Dissociation any one ?

[gossamer4448]

Hello, i am a 23 yo female and new to this community. I have been a lurker for a while and finally decided to join ! I was wondering if anyone else with dysautonomia experiences dissociation like symptoms ? I feel disconnected  with my thoughts, emotions and body  like not knowing when im  hungry or tired . I also have bad confusion and empty feeling  in my head almost 24/7 but this is more than brain fog which i know is a common symptom. I am currently on my period right now and have a cold  and it feels so magnified along with my dysautonomia .Is anyone else like me or is this two separate things  ?  I did have a massive panic attack last year when the dissociation and more severe dysautonomia  symptoms started. I had it for a while before that but not really noticeable  and everything  snowballed from there,  but just when i thought i was finally improving i am  knocked back again by this period and cold .😫

[kafie]

Dissociation is a natural response to stress (like fight and flight) and can easily be caused by anxiety, especially for those who are prone.

I do have a dissociative disorder so I couldn't tell you if this is related to dysautonomia, but I can tell you that everything kind of ebs and flows on a continuum for me (though this may be because stress worsens nearly everything under the sun).

That said, brain fog has got to make disassociation worse. I can't imagine any way that it wouldn't since there's some pretty significant overlap in manifestations of the two. I'd even bet that brain fog could trigger dissociation.

The effect of dysfunction in the basal ganglia (as in POTS and other forms of dysautonomia) definitely have something to do with that. The autonomic nervous system is pretty big. *Shrugs*

As for a clear connection from one to the other... no idea. Dissociation is a pretty poorly researched topic unfortunately and I don't think anyone has looked into an overlap between the two.

[Pistol]

Dear @gossamer4448 - welcome to the forum!!! - I also used to get that dissociation feeling and empty-head feeling. I used to get it often when I was not yet properly medicated for POTS. My docs explained that this is due to hypo-perfusion of the brain from either low BP due to vaso-dilation or due to excessive vaso-constriction. In both cases there is decreased blood flow to the brain.  Having a period and having a cold can both trigger POTS symptoms to worsen, so it is not really uncommon to feel much worse. Lie low, rest, hydrate … but remember to be upright and exercise ever so carefully to avoid becoming debilitated ( which will also worsen your POTS as well as delay recovery ). Best wishes!!!!! Be well!!!!

[gossamer4448]

hello pistol do you think you can have low blood flow to the brain laying down even . its not always when im upright or my heart is fine and i stil have symptoms 

[kafie]

It is possible to have POTS symptoms sitting up. Some medication (I think midodrine is usually responsible) may cause symptoms when laying down.

I do find that sometimes I have symptoms when sitting or laying down when I'm having a really bad attack (sometimes it takes 5-10 minutes before the tachycardia finally goes down, even reclining... but these are attacks that would have me pass out of I were standing generally).

[Hutch]

I have pots male 27, and I can relate to what you’re feeling. I have no anxiety or depression. So I know it’s related to pots and Dysautonomia some how, I would describe mine as my eyes see faster then my mind can process. something I see out the corner of my eye. may cAuse me to put my complete attion on. just to understand what it is. Simple things my mind use to simple be able to tell me fast without stopping my other thoughts kind like a reflex thought it took no  investigation on my part.my mind  instantly knew what was going on. My body respond was instantly to a thought if required with no effort from me, it’s like if my mind was a machine, you set inside and operated like a car its like it use to only use one lever that took input from me to operate it. the rest automatically took care of its self. But when it hits me it’s like I now have 30  levers to control to try to get the same process accomplished, only it’s just not possible so I end up slower and more confused. no matter how hard I try to shake it, i have no control.  thoughts start to be confusing, I feel like I’m watching a dream like everything is fake but I know that’s not true but still I feel it. In this state my emotions are almost gone, it’s the weirdest feeling I’ve ever felt my whole life, no words could do it justice. I hits me everytime I get up trying do something pushing my self once it hits me laying down doesn’t make it leave slightly better but not gone. The feeling is the worst part of my symptoms. It makes life  unenjoyable. 

