I have had anxiety & panic for about 8 years. The past few years have brought on this spacey/disconnected feeling. It's so hard to explain but it's almost like I'm not 100% capeable to do daily tasks. I am & I do but I worry that I'll forget something. Like I have dementia or alzheimers. Nothing seems to trigger it. Just random times/days. I've had it the past few days in a row which has me even more anxious. Anyone else?

I've had it everyday for the last 14 years! There were a few periods when it was gone or almost gone. I am not too excited about the feeling either. It is almost as if I feel like i'm not there, its hard to concentrate, its hard to visualize and be creative and memory is extremely effected by this. This is just another anxiety symptom.

Blood is usually abundantly supplied to the organs but when we have anxiety (fight or flight) then that abundance of blood is reduced as it goes into the muscles in order to fight or run. Less blood means less nourishment which means functioning is decreased...less blood to the brain makes all it's functions less, memory, cognitive functioning...etc. This is the scariest of symptoms for me but the only way to overcome this is to be able to accept it and believe that it cannot hurt you.


Mike

Read this and I am sure it will make you feel much better...All rights go to Joe Barry...

Here is excerpt from the panic away program on the very symptoms you are experiencing!!! I am sure this will work for you and give you a better understanding about what causes these "spacey and unreality" feelings!!!

I’d like to discuss a symptom not often mentioned in anxiety literature—the sensation of unreality. Psychologists call this depersonalization.

Many people who experience panic attacks and general anxiety become distressed by this sensation and feel they may be losing their mind.

They report feeling disconnected, as if their world has become nothing more than a projection of a film. This often leads to believing that some permanent damage has been done to their brain, which is causing these sensations.


A typical manifestation of this depersonalization (unreality) is when you’re having a conversation with someone and you suddenly feel alarmingly isolated and removed from the situation.

Once the sensation arises, it can be so impactful that it takes days to leave the eerie feeling behind and stop thinking about it.

The sensation is caused by delayed perception and mental preoccupation. While under constant stress or anxiety, the buildup of stress chemicals in your system causes a delayed response in sending information between neurotransmitter sites in your body.

This slight delay between experience and thought can create a momentary sensation of unreality. The same effects are experienced under the influence of marijuana, but people don’t react with fear because they’re aware that the drug is causing the sensation.

It’s when the sensation arrives while you’re doing your tax return that things feel a little scary!

I mention depersonalization because the condition isn’t often discussed, and I want to reassure those of you who may have experienced it that it’s only a side effect of excessive anxiety—it will pass as soon as your anxiety level comes down.

Once the mind and body return to a normal level of relaxation, your body then has the opportunity to dispel some excess chemicals, and the sensation of being disconnected from the world ends.

In combination with this buildup of stress in the body, people often become completely absorbed in mental activity, further fueling the feeling of separation from the world.

It’s very easy to start imagining all the terrible mental illnesses that this sensation could mean, but don’t worry, you haven’t caused any damage to yourself, and you’ll return to the person you were before depersonalization crept in. You’ll have to trust me on that.

The quickest way out of this disconnected feeling is to really accept it for the time being and have faith that it will pass shortly.

Shrug your shoulders and relax into it, regardless of how strange it feels. You can adopt this relaxed attitude because you know that you’ll return to normal when you remove anxiety from the equation.

Remind yourself that this is a phase you’re moving through, so be patient and kind to yourself while you’re experiencing it.

What really moves people out of this sensation quickest is adopting an attitude that all is well. And it is. These unusual sensations of depersonalization are just a nuisance, but they’ll pass.

As I mentioned, not feeling connected to yourself in this manner is solely due to the anxiety in your system, and it’s then reinforced when you constantly check in to see how you’re feeling.

Checking in means that you could be having a conversation with someone, but part of you continually checks to see if the eerie feeling is there or not. It’s like you’re overanalyzing yourself all the time, and that can make you feel even stranger.

I appreciate how uncomfortable it
can be, but don’t worry about it. It will leave, so don’t let the thoughts sucker you into thinking you’ll be stuck with this depersonalization feeling all your life. Those thoughts aren’t valid.

The more you flow along with it and don’t react, the more quickly you’ll return to feeling more yourself. It takes a little practice, but that change in attitude makes a big difference in how you feel.

You should also engage in physical activities like outdoor exercise when you feel this way. Activities such as walking, running, biking, swimming, etc., help to shift your attention from an overfocus on mental activity to the more physical experience of your body.

Physical pursuits get you out of your mind, so to speak, and into your body. Note that exercising outdoors is preferred because fresh air improves mood and an overall sense of well-being.

I know this was a little long!!! But, I am sure if you read it all then, you will realize that this is nothing to be frightened about and it too shall pass!!!

Have a great night's rest!!! God Bless Each of You!!!

this is my greatest promblem that i experience and just reading what you posted scarred me, but as i read on i fealt better ,i know it was a long post but it was pretty scary talking about it, but wait thats me being negative, let me turn it to positive. its true waht you are saying im very pleased to know that im not the only with this, thanks alot

i too have been there and still am to an point we own our on bussiness and i had to remove myself from it to take care of myself. cus beside of me doing it to my self and making so many mistakes to where losing the bussiness i would have our workers depending on me when i couldn't even depend on myself everyday i come to the onnline part of this program in some much of my faers and then i read all's and it helps me awhole lot. and realeize this is going to take some time that i have to allow for myself.