Feeling like I'm constantly on a bad high

[maggstaa]

I'm almost 24 and I've had severe anxiety and OCD my entire life, but the past couple months and ESPECIALLY couple weeks things have been getting really really weird and extremely uncomfortable.
Idk if I would call these things "episodes" for lack of a better word--but it happens some times (including as I type this) that I get into these feelings where I almost black out, I'm detached and feel like I'm stoned or on a bad high. (For the record, I haven't smoked weed in years, hardly ever drink, and the only recreational usage I have is some MD like once every couple months.) It's extremely difficult to form cohesive thoughts and my vision gets kind of blurry or doubled and I feel light headed and my body feels heavy like it's exhausting to move at all. I feel extremely anxious and panicky and almost like I'm "out of my body," if that makes sense...it's happened a few times in social settings but also when I am alone. When in social settings it's very awkward for me and just makes me panic more; also I notice that my short term memory is very bad and that makes me extremely anxious as well. The first time this really noticeably happened it was when my boyfriend and I had a friend over for dinner and all I remember from the evening is being really dizzy and detached and having to go to bed early. Also I have been exhausted all the time and sleeping very hard, very early, and very long, which is strange because normally I am a very light/difficult sleeper. Another one of these things happened last night while I was at a language course and I started crying because I was so freaked out by it. I feel like this is so random and it is taking over my life the past few weeks. I can't think of anything really that has changed except I have been increasingly stressed about my job that I hate for months, but idk why that would cause this kind of weirdness. Now I'm also feeling depressed and listless and afraid to go out and do anything cuz I feel like I'm stoned all the time! My bf said he notices me being depressed or distant/detached lately too, and I have no idea what is going on. Am I crazy or does anyone have a clue what's happening?

[Kabukicho]

You are not crazy. You are describing classic anxiety / depression symptoms. I am 26 and I have had the exact same symptoms since 24. I call them "spacey feelings." They are my primary anxiety complaint and I would pay vast, vast sums of money to be rid of them.

I combat them primarily by ignoring them. They aren't dangerous. They don't make you seem weird. You can function perfectly fine with them. They come and go. They always pass, right? Just remember that. Don't fight them. You have an anxiety disorder and these feelings are a natural (albeit dysfunctional) response of the body to stress.

You are NOT crazy. You have anxiety. Go easy on yourself.

I do wish I could offer you an instant solution, but there is none...

*Hug*

[AliasEQ]

I'd say it's derelization/depersonalization. Horrible symptom caused by anxiety. Not dangerous or harmful though and you won't go crazy.

This is completly normal, it's one of the body's natural coping mechanisms. When our anxiety is severe, our mind decides it's going to tune the world out in order to cope. So, when our brain is working during this "tune-out", it feels like the world is a place that is "unreal" and you may feel detached.

The best way to stop this is with mindfulness. You need to become more aware of your own present. How? Distraction. I got a great advice from someone here on the forum (fourteen): "Try to describe the immediate area you are in and the objects in it, out loud in as much detail as you can. As if you are trying to relay an accurate picture of the room to a radio station listener."

So whenever you feel it coming, just try to not care about it and distract yourself. Wish you the best! :)