day dreaming

[Eats-Own-Tail]

i have this really bad habit of day dreaming.

 

for me its not a pleasant distraction, more like a sort of zombie like trance that i go into, and before i know it hours are gone.

 

does anyone else have this ?

 

ive just done it again for about 5 hours, and i feel really ashamed of myself because theres things i wanted to achieve today.

[Maria]

5 hours? No, never more than a few minutes without being able to snap myself out of it. What sort of day dreaming? What is happening? Does something trigger it or do you just zone out from whatever you are doing? My first thought was dissociation (google, just remember there are degrees of it). Second thought was that you (un)consciously don't want to do the stuff you are supposed to do, and while some of us tend to watch tv/surf the net/check NF/play phone games, you go for day dreaming. I have for sure spent a whole day on wrong stuff and not really realized it until afterwards. Like now, I was all ready to go to bed an hour ago.

[Eats-Own-Tail]

i think stress triggers it.

 

today i gave up smoking and it seemed to take the zoning out to a whole new level.

 

i tend to sort of go into myself and think obsessively over one subject. it can be anything, but sometimes there is a nightmarish quality, like thinking about beetles or worms.... or certain plants.

 

ok so im nuts, we know this, but the time it takes up is very annoying.

[marybelle]

Hm, I have done that, for about a year everything happened, but I had PTSD and a fair bit of disassociation (in the sense that I would just zone out and and not be in the present time or place mentally) going on. I would just sit on the floor for like, 6 hours and not move. I didn't even realize that time passed. Or I would have flashbacks and get stuck in them. Is that similar to what is happening to you? I know its super annoying and frustrating. I think if it continues you should talk to your doctor or therapist, to see if there are some treatments to help. My therapist really helped me work on them, and I don't get them anymore. Good luck with it, I know how scary it is to be trapped in your own mind. I will be sending my positive thoughts and prayers to you. 

[Raincloak]

Getting lost in thought is normal. Getting stuck in obsessive, disturbing thought patterns for hours is not normal. That's bordering on mental illness. I think you should see a doctor about it pronto.

While you're at it, ask the doc for tips/aids on quitting smoking. Depriving yourself of an addictive stimulant is probably making your mental issues worse, and the doc might prescribe nicotine patches or another medicine to help you transition.

Oh, and make sure you're getting plenty of sleep. Everyone turns into zombies when sleep deprived, and if you have an underlying condition, sleep deprivation will make it worse.

[Maria]

With how you describe it, I also think it be wise to take it up with a professional. It is affecting your life and you might not be able to stop it on your own.

Btw, if it's one thing I've learnt in life, it's that we are all nuts.

I see two things that you would like to work on. One is the dissociation/obsessive thoughts (it could be called either with your description, or something else when you talk about it in depth with a professional). It seems like you want to limit their appearance, which I can understand since it takes so much time from you.

The other one is stress coping strategies. This you should also talk about with a professional, but you can start with it yourself, too. Instead of focusing on the daydreaming, try to figure out what makes you feel stressed/emotional in a negative way and how you react. Find "the point of no return" for daydreaming and if possible some earlier signs that you are coming down the road. Then see if you can find better ways to handle stress/negative emotions and stop it before it goes too far. This would be very individual, so rather than give tips I would have you experiment, but I don't know you or your story, so please take it easy. Many people find that either talking/writing or some kind of relaxing activity will help with stress. For me, going soul diving and finding my deepest feelings have helped to stay on top of things instead of resorting to bad stress coping. We are all different.

And great that you are trying to quit smoking! Something like that would surely send me down candy town (one of my bad stress coping strategies...) so I could totally understand how it might make the daydreaming worse.

I hope you can find something that will help you! This was just my two cents, in reply to just a few paragraphs, so please take it or leave it as it suits you.

[Eats-Own-Tail]

thanks for the replies

 

well, i do have a mental illness and have mentioned the obsessive thoughts to my therapist.

 

theres not much they can really do for me since im already on a high dose of anti psychotic, and an anti dpressant which controls obsessions.

 

i havent smoked for 3 days now. mainly because i have been ill with a stomach bug.

 

thanks again for the replies.

[Raincloak]

 

thanks for the replies

 

well, i do have a mental illness and have mentioned the obsessive thoughts to my therapist.

 

theres not much they can really do for me since im already on a high dose of anti psychotic, and an anti dpressant which controls obsessions.

 

i havent smoked for 3 days now. mainly because i have been ill with a stomach bug.

 

thanks again for the replies.

 

Well, there's your answer.  It's either your illness or your medication causing this problem.  You did the right thing telling your therapist about it.

 

Your meds may need to be adjusted.  Antipsychotics can produce that weird zombie state, it is a known side effect.  Ask your therapist about changing the dose or switching drugs.  You have the right to consult a doctor about that, if you wish. 

 

But if the doctor agrees your current prescriptions are fine, then it's important for you to keep taking them.  Never stop taking meds unless the doctor tells you to.  Bad things can happen if you stop taking your meds.

 

Congrats on going 3 days without smoking.  See if you can keep it up for a little longer!

[Eats-Own-Tail]

thanks alot. 4 days now on the not smoking, and the zoning out is also not as bad.

 

im trying to keep busy. i will mention about the zombie state when i have my care plan review.

 

thanks