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View Full Version : Is this Anxiety caused or something more serious? (LONG POST)



BenL
01-16-2014, 04:44 PM
Hey guys, i dont want to go on for too long so ill try break it down for you:

Notes:
I have had relatively long periods of high stress / depression in the past few years but nothing serious
im not really healthy, not fat but half way, ive had times where i eat Fast Food three / four times a week

Run down of my life:

Age 1-19: Relatively normal upbringing other than moving between homes a lot

Reverse Dejauvu Feeling:
I remember this feeling i used to get in my teens where i would just zone in and out for a second
and wonder what just happened, like a reverse dejavu.
This happened very rarely and usually when i was standing up and never thought about it much

Age 19: Try Marijuana for the first time, amazing

Age 20: Have a huge panic attack after i take massive amounts of Marijuana,
end up calling an ambulance because i think im dying: My first real Panic Attack.
Turns out everything was fine.

Age 20-22: Few panic attacks during weed smoking but nothing as serious as first

I basically went on a 4 year non stop Weed binge during these times. Panic attacks were rare.

Age 21: I think my left eye is giving out because my vision is getting blurry. Have a huge panic
but turns out im just short sighted and this happens to a lot of people as they hit their 20s.
Never bothers me again.

What im currently worried about:

Age 22: I begin to feel kinda weird at the end of my highs.

Examples:


When im in my bed (3am-ish) trying to sleep (notably in the absence of light)
its like im processing but forgetting at the same time, its like the lights go off in my head but my eyes are still open.
Its like a feeling of disorientation, memory lapses that take me out and back in.
Similar to the reverse dejavu i used to have in my teens but really really dragged out.
My vision is fine but its like the function that records short term memories just stops.
Only seconds are passing but it seems like ages for me.
Looking at my wall, as im seeing it, im forgetting it then remembering where i am.
99% of this happens when im standing up after long periods of sitting or in dark areas


I panicked after it started happening really frequently almost went on for hours
I went to the doctor and he said its brought on by stress/anxiety and prescribed me Propranolol.
After he told me all this saying it was anxiety caused and took my blood pressure etc, it went down considerably.

I took the propranolol and whilst it didnt go away completely, it subsided 80%.

Age 23:

I give up Marijuana to see if its the weed causing it.

During the 2 months i stayed sober, it rarely but still happened.
Only happened when i went outside or if i was going upstairs to sleep.
Like once i went to the jewellers and whilst he was talking, i zoned out completely
and whilst you couldnt tell by looking at me, inside i was getting that "reverse dejavu feeling"
like only few seconds were passing it felt like ages, disorientation.

Now (Im still 23)

I still have anxiety of the mind (propranolol helps my body anxiety) but i can still be social.
The memory lapse still happens, like twice a day for a few minutes as opposed to ages/hours before.

If it does happen, i dont feel scared because i just think its caused by stress/anxiety and it goes away by itself. Usually when my attention is fixated on something else.

Ive tried finding matching symptoms with a lot of serious conditions to no availability
brain tumours, alzhemiers, schizophrenic etc nothing sounds like it. Family history is pretty much good. No mental illness etc.

Ive asked for a blood test just in case

but what do you think? Should i go back to my doctor and ask for serious tests?

The reason why im curious is because the eye thing bothered me then it turned out it was nothing / anxiety causing fear that something was wrong,
the weed body pain thing bothered me, turned out it was just a panic attack.

Could anxiety cause this lapse in short term memory / eyes open but mind flogging? I can recall all times where i was worrying about it or when it was happening, so its not like the memories arent being stored or recorded...

I know its long but any help would make the world of difference...


thanks

Sentinelle
04-13-2014, 08:15 AM
Hello I read this post just now and I can really relate to your symptoms especially the deja-vus and blurry vision. I smoked week throughout my teens daily and never had panick attacks. But when they started 4 years ago (I am now 27) I had to stop weed ltogethor due to the panic, racing heart, and trembling. It just wasnt giving me the high it used to. The symptoms you describe are very common amongst anxiety sufferers and I get a lot of deja vu feelings especially when I am standing up for a long time or listening to someone talking, my mind starts racing and lose touch with reality. I get scared as soon as that happens and I get a full blown panick attack. Throughout these episodes I also had daily headaches shortness of breath and blurred vision and other very scary symptoms. I coouldnt even smoke sigaretted, drinkcoffee or alcohol. I ended up in the er several times and was told it was anxiety and I was not convinced so I spent a lot of money on tests because I developed hypochondria health anxiety. It has been the worst 4 years of my life but I am trying to get it back togethor.

Anxiety does cause fogging and short term memory loss and a whole bunch of other symptoms. It is wise to take blood tests every now and then but do not get too obsessed with how your body works! Talk to someone and get help. Keep a healthy lifestyle, eat fruits and veg and start exercising little every day because it helps with the building back your serotonin and will reduce your mind fogging and disorientation. I hope you get through this I am still trying to figure it out it is not easy to convince yourself it is anxiety and not a brain tumor or who knows what!! Oh and do not Google your symptoms talk to a friend instead

AliasEQ
04-13-2014, 07:38 PM
Hey Ben!

First of all, welcome.

I've been experiencing a similiar feeling. It was caused by marijuana. This dejavu/disoriented feeling is f*cking awful. It's horrible. And yes, it's caused by anxiety. It's called derealization/depersonalization. A horrible f*cking symptom that pops up from anxiety.

This feeling is used as a defence mechanism against anything that may harm us. So whenever something might harm us, this feeling pops up, to help us. It's amazing if you ask me.

So why is it poping up, even though you're not in danger? Well, that's because you're stressed and anxious - your brain automatically thinks something bad is going to happen and BOM, it pops up.

Ideally, what you want to do is: GET RID OF THE STRESS AND THE ANXIETY! How? Medications, supplements, meditation, deep breathing, etc (you can find alot of things on the forum) - everything that can possibly relax you + knowledge about your anxiety. This will recover your derealization/depersonalization.

I still get some DR/DP sometimes. But knowing how to deal with it is like you don't have it. How do you deal with it when it pops up? Simply don't give a flying f*ck about it. Keep on living your life. It feels like sh*t, but worrying isn't going to make it better.. Worrying = more dr/dp. Just live your life, don't let it stop you from anything!

I hope this can help you. Don't be afraid, you're going through a sh*tty period. It's going to be okay!

Elias