# Staring into space?



## Michelle1995 (Jul 25, 2012)

Does anyone else do this? I call it 'zoning out' its like mini daydreams but they are pretty frequent and sometimes It's so difficult to move my eyes of a fixed spot, and then it goes all blurry. Does anybody know why or how to relieve this? Thanks


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## Guest (Nov 23, 2012)

When i had DP, yeah, that would happen all the time... atleast 5-10 times a day, sadly it goes when your DP/DR goes.


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## flat (Jun 18, 2006)

Actually I do this all the time. But only when I'm laying on the couch relaxing and looking out the window at the trees and clouds and whoever walks by. I can just stare out at the world for hours with a blank mind not really focusing on anything. I find it really relaxing. But it also probably prolongs the dp as well.


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## WalkingTheLine (Nov 14, 2012)

Hi Michelle - yeh, this is basically my experience of DP - it's like being in a trance. If you agree with the view that DP is kind of, getting stuck into a fight or flight reaction, then you're in a constant state of under arousal - so, it makes sense that you feel a bit trance like. My main 'coping mechanism' is to try to accept it - I.e. accept that it's not going to get any better right now (obviously 1 million times easier to say, than actually do!!!







), and then to engage with something or someone to kind of bring yourself back as much as it's possible to do when you have chronic DP!

I also get quite distressed because I feel like I'm forgetting everything, can't do anything because I'm in a trance. I use lists to alleviate this symptom a bit - I write down 5 things that I'm going to do (really simple stuff like, 'put the washing machine on' ... but usually physical stuff that makes me move around, and don't give myself any deadline for it, just work my way through it at my own pace), this shakes me out of it a tiny bit, but it also stops me from panicking, shows me that I can still function with DP, and gives me a tiny sense of achievement. But that's just me! It might be useless for the rest of the world!









Everyone experiences it differently though I guess.

Best, best wishes.

WTL


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## Hannah12 (May 11, 2013)

I have depersonalisation and derealisation after I stare. I'd be staring or daydreaming and when I snap out of it i have some sort of panic attack. Anyone else??


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## clockwork8 (May 9, 2013)

It's always happened to me even before I had DP. It would be problematic for me when I was in school because it would happen while I was supposed to be listening and taking notes and I would just have no memory of what happened for the last 10-20 minutes sometimes.

It doesn't seem related to DP for me but I could see how it might be?


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## clockwork8 (May 9, 2013)

Bethcg said:


> I have depersonalisation and derealisation after I stare. I'd be staring or daydreaming and when I snap out of it i have some sort of panic attack. Anyone else??


Panic attack no, but I definitely suddenly feel fearful and weird after I snap out of it.


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## forestx5 (Aug 29, 2008)

Staring spells are most likely episodes of "daydreaming". In rare instances, they may actually be incidents of absence seizures. Here is a link to a video which explains how to differentiate daydreaming from absence seizure.


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