walking bag of adrenaline; vision

[anxiousjo]

Sometimes I feel like a walking bag of adrenaline! Or that I should be in the police as I am so hypervigilent. Last night woke up in pitch black and vision started flashing like a dark strobe light full blown panic mode. If anyone can reassure me I would be very grateful, I think its my mind playing tricks on me but its a good trick as I am freaking out.

ooooo someone should do some research into all these symptoms, would save us a lot of worry as I don't even think Drs really understand.:weep:

[lofwyr]

Relax. That exact thing happened to me, and scared the holy heck out of me. Now it happens off and on, and I spoke to an eye doctor about it as well as a GP. It is a perfectly normal thing to happen, and vision reactions like that are common in anxious people.

The other thing, even if you felt good and non anxious, it turns out a lot of people like us are anxious, biologically speaking, even when we do not feel anxious consciously. Hang in there, what you experienced has been happening to me now off and on for over five years and I am just fine.

[anxiousjo]

Hi,

Thank you very much for your reply I really really appreciate it.

[anxiousjo]

I m still quite worried about this because the flashes happen when I look to the left our right and I just read on another post on the forum it can be a sign of ms really scared now

[Gee]

Don't read about it online honestly - there are just some illnessses where everything is a symptom - things like MS and HIV are a bit like that - and cancer - they can be connected to everything! Bit in 99% it's something simple :)

[eastofeden]

Sometimes I feel like a walking bag of adrenaline! Or that I should be in the police as I am so hypervigilent. Last night woke up in pitch black and vision started flashing like a dark strobe light full blown panic mode. If anyone can reassure me I would be very grateful, I think its my mind playing tricks on me but its a good trick as I am freaking out.

ooooo someone should do some research into all these symptoms, would save us a lot of worry as I don't even think Drs really understand.:weep:

hi there, i have had what you are describing.

basically when i'm in a pitch black room, and i'm trying to sleep, i sometimes get brief, white flashes, like a lightning flash, that startles me.

they usually happen when i'm very very tired or haven't slept enough.

anyway i'm pretty sure these are normal. a lot of people i know get them.

one thing it could be is that your body is starting to go to sleep, but your brain is telling you to stay alert (i've heard this: it's probably because you're anxious. our brain is trying to decipher what we're anxious about. we might be anxious about an exam or blood test, but our caveman instincts are telling us that we're anxious that a wild animal is coming into our cave or something) of course we don't need to have that fear anymore in the 21st century, so it's just an annoying occurrence and the brain's way of trying to protect us and keep us alert, so that metaphorical 'sabre tooth tiger' won't eat us while we're trying to have a kip! when actually, you've just worried yourself so much that you've fooled your brain into thinking this is what's really happening. yet another bad effect of stress!

that or it could be a very mild form of sleep paralysis - where you're brain is sleeping but your body is awake - again harmless and actually very common.

[anxiousjo]

Thank you both for replying to me I appreciate it very much. I was having a nightmare before I woke and having bad time at moment with bereavements and work stress. I ve had flashes with my eyes open and closed driving me nuts! But its really scary. And I need sleep exercise and trip to gp to fix it and on a bank holiday getting none!

[eastofeden]

Thank you both for replying to me I appreciate it very much. I was having a nightmare before I woke and having bad time at moment with bereavements and work stress. I ve had flashes with my eyes open and closed driving me nuts! But its really scary. And I need sleep exercise and trip to gp to fix it and on a bank holiday getting none!

I have them with my eyes open too! :D Sleep deprivation and stress is the #1 trigger for me. I get them if I have an exam. I kept getting them before going to sleep the night before going on a plane for the first time. it's all connected. Even if I'm up just for an hour or two more than I should be, it happens to me. Please don't worry about it, I asked my doctor and he wasn't worried at all. It sounds like you haven't been sleeping well. Sleep is the body's way of replenishing itself, it isn't a luxury! Sorry to hear about the recent bereavements. I hope you're holding up okay! :hugs:

[melishaxoxo]

hey that once happened to me too, i was sleeping and opened my eyes and saw a flash i thought i was going blind... it scared the shit out of me... plus i thought maybe it was lightning..

[anxiousjo]

thanks again its so good to hear other people are having this. doesnt take much to set this ile health anxiety off just need to keep a lid on it. Have a good evening :D