It can be embarrassing at times. When I space out my eyes will lock onto whatever is there. And I'll just stare. Sometimes a tree, maybe a mountain, sometimes (which I find embarrassing) a person. Like women. No idea why, it just happens. I rarely "lock on to" men, but women, different story. I explained this problem to the manager of my bank, and staff are now more accepting that it's really not my fault. Nothing like coming out of it and finding myself staring at a woman's butt or breasts. I figure if it was intentional, I'd at least remember what I'm looking at. And everytime it happens I don't remember a thing.

It's when the emotional pain manifests itself as physical pain. It's the main reason the I sought help when things got really, really bad for me. I had dealt with depression and anxiety for years-although not to the extreme that full-blown PTSD caused. But I had never had any body pain before. 90% of the pain was in my low abdomen (this I believe is related to my initial trauma). It got so bad that my GYN was considering doing a hysterectomy on me. He thought it was a complication of an existing issue.

I now use the pain I still sometimes get as an indication of my stress levels. Different stresses affect different areas of my body. But it has this cumulative thing going. One area starts out hurting and if the stress levels don't go down it moves onto another area, but the first area keeps hurting. It's kind of like my body is saying, 'OK...you're not going to take care of this with the first hint, then I'll just have to give you a bigger hint that you have to deal with whatever is bothering you.'

Lisa

I used to think I had ADD or something because I couldn't focus at the task/situation at hand. However, I think where the PTSD comes in is when I do this during uncomfortable situations and conversations. Also, there are times when I choose to dissociate, and I know that it is what I am doing. In these cases, it is for (emotional) survival.

I get both types you've described. I regressed to a child for a week at a time once, and occasionally I do the same thing now.. I tend to go to bed and clutch my stuffed toy and won't go anywhere without him.. which is odd for a 24 year old, but at times I need that comfort like a child.

I also just drift away and feel nothing, phsyically or emotionally and sort of go 'offline' as I call it. Sometimes I'll even start dribbling (ew) and my husband says my breathing goes shallow and he has to remind me to breathe.. i just stop EVERYTHING.

I don't think theres any such thing as a normal type of dissociation- it's complicated and multi-faceted

I'm so glad to find this post because I just posted somewhere about how dissociation is making my work and relationships difficult.

I really don't know what happens, but often an hour sometimes a day or longer goes by and I can't remember anything. Also, I get on wrong trains, buses etc. and don't realize it until 30 minutes or more latter. But most of the time it's like I and the world separate --I know this sounds odd, but I feel safer during these times.

cec

It's only been in the last year that I've even realized that I dissociate. There's so much about it that I don't understand and it really frightens me.

I have times when I just kind of space out. That's not so bad unless someone is trying to have a conversation with me. Very often I find myself sort of just picking up on just snippets, words or phrases of what someone is saying and then stumbling to find something to say that doesn't give away the fact that I have no idea what they've just said to me. It really does feel like an ADHD sort of thing because not matter how hard I try I can't really focus on the conversation.

I have other times when things seem so thick and foggy. I feel like I'm in a daze...I know where I'm at but I'm not sure why or I'm not sure what I want to do next or where I want to go next. It can be for a few minutes or for days at a time. Again, I'm really struggling to focus on what is going on around me but it is much more frightening because everything seems so slowed down. My head will feel fuzzy and I just can't shake it. I'm starting to get better at being able to say to someone that this is how I'm feeling even when it is happening. When it goes on for days at a time I start to have trouble telling the difference between things that really happened or if it was just something that I dreamed.

I wrote this and then re-read. My first thought was that I sound like some sort of freak but I'm going to hurry and click the post button before I erase it.

I dissociate quick frequently, though less than I did. Most times it's like I'm in a daze. I feel heavy, sleepy, uncoordinated, can't think straight, etc.

Other times I have found myself in the middle of the street with cars honking and don't remember seeing them when I went to cross the street.

A LOT less frequently now, I'll regress in age and be 10, 5, etc. I was diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder while in intensive out patient treatment. It's under control for the most part now.

Sometimes dissociating is scary and other times, I just wish I could snap out of it and be normal.

Yes, I disappear-I call them blackouts. I was able to control it, had to alter my eating habits and force sleep on myself. It happened gradually sometimes and others really quickly-just ended up somewhere else, not sure how I got there.

B vitamins, exercise and sleep all helped to stop it. I still dissociate, if you want several internet sites have info on combatting it for ex-cult members, who also are now recognized as having ptsd.

One trick-doing left brained activity like word searches and stuff. I only know about that from my cousin's exit counsellor, he recommended it. It works too!
Safe, no side effects.

Thanks for the recommendations on word searches and vitamin B. I'll try those.