[jk2833]

Hi I've read all of the post and sticky s at the top of this forum regarding dissociative disorders and I'm still confused,I'm not a person who lacks common sense or simple terms but I find there are a lot of medical and technical jargon I don't understand.
The situation I have is that I experience two kinds of what I find strange,the first I thought was linked to my epilepsy where upon I can stare for long periods of time and when someone speaks to me I don't know they have done until the staring ends.
Secondly some days I feel I'm just miles away and I think of all sorts of things,almost like a daydream that I fee lasts only a short while but when I look at the clock it can be that I've been doing it for an hour or so.
It could be something connected to epilepsy but I also have real bad multiple mental and physical disabilities so I'm unsure.
I've checked many sites for a simple explanation of these experiences or dissociative disorders and its all medical jargon with suggestions of childhood abuse or other horrific events,I had a good childhood.
The only real bad thing that happened to me was finding out my baby was a tumour (hydatitiform molar pregnancy) back in 1995 is this a case of PTSD? My psychiatrist mentioned it in my last appointment.
I'm so confused can anyone help me out please or try to explain some of it without the technical/medical jargon?
Any replies will be gratefully received
Take care JK

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by jk2833

Hi I've read all of the post and sticky s at the top of this forum regarding dissociative disorders and I'm still confused,I'm not a person who lacks common sense or simple terms but I find there are a lot of medical and technical jargon I don't understand.
The situation I have is that I experience two kinds of what I find strange,the first I thought was linked to my epilepsy where upon I can stare for long periods of time and when someone speaks to me I don't know they have done until the staring ends.
Secondly some days I feel I'm just miles away and I think of all sorts of things,almost like a daydream that I fee lasts only a short while but when I look at the clock it can be that I've been doing it for an hour or so.
It could be something connected to epilepsy but I also have real bad multiple mental and physical disabilities so I'm unsure.
I've checked many sites for a simple explanation of these experiences or dissociative disorders and its all medical jargon with suggestions of childhood abuse or other horrific events,I had a good childhood.
The only real bad thing that happened to me was finding out my baby was a tumour (hydatitiform molar pregnancy) back in 1995 is this a case of PTSD? My psychiatrist mentioned it in my last appointment.
I'm so confused can anyone help me out please or try to explain some of it without the technical/medical jargon?
Any replies will be gratefully received
Take care JK

the staring being epilepsy vs dissociation - talk with your treatment providers. they can do a test called an EEG when you are very tired (which is also when most people have problems staying focused when the dissociate) if its epilepsy the EEG will show you are having a petit mal seizure. that kind of epileptic seizure sometimes has no symptoms other than the person having this blank stare for as little as so many seconds to minutes. the staring with dissociation is not accompanied by seizure activity.

Daydreaming and losing track of the time during the daydreaming is a normal form of Dissociation. everyone even those with no dissociative disorders does it. the losing time with the dissociative disorders is different than the normal spacing off and daydreaming lose track of time symptom.

talk with your treatment providers. they can tell you the difference and whether you are normal lose track of time or dissociative disorder losing time.

people can have PTSD from almost anything in their life. talk with your treatment providers they can diagnose your problems. we cant diagnose you including tell you whether you have PTSD from this situation or not

trying to self diagnose you and where you fit in with all the mental disorders could be dangerous to yourself. contact your treatment providers and they will explain what your problems are and whether you have any dissociative disorders.

the problem with explaining what the dissociative disorders are here on psych central is that we all come from different places and have different treatment providers that explain it a different way. so when someone not from the same locations and same treatment providers as those with in that thread you read, they end up more confused then ever.

the best way to know in terms you yourself can understand is by asking your own treatment providers. they will know how to make it all make sense to you.

[jk2833]

Originally Posted by amandalouise

the staring being epilepsy vs dissociation - talk with your treatment providers. they can do a test called an EEG when you are very tired (which is also when most people have problems staying focused when the dissociate) if its epilepsy the EEG will show you are having a petit mal seizure. that kind of epileptic seizure sometimes has no symptoms other than the person having this blank stare for as little as so many seconds to minutes. the staring with dissociation is not accompanied by seizure activity.

Daydreaming and losing track of the time during the daydreaming is a normal form of Dissociation. everyone even those with no dissociative disorders does it. the losing time with the dissociative disorders is different than the normal spacing off and daydreaming lose track of time symptom.

talk with your treatment providers. they can tell you the difference and whether you are normal lose track of time or dissociative disorder losing time.

people can have PTSD from almost anything in their life. talk with your treatment providers they can diagnose your problems. we cant diagnose you including tell you whether you have PTSD from this situation or not

trying to self diagnose you and where you fit in with all the mental disorders could be dangerous to yourself. contact your treatment providers and they will explain what your problems are and whether you have any dissociative disorders.

the problem with explaining what the dissociative disorders are here on psych central is that we all come from different places and have different treatment providers that explain it a different way. so when someone not from the same locations and same treatment providers as those with in that thread you read, they end up more confused then ever.

the best way to know in terms you yourself can understand is by asking your own treatment providers. they will know how to make it all make sense to you.

Hi thank you for reply,some good advice stated,however I have two different types of these things,stares whatever they are?
I have the stare for around 5 mins before a seizure,and the stare for an hour where I think its only been a few minutes without a seizure. I've also had experiences when I'm lying in bed and I feel like my body has floated up to the ceiling and I'm looking down at myself lying there? I dunno maybe I'm just a freak!
I will speak to my neurologist about the staring thing
JK

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by jk2833

Hi thank you for reply,some good advice stated,however I have two different types of these things,stares whatever they are?
I have the stare for around 5 mins before a seizure,and the stare for an hour where I think its only been a few minutes without a seizure. I've also had experiences when I'm lying in bed and I feel like my body has floated up to the ceiling and I'm looking down at myself lying there? I dunno maybe I'm just a freak!
I will speak to my neurologist about the staring thing
JK

Im glad you are contacting your doctors, because we cant tell you what your "stares" are and why you do that.

we can tell you a general idea of what staring means but we cant diagnose you.

your two different kinds of stares can mean all kinds of things and only your doctors can tell you which of those things it is.

good luck at the doctors.