Stress and being muddled.

Aubergine · 18-05-2016, 08:57 PM

Does anyone else find that they get really muddled up when they're very anxious and/or sleep deprived?

On Saturday it got really bad an I wasn't making much sense to anyone. It made sense in my head, but I've read back over things that I'd written and a lot of it is nonsense.

I also can't remember much of Saturday. I remember bits of it. Like, I got a taxi to work because I thought I was late (we're not even open on Saturdays), but I don't know what happened when I got there or how I got back. I also found a receipt and free drink card from Costa from 8:10am. I vaguely remember them not having what I wanted so they gave me a thing so I could get a drink another time.

I forgot to take my purse and keys with me, so I have no idea how I paid for a taxi or the drink from Costa. I went round my Aunt's house and she got worried and phoned my Mum. Mum said that it's not all that unusual and then sent me a text telling me to go home, take PRN and go to sleep, which I did. I made more sense when I woke up.

I've been like this before, but only when I've been really poorly and in hospital. I'm not unwell at the moment, so I don't know what happened. Does anyone else get this? I'm putting it down to extreme anxiety, but I don't know if that's right. I don't like not remembering stuff.

sherlock holmes · 18-05-2016, 10:35 PM

I've personally not experienced anything like that. How sleep deprived have you been recently? Anxiety can make me a little uncoordinated and make me lose concentration but never anything where I've gone somewhere and forgotten how I got there.

Personally I'd mention it to a doctor ASAP. It could be sleep deprivation or anxiety yes, or it could be a symptom of something more concerning in the brain that needs investigating.

Do you think it could be dissociation? Have you ever dissociated before?

Aardbei · 19-05-2016, 01:18 PM

I was going to say it sounds a lot like dissociation but I'm not a doctor. I'd urge you to speak to your team about it lovely.

Aubergine · 19-05-2016, 07:41 PM

I don't think I've ever dissociated before. I've got gaps in my memory from periods when things have been really hard, but I've always put that down to my brain trying to protect me.

I've been told before that I don't really make sense when I'm not well, but it's always been put down to thought disorder due to the schizoaffective thing. I'm not sure that this is that though. Can thought disorder be caused by lack of sleep and stress and only last for one day?

I'm going to mention it to my CC and she what she thinks. Spoke to Mum tonight and she thinks I was very tired and still trying to process a busy Friday at work, as I was talking a lot about weights and measures.

Thank you for the replies. I'd like to make sense of this.

tiptoes · 20-05-2016, 09:08 AM

I get like this when sleep deprived and stressed.
Do you suffer from migraines? I also get like this when I have migraines and sometimes it can happen to me without the other typical symptoms. It is only when it as cleared I realise the cause.

Maybe it is worth keeping a note of when this happens and how you feel physically and emotionally at the times to see if there are any patterns. I also agree with bringing it up with your CC.

Ballerina123 · 20-05-2016, 11:06 AM

I've had this before but only when I'm off my meds.
The Dr told me it was though disorder.
I'm not sure if that's what happened to you because it does sound a bit like dissociation too.

I think the best thing to do would be to talk to your team and see if they can help and try and catch up on some sleep and see if it passes naturally with a good night's sleep.

Bugsy · 20-05-2016, 08:01 PM

Hi Aub,

I can relate to this, am working insane hours at the moment (80 by the end of this week), am so tired by the end of the day that I forget things the moment they have happened. Plus make lots of "silly" mistakes that I wouldn't do if I was not stressed + tired. Think it's pretty common for this to happen especially if you have a tendency to be anxious.

The forgetting-homeward-journey part reminds me of the time I had total amnesia; like you i traced [some of] my steps afterwards using receipts..Turned out I was in a manic episode with psychosis.. So that part slightly worries me, I think it would be a good idea to see your doctor/MH professional soon. I'm not saying you are psychotic but just that it could be an early warning sign..maybe even something completely different such as dissociation, obviously the doctor will be able to determine that.

In the meantime, try to rest as much as you can and banish work-related things from your mind when you're at home! You'll be able to better process all the work stuff if you're able to relax I reckon. Take care x