"Zoning out?"
Namaste
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 63
"Zoning out?"
i have a question...
I have had an anxiety disorder for a long long time. I was a VERY anxious child, and never seemed to know how to stop worrying/thinking. Friends and family know me pretty well as someone who can't sit still and gets distracted fairly easily. I tend to think about my anxieties or just anything at all, and almost "black out" on what actually happened in reality, because I am absorbed in these thoughts.
I have been on antidepressants for two years and they have helped tremendously with everything--with the depression, anxiety, depersonalization, everything...but lately I have been getting a little more anxious. My fiance gets scared because he thinks a lot of time I an not paying attention to what is going on around me, even while driving, and I think it has something to do with my anxious personality.
Does anyone experience this? It is of concern to me because I am a teacher who wants to be "present" and "attentive" to my students and my classroom, as well, of course, to daily life tasks. Has anyone found anything that helps them? (I don't want to take any short acting medicines because I dont want to become dependent--I have a history of liking drugs a bit too much...
I have started to take a perscription for ADD (I thought I might have it but I am beginning to think it was the anxiety that distracts me)...that helps a little but because it is a stimulant I think it might increase my anxiety a little...
Sorry for the long post, but I have been like this since I can remember (spacey), and I want to "snap out of it".
I have had an anxiety disorder for a long long time. I was a VERY anxious child, and never seemed to know how to stop worrying/thinking. Friends and family know me pretty well as someone who can't sit still and gets distracted fairly easily. I tend to think about my anxieties or just anything at all, and almost "black out" on what actually happened in reality, because I am absorbed in these thoughts.
I have been on antidepressants for two years and they have helped tremendously with everything--with the depression, anxiety, depersonalization, everything...but lately I have been getting a little more anxious. My fiance gets scared because he thinks a lot of time I an not paying attention to what is going on around me, even while driving, and I think it has something to do with my anxious personality.
Does anyone experience this? It is of concern to me because I am a teacher who wants to be "present" and "attentive" to my students and my classroom, as well, of course, to daily life tasks. Has anyone found anything that helps them? (I don't want to take any short acting medicines because I dont want to become dependent--I have a history of liking drugs a bit too much...
I have started to take a perscription for ADD (I thought I might have it but I am beginning to think it was the anxiety that distracts me)...that helps a little but because it is a stimulant I think it might increase my anxiety a little...
Sorry for the long post, but I have been like this since I can remember (spacey), and I want to "snap out of it".
Namaste
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 63
Namaste
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 63
I just read some of the different definitions for depersonalization, and I do lose some time, but it is usually very short (not hours like some people posted, but definitely seems to be a few blank spots)...no one has experienced this?
Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Back in the USA
Posts: 2,661
Misscat,
Not much experience with this one. Are u seeing a specialist? To have anxiety from such an early age requires a lot of analysis.
Let the specialist know the medication ur on now just isnt cutting it. They should be more helpful. If not, I would find a specialist who better understands how ur feeling.
Intro
Not much experience with this one. Are u seeing a specialist? To have anxiety from such an early age requires a lot of analysis.
Let the specialist know the medication ur on now just isnt cutting it. They should be more helpful. If not, I would find a specialist who better understands how ur feeling.
Intro
Namaste
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 63
Originally Posted by Introvrtd1 
Misscat,
Not much experience with this one. Are u seeing a specialist? To have anxiety from such an early age requires a lot of analysis.
Let the specialist know the medication ur on now just isnt cutting it. They should be more helpful. If not, I would find a specialist who better understands how ur feeling.
Intro
Not much experience with this one. Are u seeing a specialist? To have anxiety from such an early age requires a lot of analysis.
Let the specialist know the medication ur on now just isnt cutting it. They should be more helpful. If not, I would find a specialist who better understands how ur feeling.
Intro
Yes, I was terribly anxious most of my life...but I have to say the medicines I have been on have helped VERY much. I dont have too much anxiety now, but I just find myself spearating from reality sort of readily...its like I just have a habit of thinking in that way, a bit detached, more than I actually need it as a coping mechanism at present. Does that make sense?
Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Back in the USA
Posts: 2,661
Yes it does make sense.
Perhaps you may have trained yourself to respond this way whenever anxiety enters.
I understand it was your way of coping to a certain degree.
Having a habit of thinking a certain way may be hard to break, but it can be done.
Like me my habit was OCDing every time I had a panic attack. You could say it was my way of coping, but unfortunately that was counter-productive. I wanted to use a repetitive distraction to take my mind off the attack. Problem was, it did nothing to get rid of panic attacks.
Until I did some cognitive behavioral therapy and teaching my mind and body to respond positively to an attack did they become less frequent and less intense.
