Feel super spacey

[Emma2727]

I've always had state anxiety when it comes to attending social events, and often will pull out lame excuses to avoid going, but nothing extreme. Once I'm out though I've always been fine and most people would never believe what an effort it was to talk myself into attending as I'll probably be the last to go home.

Lately, however, I've just felt spaced out constantly and have had three panic attacks at work when it's quiet and I had too much time to think over everything.

Now I don't want to be left alone and will take any excuse to go out and be with others. When I'm home I fight with my family and have no desire to do any uni work. I'm half way through a law degree (I was always so driven) that I have no motivation to finish.

The only way to describe how I feel is spaced out and when I'm alone I have constant butterflies which is so weird because I have nothing to be nervous about.

I just want to be able to be motivated again and I don't know how

[MarkJT]

Hey Emma, first off, I want to welcome you to the beyondblue forums. It is a really caring environment that has no stigma so a great place to seek out advice and support.

I certainly know what shoes you are walking in as I have done the same.

Ok, so a couple of questions, can I ask if you are currently being treated? Have you ever been treated?

If so, great but if not, you need to get to the GP and have a chat about this. This may result in a psych referral which is fine.

Have you heard of mindfulness? I use it heaps and it is about living in the present and not worrying about the future, nor the past. There is a great app called, "Smiling Mind" that helps teach you.

Once you start to learn about it, it helps ground you so that you can overcome those fears and thoughts that anxiety gives us.

Hope to hear back and then we can continue on a plan on how to get you back to what you use to be and get that law degree!

Mark.

[JellicoeGirl99]

Emma, your post resonates with me so much!

I'm always going out and once I'm there no one would ever know the kind of anticipation anxiety I experienced, but no matter where I'm going I always get needlessly nervous

Work is actually a very good place for me once I get there because I'm very busy but I know for others when it's quiet they have the same experience, someone close to me has even left work a couple times from panic attacks

I recently posted under 'that constant pit in my stomach' and it's basically that same constant butterflies feeling in my stomach

I also experience the same spaced out feeling when I have a bad flare up of anxiety or when I have a panic attack, I think it can be known as 'disassociation' and even though it feels really freaky, it will pass. I usually try to get outside during the day and do things that are familiar to me, as I've noticed sleeping in and spending the day indoors only makes it worse

Like Mark said, its important to see someone about it. I see a psychologist every now and then when I periodically feel like this and it really helps to get out of that bubble

You'll find your motivation again, and you're allowed to feel like this every now and then, all the best 🙂

JellicoeGirl

[Meowface]

Emma my psychologist has explained that spacey feeling as being due to cortisol pumping through our system when we get stressed. So when I’m at a social event and feeling anxious I’ll often be smiling and rambling on with conversations but my brain will be on auto-mode. When the night is over I often feel like I was drunk (even if I wasn’t) and don’t feel like it was really me having those conversations. When I’m anxious at work then I’ll be in meetings and words will literally sound like another language to me. Such a strange sensation! Apparantly this is also due to the cortisol pumping through my brain affecting my ability to make sense of things.
Definitely recommend you have a chat to your GP about the butterflies if they are following you around all day. Take care of yourself J