Am I Dissociating?
I’ve noticed that I sometimes kinda zone out… But not quite. It’s like… My eyes will center on a certain thing, and if it moves (or I do), they’ll follow it. Also, my mind will still be fully active and I’m still thinking, so it’s nothing scary like an absent seizure; my mind is still fully working and I’m able to function. It happens at random, but usually when I have time to zone out. It only happens for a few seconds usually.
Thank you to @torean for helping me figure out that it’s basically a power save mode for my brain. That discovery has been very helpful and makes it feel more normal. I feel calmer and such after these short “zone out” periods.
Is this normal? Is it dissociating, and if not, how should I refer to it? I don’t have DID, fyi. My mom has noticed it and was the one who made me aware of it; my supervisor also noticed as well. Is it ok to have these brief moments? How do I do it without people noticing? Does anyone else deal with this?
Thank you in advance for your help and reassurance! <3
@jesusredeemedme2425 hugs kiara, I kinda do this just in a different way, so I'm not really sure what to say to comfort you best, sorry. Perhaps talking to your doctor might help. Hugs you tightly ❤
@jesusredeemedme2425
Agreed with Tiny, it might be good to ask about it at some point, that way it has a good chance of staying controlled. I still stand by what I said, and I'm super glad it's helping. 😊
@torean
I’m dealing with something identical to jesusredeemedme2425. Can you share with me what you shared with them, that explains the power save for your brain?
I just suggested that it might be kind of like a built-in power save. Like, there's so much to focus on sometimes, and so much stress around, that it might be a body's automatic relax mode. I think I deal with something like this when I go to Walmart, because something about Walmart is really unpleasant to me. Sometimes it's hard to recall what i did or why I did it in there. Or what I had stuck in my head that I was inwardly laughing about. It helps me get done and get out though.
I just think of it kind of like when an electronic device slows itself down so that it doesn't actually overheat and cause problems. I'm no expert on this or anything, it's just my optimistic take.
I think everyone zones out at one point or another. I zone out but with me when I’m zoned out my mind is thinking about something else and I’m silently having a conversation with my mind on those thoughts. But I don’t see anything wrong with zoning out especially if it’s done here and there.
@jesusredeemedme2425
Everyone dissociates. Imagine times when you are driving, for example, and arrive at your destination with no real memory as to how you got there.
When I dissociate, my wife notices and calls my name. It takes me a while to come back into my body, but I understand it’s a function of protection from harm and states of overwhelm. Try researching depersonalization and/or derealization. It might resonate with you.