You can get control of this Im sure. No matter how long you've suffered.
Talk to ur specialist, read books on anxiety, read these posts here at SR.
Education of this thing is what I believe to be key in getting rid of the panic and anxiety in the first place.
Hope this helps. You can beat this.
Intro
Perhaps you may have trained yourself to respond this way whenever anxiety enters.
I understand it was your way of coping to a certain degree.
Having a habit of thinking a certain way may be hard to break, but it can be done.
Like me my habit was OCDing every time I had a panic attack. You could say it was my way of coping, but unfortunately that was counter-productive. I wanted to use a repetitive distraction to take my mind off the attack. Problem was, it did nothing to get rid of panic attacks.
Until I did some cognitive behavioral therapy and teaching my mind and body to respond positively to an attack did they become less frequent and less intense.
You can get control of this Im sure. No matter how long you've suffered.
Talk to ur specialist, read books on anxiety, read these posts here at SR.
Education of this thing is what I believe to be key in getting rid of the panic and anxiety in the first place.
Hope this helps. You can beat this.
Intro
Namaste
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 63
Originally Posted by Introvrtd1
Yes it does make sense.
Perhaps you may have trained yourself to respond this way whenever anxiety enters.
I understand it was your way of coping to a certain degree.
Having a habit of thinking a certain way may be hard to break, but it can be done.
Like me my habit was OCDing every time I had a panic attack. You could say it was my way of coping, but unfortunately that was counter-productive. I wanted to use a repetitive distraction to take my mind off the attack. Problem was, it did nothing to get rid of panic attacks.
Until I did some cognitive behavioral therapy and teaching my mind and body to respond positively to an attack did they become less frequent and less intense.
You can get control of this Im sure. No matter how long you've suffered.
Talk to ur specialist, read books on anxiety, read these posts here at SR.
Education of this thing is what I believe to be key in getting rid of the panic and anxiety in the first place.
Hope this helps. You can beat this.
Intro
Perhaps you may have trained yourself to respond this way whenever anxiety enters.
I understand it was your way of coping to a certain degree.
Having a habit of thinking a certain way may be hard to break, but it can be done.
Like me my habit was OCDing every time I had a panic attack. You could say it was my way of coping, but unfortunately that was counter-productive. I wanted to use a repetitive distraction to take my mind off the attack. Problem was, it did nothing to get rid of panic attacks.
Until I did some cognitive behavioral therapy and teaching my mind and body to respond positively to an attack did they become less frequent and less intense.
You can get control of this Im sure. No matter how long you've suffered.
Talk to ur specialist, read books on anxiety, read these posts here at SR.
Education of this thing is what I believe to be key in getting rid of the panic and anxiety in the first place.
Hope this helps. You can beat this.
Intro
How is your experience with Cognitive behavioral therapy?
What were some of the specific things you did in this sort of therapy?
I did some group and talking therapy but no CB.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Back in the USA
Posts: 2,661
Specifically, what I learned to do was confront my triggers. One was driving long distances (1-2 hours or more). I had a panic attack while driving once, and found it hard to drive from thereon. So, I had to learn how to positively respond when I had an attack on the road.
This meant to drive in short trips, getting longer each time so during an attack, I would breathe normally, allow the attack to run its course, then subside. The more I did that, the less frequent and intense the attacks became.
Another was driving over large bridges. That triggered panic, so same thing. Reteach my body to deal with the panic while driving over large bridges until the panic no longer posed a threat.
Driving soon became pleasureable and I was able to enjoy the trip.
I share an experience I had while driving. A sudden onset of panic and my vision felt as if it would fade to black. A bright sunlit day became dim, as if looking thru sunglasses. Scary feelings of passing out while driving.
I learned not to fight it, let it ride and before long it no longer bothered me.
Some folks need medication anyway. For me, I was able to fend off the panic without it thru education and rethinking.
Try it, small steps at first. Take ur time and see how it works.
Intro
This meant to drive in short trips, getting longer each time so during an attack, I would breathe normally, allow the attack to run its course, then subside. The more I did that, the less frequent and intense the attacks became.
Another was driving over large bridges. That triggered panic, so same thing. Reteach my body to deal with the panic while driving over large bridges until the panic no longer posed a threat.
Driving soon became pleasureable and I was able to enjoy the trip.
I share an experience I had while driving. A sudden onset of panic and my vision felt as if it would fade to black. A bright sunlit day became dim, as if looking thru sunglasses. Scary feelings of passing out while driving.
I learned not to fight it, let it ride and before long it no longer bothered me.
Some folks need medication anyway. For me, I was able to fend off the panic without it thru education and rethinking.
Try it, small steps at first. Take ur time and see how it works.
Intro
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