Ummm, Do I Have Some Sort Of Condition?

Sane

I'm wondering if I have some sort of medical condition, if there's any term for this... or if it's just something that's fairly common... I haven't really talked to anyone about it, just wondering if anyone knew anything about this.

When I was about 9 or 10, every month or so, my mind would sort of go blank. Things would start to seem slightly faster than it actually is. This only lasts for about 2 or 3 minutes. But during that time, if anyone talks it sounds much more urgent than it actually is (that is a very key aspect to how it happens, and it happens every single time), things seem panicked. I don't feel dizzy or lose control of motor skills, or the ability to act properly. But I usually can't think clearly, and sometimes even repeat what I've been thinking about over and over in my head until it stops. My mind also seems to almost narrow between my temple, like a headache that does not hurt.

The whole thing usually stops when I start talking. Then everything slows down to match the speed of my voice. It's all very strange.

It's quite difficult to describe the symptoms right now. I'd have to wait until it happens again to give a more detailed explanation. The symptoms almost seem to be like some form of panic or anxiety attack. Although I haven't seen any corelation between my stress and the occurance of this.

I haven't noticed any pattern to when or why this happens. It seems purely random.

The reason I ask about this, is it just happened to me again this morning, for apparently no reason at all. This is the first time I can recall it happening for the last 3 years, I believe...

One of my friends said he's had it happen to him before. Can anyone help me out? Thanks in advance!

Sane

Yikes, I've noticed I've had 64 views, almost 6 days, and not as much as a "I think it may be 'this'...". I'll be patient. This forum is usually slow?

It has not happened to me since. I hope this may persist.

This may or may not be relevant: I've had some abnormal fluxuation in appetite recently.

Enix

I have NO idea, other than is it possable your bloodsugar may be dropping at the times you have experienced this?

Chaos' lil bro Order

Interesting ailment.

I've no explanation and I won't attempt to guess. All I'd suggest is writing down the details of your feelings, actions, environment in the several minutes prior to your fit. Maybe you can retroactively see a pattern then.

If you can add some more details/symptoms or any thoughts you might think be revelant, please do. This sounds very interesting.

Sane

I'm not sure of the bloodsugar. I'm not one to monitor those kind of things.

I'll try to get a much more detailed report the next time this happens. It's strange how I find it difficult to remember what was going at the time these happen.

RVBuckeye

If it really worries you, go see a doctor. I use to have some weird things like that when I was much younger (kindergardenish) I attributed it to lack of sleep.

Do you seem detached like you're watching life as a movie?

That'll be $5000.

Sane

No. But that's attributed to how I keep myself involved day to day. I'm usually always working out, getting out or staying active. Lately, I've been signifanctly less connected socially, just because I haven't been feeling that great. I have been letting time pass me by. But I'm hesitant to start believing the two problems are intertwined.

DaveC426913

Well, maybe everyone, like me, was waiting for this:


I have no epxerience with them, but the first thing I would look into would be migraine headaches (or, as my child used to call them: mybrain headaches ).

They seem to have a wide array of idiosynchratic symptoms, including the kinds like you describe.


Another one would be a rpaid drop in blood pressure, like what happens if you stand up suddenly.

Chaos' lil bro Order

But what would cause the extra urgency of outside voices he experiences? His condition seems to be linked to vocalizations, maybe that part of his brain is effected by a neurological disorder? I wonder if there are known neurotransmitters or other chemicals that are associated with a heightened sense of 'urgency'.

selfAdjoint

I don't see any resonse from Zoobyshoe on this thread; he is the one who has researched these phenomena. He has often posted about minor seizures (epileptic type) which result in phenomena like vocalization or disturbaces of any other perception, depending on what brain cells were affected.

DaveC426913

I think you're reading too much into it. I know when I'm stressed, especially when accompanied by lack of sleep, that things around seem particularly frenetic - louder, faster, more urgent, more pressing, more panicky. The typical response from me (and not just me) is to act out a dramatic shush!, quieting things down and bringing order to the chaos.

Sane

Mybrain headaches, ahah. That's excellent.

Hmm, that would be quite amazing if this was all just a form of a headache! I wonder ...


Is that contradictory to how I do not get dizzy or lightheaded?


Sounds possible. I always figured I was screwed up somehow.


Ooh. I can't wait to hear from him!


I don't know... it all feels so surreal. Like I've lost it or something. It might be the same as what you're talking about, since you say it all ends when you make a sound, and that's how it works for me.

DaveC426913

Don't mistake a migraine headache for a headache, just because it has the word in it. from the descriptions I've heard, no two are alike except that they often have little to do with pain in the head.

Example: (Once I had this bizarre thing happened to me while driving after a long week in front of a computer monitor. Something went wonky in my field of vision - if you've ever worn glasses in the driving rain, a large amount of water build up laong the lower edge of the lens and rolls around before it drips off. This happened, except I wasn't wearing glasses. It continued long enough that I got home in time to look in the mirror, trying to see if there was something in my eye. Eventually, it just went away. When I asked about it, my wife told me it could have been a migraine headache)

Sane

Haha. I'm not sure what would be more frightening: It being caused by a migraine, or looking in to the mirror to find out you were wearing glasses that entire time!

I find it fascinating that the drops of water could be merely a deception of the human mind, caused by a migraine. I'll look into the differentiating symptoms of a migraine, that you've mentioned exist. I might just come across my answer!

nannoh

A few other diagnosises come to mind. Hyperventilation will cause noises to sound loud and urgent while narrowing one's focus and causing dizzyness.. Altitude sickness can result in the symptoms you've listed. Do you live in Boulder Co.? (10,000 ft above SA). Are you doing any drugs, perscription or otherwise?

If this happens again, see a live doctor, not a digital forum primarily dedicated to physics.

kurushio95

you can rule out blood sugar problems. i'm hypoglycemic, and when i have an attack there's ALWAYS dizziness and disorientation, and hearing goes away, not sharpened. the reply about the possibility of epilepsy caught my eye. i've heard descriptiopns of very minor seizures where the person goes blank for a few moments

Alphabit

I've had times before when my mind looped through the same ideas over and over again without making any progress... That's pretty normal.
The time-perception distortion is not common.