[Hopefull]

When something stressful comes up, I end up staring at the walls or ceiling. Otherwise, I zone for about a half hour to a full hour in the mornings before work. Does anyone else have this annoying habit of zoning? It keeps me from doing house work. Sometimes, I just don't know what to do. My T said some dumb comment about sometimes we need to zone. But, it's annoying. Talking to T decreases my zoning a little before the appoinment and some afterwards. But, I can't make it last very long.

i think that we all do it at times. i do it. i know others that do. my daughters zone.............it's just part of our mental health issues.......xoxoxo pat

[Christina86]

Hi Hopefull,

I do that a LOT. I've had lots of people tell me its a stess-coping mechanism or "dissociating" (Not as in DID, but "zoning out" as you put it!)

I'm glad you've found a way to lessen the amount of time zoning out. I've found that (since most of my stress is caused by other people) that getting away from them, even for 10 minutes can help. Listening to music or multi-tasking (as in not really paying a whole bunch of attention to whats stressing me) helps as well.

I find it annoying as well. And embarassing too, someone ALWAYS has to make a comment about it!

Yup. and my ability to dissociate into what you call Zoning is actually coming in handy for therapy purposes. I call the zoning my tunnel area. Its where I can just sit and float while watching what is going on from a distance.

[Sabrina]

Oh, I do this too. Perhaps not by staring at the walls or ceiling but I'll watch something on TV without even "seeing" anything and just sit about rather than get stuck into the work! I don't know if it has ever helped me for the back-log of work just creates more stress and the circle starts again. I do know that it is up to me to find constructive ways to deal with the stress.

[sujunew]

I've always had a problem with 'zoning' or 'dissociating', which does come in very handy when the stress is too much to handle, but for me it can also be really dangerous as I do things without knowing (i.e. SIing). It is my way of coping, and I also call it 'being on autopilot'- just doing things without thinking about what I am doing and wondering later when I did it as I have no recollection of it! As long as it does not become harmful to you (unlike with me as I mentioned earlier) it can be an effective way of coping with stressors until you are ready to face them or they have passed. TC

[Rhapsody]

Yes - Oh Yes.................. I have been there done that - and in reality it was the first sign I so often unconsciously sent out to my husband that something was wrong - with in our relationship or just within myself (emotionally if nothing else).

I have gotten better about it now and I do not zone out as much now.... since I have learned to speak up about what I am feeling and not keep in it for so long, some times I do this in the flesh and at other times I write it out in a letter / note.


LoVe,
Rhapsody -

P.S.
I use to find that I zoned out a lot when I had to deal with some thing I wish was dead and forgotten..... like when talking with T.

[Valis]

That is an interesting connection Rhapsody; how we zone out when repressed feelings can't reach the surface.

I'm sure when we get better at expressing ourselves in society, zoning out will become secondary to verbal expression.

I find when I zone out around others, people notice a lot more than I realize.

Just my two cents.