[peaches100]

I have a big problem when it comes to noticing things in my visual field. I have been tested, and I don't have any problem with my eyesight. But I continually miss things that are blatantly right in my visual field. I'm wondering if this is somehow related to my earlier traumas and/or DID or PTSD? Here are some examples.

Coworker to me: The secretary in our office says she gets really bad vibes from you.

Me: What?

Coworker: She gets bad vibes. She said one day she walked past you in the hallway, and she got really bad vibes. You didn't say hello and just walked by.

Me: (feeling horrible): Really?! Wow, I feel awful! I don't even know who your secretary is.

Later: My coworker shows me who the secretary is. I don't remember ever seeing her at all.

Another example:

My neighbors often go on vacation and leave us their key so we can take their mail inside and feed the fish in their pond. One time, they were due to come back on a Sunday. So Saturday night, I go over there, pick up their mail from the mailbox, unlock the door, and walk in. THEY ARE HOME AND SITTING IN THE LIVING ROOM. I almost have a heart attack because it surprises me so much.

Me: Oh my gosh, you guys scared the crap out of me! I didn't know you were home.

Them: Didn't you see our camper parked in the driveway?

Me: (feeling ridiculous) No. I guess I wasn't looking for it.

These sorts of things are a common occurrence for me, but when I get triggered or stressed out, it becomes a much bigger problem and happens more often. I forget things, misplace things, don't notice when my husband is talking to me, etc. I also have trouble locating things, like when I am looking for something in the refrigerator or the pantry. My husband will say, "It's right there. If it was a snake, it would bite you."

Sometimes I worry there is something really wrong with my brain.

The only thing I can think of is that I've always been extremely emotionally sensitive since I was a little girl, and things easily overwhelmed and overstimulated me. Is it possible that I learned I had to narrow my focus and block a great deal of the world out in order to function in life?

[Shaly78]

DID/PTSD, you can always put it on your diagnoses in some way shape or form. Maybe there was an alter with few details of the surrounding out front that cause you to miss those details in your area. In preparation, try to do, say, or list things that will help those with detail skills to help. I sometimes literally analyze what it is I didn't see and try to figure is there some memory, an alter with a similar name especially if it persist to process. This is a great start things like this I realize kind of frightens (the problem alter) back almost like an embarrassment and it stops. Now you might get another problem that's totally different, but this a good start. Thanks for sharing.

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by peaches100

I have a big problem when it comes to noticing things in my visual field. I have been tested, and I don't have any problem with my eyesight. But I continually miss things that are blatantly right in my visual field. I'm wondering if this is somehow related to my earlier traumas and/or DID or PTSD? Here are some examples.

Coworker to me: The secretary in our office says she gets really bad vibes from you.

Me: What?

Coworker: She gets bad vibes. She said one day she walked past you in the hallway, and she got really bad vibes. You didn't say hello and just walked by.

Me: (feeling horrible): Really?! Wow, I feel awful! I don't even know who your secretary is.

Later: My coworker shows me who the secretary is. I don't remember ever seeing her at all.

Another example:

My neighbors often go on vacation and leave us their key so we can take their mail inside and feed the fish in their pond. One time, they were due to come back on a Sunday. So Saturday night, I go over there, pick up their mail from the mailbox, unlock the door, and walk in. THEY ARE HOME AND SITTING IN THE LIVING ROOM. I almost have a heart attack because it surprises me so much.

Me: Oh my gosh, you guys scared the crap out of me! I didn't know you were home.

Them: Didn't you see our camper parked in the driveway?

Me: (feeling ridiculous) No. I guess I wasn't looking for it.

These sorts of things are a common occurrence for me, but when I get triggered or stressed out, it becomes a much bigger problem and happens more often. I forget things, misplace things, don't notice when my husband is talking to me, etc. I also have trouble locating things, like when I am looking for something in the refrigerator or the pantry. My husband will say, "It's right there. If it was a snake, it would bite you."

Sometimes I worry there is something really wrong with my brain.

The only thing I can think of is that I've always been extremely emotionally sensitive since I was a little girl, and things easily overwhelmed and overstimulated me. Is it possible that I learned I had to narrow my focus and block a great deal of the world out in order to function in life?

I used to this this was my dissociating but my therapist told me it was normal for people to not notice things that are right in front of them. then she told me about this really great sociology class. i took the class and soon discovered why she mentioned it to me. the very first day a crime happened in the room. someone ran in one door grabbed someones coat, then grabbed someone notebook (computer not paper) and then punched another student then ran back out of the room. the instructor asked each of us to write out our statements of what happened including as much detail as possible about the assailant. even though this played out in front of us in full view every one of us has a different statement of what the person looked like and what happened. even basics like clothing. the instructor then invited the "criminal"back in to verify our details.

the point of the exercise was that everyones brain works just a bit differently for remembering details. it only remembers what is important to each of us at that moment. if we are thinking about the book cover of the text book of course our brains are going to notice books if our brain is thinking about people of course its going to fine tune in on people around us. most people in the class got the first "crime" completely wrong, the second "crime" a little more detailed and the third "crime" right on. everyone except those thinking about clothing got the details of what was the criminal wearing wrong...

no one remembers every single person that passes by them during the day, no one remembers every single date, time, name...

Im guessing that is why the diagnostics for dissociative disorders states the problems must be that which are inconsistent with normal forgetting (in other words goes beyond that of normal forgetfulness._)

my suggestion if this continues to bother you contact your or a treatment provider in your location, they can look at your history of mental and physical problems and other documentations to help you verify if this is normal for you and the way your brain works or whether its a dissociative going beyond the normal forms of forgetfulness type of problem. they can also help you to learn tools like grounding that can prevent this kind of thing if its a dissociative non normal related problem.

[finding_my_way]

i have done that even without being dissociated. for me, things that can cause that to happen is being too tired or hungry or just being preoccupied with other things. i have almost been hit by cars sometimes because of it. but there are a lot of reasons why it could happen really, not just related to mental health.

Sometimes we miss things that in the past have known was there, or we just doesn't register our enviroment because there is an intense inner turmoil happening which results in missing time or we are so distracted that we just "don't see". A lot of time we are so inner involved and walking in a trance that life is a blank. Sometimes I can be so involved in my thoughts that I do things without noticing that I am. Best I can say hun.

[Shaly78]

To add to that though, if you go out the house with let's say 5 stops to make, right? We already know we have problems with missing time, memory, switching issues right. Inner world isn't always at the fore front? For example, I got to go to Walmart, McDonald's, Post Office, Grocery story, and then Burlington. We ain't necessarily shopping browsing so there is something to be purchased right? There is the getting there, especially if you use public transportation that is also there, and not to mention the conversation with people that you might have to have.. Then there is the adlib stops that just take us in some where unplanned like stuff...Then there is the inner world conversations that get intertwined in! It is a whole lot on our plate. Be safe and careful!

[Mully]

I also have the same problem- I understand!