[Jester's Rags]

I was on auto-pilot today. I wasn’t fully aware of what was going on most of the time. I had moments throughout the day where I realized I wasn’t actively participating on behalf of myself but was instead behind myself almost observing. I had the occasional moment of clarity, But I would fade out to auto mode again.

At a work meeting, i was somewhere behind myself. Answers to questions formed and presented themselves without any intervention from me. Appropriate and well developed ideas at that. This sort of thing happens to me fairly frequently. It can be quite disconcerting.

Does anyone else experience this?

[Tucson]

If you mean detached from what is actually going on around you, I have experienced this before. It is like autopilot. Afterwards I do not know what happened when I am in autopilot. As far as not being able to respond in a meeting despite having good ideas has happened to me. It is like I can see what is happening, and how I should respond to it, but I do nothing but sit there non-responsive. I do not know what had happened to me

[taybaby]

Do you think it was depersonalization? I definitely experience that and derealization often. It's scary.

I don't know if I ever really go on autopilot though unless I'm driving. Honestly it sounds like it might be a good escape to be able to go on autopilot occasionally but maybe I'm wrong...

[Jester's Rags]

It is a bit scary as I’ll carry on a whole conversation and not be aware while it’s happening. In my meeting yesterday, I had a handout regarding a system issue we encountered. Autopilot for an hour. Afterwards, I wasn’t sure if I sounded like an Idiot or if it went well. A coworker came up to me and told me what a great and clear presentation I made.

Depersonalization? It could be.

[Tucson]

I remember having a conversation with someone I knew at Denny,s restaurant. It was as though I was removed from the situation and did not understand what I was saying. I then found myself outside my car without knowing how I got there. I did not even know where I was and what car I was standing next to. The car looked completely foreign to me. I had keys in my hand not knowing what I was doing with them. Then reality flooded in and I then recognized my car as being the car next to me and unlocked it to drive home.

I am sorry you are going through this. It is a little scary, isn’t it? I wish I knew the solution to this. But I can say that you are not alone in this. By the way, I wonder what is the difference is between depersonalization and derealizatiin? Just curious. I think maybe stress can trigger this.

Yes I've done this. I've actually made terrible decisions in this mode and won't remember chunks of what happened. It terrifies me.

[Unrigged64072835]

I know I can't be on autopilot anymore. When I am I make a lot of mistakes. I think it may be from the meds.

[UpDownAround]

That is one of the symptoms of my head fog. I just saw a neurologist who is referring me to a neuropsychiatrist for a battery of tests. Anyway, that sort of thing happens to me a few times a week. It is scary when I "come to" and I'm driving down the highway. Driving safely and going the right way but freaked out because I can barely remember getting on the road and driving to the point where I suddenly became more aware.

[SparkySmart]

This has happened to me, too. Freaks me out. Seriously. Like, how do I get back inside myself, and what if I never do?

I'm a little terrified just reading your description.