I'm a 17 year old girl. Ever since I was like 7 or 8, I've been having these weird episodes where I feel kind of zoned out and "disconnected" from reality. During these times, I'm slow to react to things and sometimes it takes a second to understand what people are saying. I feel like I'm moving through some kind of fog, and I find myself staring off into space in the same direction a lot. I can still function, but I'm not too fun to be around and can't feel emotions as sharply.
These things happen maybe once or twice a week, for roughly an hour at a time. I used to think they were just completely random, but lately I've noticed sort of a pattern. I think it has something to do with changes in my vision… For example, I have both glasses and contact lenses. I have really dry eyes, so I can't wear contacts all the time. Some days I wear the contacts, and other days I just wear glasses. If I put in my contacts as soon as I wake up in the morning, I'm usually fine. But if I put them in later in the day, I almost always get some measure of the "zoned out" feeling afterward.It also happens a lot after I use the computer for more than an hour or two, or after I spend a lot of time reading or focusing on something. Basically, I think it's brought on by staring at the same thing for too long, or by changing the way my eyes focus by switching from glasses to contacts.
The only thing that helps or reduces this feeling is exercising, but even that doesn't make it go away entirely. I have reduced how often it happens by doing sit ups or jogging when it happens, and tried to prevent it by putting in my contacts right away in the morning, but it still randomly happens sometimes.
I'm wondering if what I've been describing is actually dissociation at all… Because from what I've read, dissociation is just a mental thing, and this seems to have a physical cause. Also does anyone have any tips on treatment? I can't go to a psychologist or other doctor about it, my parents are old-fashioned and think mental help is only for "crazy" people. Plus I've told them about my issue, but they just kinda dismiss it because they can't see what it's like from the inside. (I've learned to act pretty normal when it happens.)
This feeling doesn't seriously interrupt my life, but it's just… really annoying. Especially if it happens when I have to have an important conversation or I'm out with my friends.
Sorry for writing a novel, but what do you guys think?
См. статью: Is this dissociation, and is there anything I can do to stop it?