[potsiebarbie]

I've had this for nearly eight months straight! I hate it. Nothing feels quite real. I feel detached from everything and everyone. Even myself. Being that it's been eight months I've started to get used to it. Honestly it's really scary for me, and it's certainly no way to live. I've talked to doctors, psych, therapist, but to no avail. I wish I had a clear cut for sure answer on what's causing it, exactly what it is, etc... Because maybe then I'd feel a bit more content. IDK. I wish I had some answers for you, but you're not alone! Hang in there! 

[kafie]

Have you tried low dose naltrexone? There have been some studies on it and dissociation (which were promising), it's also something they give for POTS. It might be worth asking your doctor about?

[Peter Charlton]

Pretty much how Hutch described things, I could do everything automaitically, now I have to really think hard about every little action, else I drom things for instance, tonight I was standing by the cooker, absolutely blank, until the smoke coming from the burning toast reminded me what I was doing.

The feeling I am not really here, but I am dreaming, occasionally it was even a nice feeling, like being a child new in the world, gazing up in wonder at high buildings. But things are getting worst, walking is getting worst as my legs are getting so numb. As for the lack of normal feelings like hunger, I did an experiment earlier in the year, didnt eat as much as a peanut in 42 hours, and I still didn't feel hungry.

I feel I am in danger of dropping into a coma at any time.

[MeganMN]

I have been feeling this way since I began having symptoms in early November. Could it also be a side effect of beta blockers? I feel like I am totally zoned out all the time. My husband has even noticed it too. Very discouraging.

[Hutch]

8 hours ago, MeganMN said:

I have been feeling this way since I began having symptoms in early November. Could it also be a side effect of beta blockers? I feel like I am totally zoned out all the time. My husband has even noticed it too. Very discouraging.

I’m on no medication and still feel this way. 

[green]

Gossammarr - yes. I think I know what you are talking about.

But, all my dissociative feelings have always been brought on by using anti-depressants and then going off of them.  Dissociation lingers indefinitely, declining asymptotically with time. 

[potsiebarbie]

45 minutes ago, green said:

Gossammarr - yes. I think I know what you are talking about.

But, all my dissociative feelings have always been brought on by using anti-depressants and then going off of them.  Dissociation lingers indefinitely, declining asymptotically with time. 

This actually gives me hope that mine will go away! 

[mckade]

Hi, I have definatley noticed disassociation, it has somthing that has actaully changed my entire life and made me struggle to function everyday.  I encountered the disassocation about a year before i even knew i had POTS.  I have read books on disassocation and specifcally depersonalization, depersionalization is more of a physical expeirence like your watching yourslef live on a movie screen and disassocation is more of being mentally distant.  I Have not overcome it yet but what i can tell you from the research i have done is that 1. Disassosiation/depersonalization can not harm you and can not get worse 2. depersonalization stems from anxiety speficially, it means your fight or flight hormones are working overtime (which is all the time with POTS) and 3.  You should not be worried about it, i know how hard it can be to go through life with it, it will go away.  If you find that depersonalizationis not gone once you have managed your pots possibly try EMDR therapy its kind of the go to for dissociation. The only way to truley get over disaccoaiation if you dont have pots is over comming your anxiety entirely. 

I hope this helped :) 

[Sophg]

Hi! According to my doctor, dysautonomia can cause disassociation given to the bad circulation of blood which can no go properly into the brain and also affect our heart rates. I was actually diagnosed with dysautonomia when I was almost 17 after going through a harsh period of disassociation in which I felt completely unattached  from my loved ones and my reality. I also felt I was about to faint and my hands would get extremely cold. I hope you are now doing well, keeping hydrated, adding more salt in your foods and not drinking much alcohol, at least that’s what has helped me. I think it’s important to remember that everything you’re going through is valid and will eventually pass. Sending lots of love and support to this community