spacing off

Post Reply New Topic

I have done this thing all my life where I will lose my visual center of focus, I become more aware of my peripheral vision, I get a blank look on my face, and I become slow to respond to people around me. It is a lot like a trance where I am hyper aware of my surroundings, but not my center of focus. It only last 30 seconds at the longest, and I usually have to wave my hand in front of my face to break it. People tell me that I look like I am having a petite mal seizure when I do this. I have even talked to doctors about it and gotten a big "I don't know" from them. I was labeled a day dreamer in elementary school for doing this, but it is not day dreaming. When I am tired, it becomes an uncontrolled behavior. When I am awake and alert, I have to "let" myself drift into it.

I was wondering if anybody on this forum was familiar with this and might be able to tell me what it is, or point me in the right direction.

I copied and pasted this post I wrote in another thread. Is this an example of what you mean?

Yesterday we were at the Ren Faire and I was a little zoned out and my husband told me I walked right in between another couple that was walking towards us and separated them. I had no idea they were even there. I was completely oblivious to what was directly in front of me but I was very aware of all my other surroundings.

30 seconds isn't very long. I've gotten like this for hours at a time, particularly when I'm forced to listen to a boring lecture or watch a boring movie...Oh and during long car rides as well.

skibum, I don't know for sure. I can't do it while walking. When I say I lose my visual center of focus it's like I am focusing on something beyond what I am really looking at. I don't think that if I could do it while walking that I would do as you describe, because I am still aware of what is going on around me. Visually, it's like I lose the ability to look at the trees in the forest and take in the WHOLE forest at once.

Al275, I'm not sure if what you describe fits either. I am still aware of what is going on around me, and not blocking anything out. I do slip into this state when doing boring tasks that requite no thought though. I am curious if you know a name for it?

Sounds exactly what happens to me. I too am very aware of my surroundnings. I don't do this deliberately and I cannot do this while I'm walking, driving or doing anything physically. This only happens when I'm completely sedintary and not doing anything with my hands. As I said, I've been in this state for hours. I once watched an entire movie like this. I don' t remember a thing about it ..as if I never saw it at all!

When you say that you are focusing on something beyond what you are looking at I understand that. I have done that much more so when I was a little kid. I still do it sometimes now but not nearly as often. I also stand very still whenever I do this. It's like going into another dimension almost.

Sounds like you guys are talking about the same thing as me after all. Is there a medical name for it?