[skycastle]

During a session with T2 (Thanks for your encouragement everybody), T2 was asking question after question after question.

He asked a question about a certain topic X and then my head instantly went fuzzy/tingly, not painful or anything, and then my breathing started to change, maybe getting more rapid. I had to close my eyes and center myself. T2 asked me what was wrong and I said I felt woozy. But that floaty feeling was so strange. He just kept asking me questions but I had a hard time following for a couple of minutes and was slow to think/respond.

I'm assuming that was an anxiety response. Maybe the start of a panic attack, but I calmed myself down? What's the difference between that and dissociating?

After a couple of minutes we were able to resume talking about topic X and I could do it fine in a fairly business-y manner.

[WikidPissah]

I get that fuzzy/tingly feeling too. My ears will pop kind of, like with a air pressure change. I think it's anxiety, but it feels dissociative. Sorry, I'm not so sure what it is either, but I do it too.

[skycastle]

It's really interesting to hear about this happening to someone else, WP. Thanks for sharing -- I wonder how many other forum goers also experience this?

[nicoleb2]

I have had that happen before, I assume it's anxiety causing it

[CantExplain]

Originally Posted by skycastle

He asked a question about a certain topic X and then my head instantly went fuzzy/tingly, not painful or anything, and then my breathing started to change, maybe getting more rapid. I had to close my eyes and center myself. T2 asked me what was wrong and I said I felt woozy. But that floaty feeling was so strange. He just kept asking me questions but I had a hard time following for a couple of minutes and was slow to think/respond.

I've learned that if I get a physical response, we must be talking about something important.

[Eliza Jane]

It has happened to me too. I think it is anxiety, but a little more than that too. Almost a trauma reaction of sorts? Were you discussing something particularly sensitive or difficult? I has happened for me in particular when discussing sexual stuff.

Best,
EJ

[skycastle]

Maybe so, EJ. I was talking about a sudden loss.

I don't know what's imporant anymore :/ I guess that's why this reaction caught me by surprise and has left me feeling curious.

For me, that feeling is a precursor to dissociating. It's the start of just floating away and shutting down. I'm not sure how it is for anyone else, but wanted you to know you aren't alone.

[stopdog]

I have had it happen to the extent of feeling floaty or separating off from beng there - light headed sort of.

[skycastle]

Huh. Thanks for your responses, everybody. If I get a chance, I'll ask T2 about it and see what he thinks.

[KazzaX]

That sounds like me 24 hours a day, lol. I always thought it was from the medication.

[Crescent Moon]

I have also had that kind of thing happen - or similar things. The only thing that has sounded right to me about my experiences with it is dissociation. I literally felt like I was not in my body, and I was watching everything from somewhere else, as if it was happening to someone else. This stuff happened to me over a period of several years early in therapy, while I was still coping with a lot of trauma.