count your added stressors over the last 2 weeks or so, since these draw on vital resources in our system.

I do the vitamin thing as Riverhymn says, but am also in a psychological reactive state these last few weeks. Just another week and these will lessen.

I would also check your fluid intake. That and the diabetes will woozy me mentally as will infections like flu and colds my system works to fight. Magnesium -folate and B's help, but also electrolytes.

I hope this clears soon for you.

mujicaptsd 04/26/2019

Thanks, nothing bad has happened, but I usually don't dissociate for 3 days straight so I thought I'd reach out for some support to snap back out of it. Wow, so many people reached back to me so quickly and so directly, right on point.
Yes, you remind me that this too will pass, I will be ok.

lilmissy7 04/26/2019

Healing hugs <3

Aspieconfusion 04/27/2019

I certainly feel ive been stuck like that for years. Its horrible. Hugs.

mujicaptsd 04/27/2019

So good to have your support on my side, y'all. Here's hoping rest will begin to turn things around.

Vltava 04/27/2019

Hugs Muji & a wealth of support.

Dissociation has been quite troubling for me also. I have lost more days than I can remember to it. Much of last spring is lost to dissociation. My PTSD symptoms have been fluctuating so unpredictably this spring that I never know which, what or where it’s going and it has increased my dissociative states and their duration.

My heart goes out to you and I am glad you have been at least safe during those three days.

Hugs & love, Muji.

Swimfast33 04/27/2019

Your post is timely, I woke up and meditated (as I always do) and this time it was deeper and I came home in my head. I know when I dissociated once I am back home in my head. It was 2 weeks ago walking the dogs and it was someone creepy who drove by, boom I was gone
I am getting some bleed through of what happened last 2 weeks so that's an improvement..it used to be totally unconscious. My pdoc said I dislocate badly but don't have DID. Although there are just words, bottom line you miss time and it is awful in that state...totally get it Muji. It sucks
All humans, learned this at outpatient CPTSD hospital programme, dissociate and it is normal brain that does it. In normal humans we call it daydreaming. With CPTSD it is magnified of course and not controllable and loss of time
The brain is just trying to help you and it worked as a small child, not great as an adult. So many coping tools worked well as a child and handicap us as adults. Baby steps..hugs

Swimfast33 04/27/2019

PS I normally dissociate and loose months and weeks, so don't be alarmed by 3 days. Lots of others in my programme lost months at a time. You will be fine, it doesn't mean you are not well, it means you are smart and your brain recognized an overload and took care of it the best it could. Just different parts of the brain taking over, some day the parts will integrate; I am finding that

mujicaptsd 04/27/2019

Oh, thanks for the reassurance. I try to look upon my PTSD symptoms as leftovers of my brain's coping with some trauma jolt. Maybe it needed to spread out more manageably, or that it needed to delay for a later, safer time (as in flashbacks). So what you're saying gives me another way to look at a dissociative episode, too.

patti22 04/28/2019

Hugs, yeah, well just hugs. I can't add much to what the others have said.

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