Spaciness

[Debs]

Does anyone else get a spacy feeling, where you feel like someone is squeezing your brain and sort of light headed. It's really hard to explain. I keep convincing myself I've got a brain tumour.

I can't bear all this worry that something's seriously wrong with me, it's ruining my life.

xxDebxx

[JPF]

Hi Debs

Yes! I do get something similar to this and it seems to be a common symptom for us anxious/panicking types.. easy to say but: don't worry :) I also get a weird light-headed feeliing, like my brain is going to fall out of the back of my head.. very odd and very unpleasant but Y.A.S. (yet another symptom!)

So, I seriously doubt it's anything other than anxiety which is giving you this feeling.. it's hard to describe and can feel sinister but it's just another facet of anxiety/panic.

Good luck and good health

J

[FAN]

yes i too get that feeling and also the foggy brain where nothing seems real as if its all floating about

fan x

[Debs]

Thank God!!! I am so glad I found this forum

xxDebxx

[jude]

Yes Fan, I get that too.

Debs,
Try deep relaxation. It usually does the trick. Do you have a relaxation tape. If not Im sure Nicola can recommend a good one.

Jude x

[bubbles]

Debs,

I often get 'the spacy feeling' especially when I'm out, away from home, &, I suppose, the good old safety zone. And---the 'foggy brain' that Fan describes. (I had put that down to the "confused old woman" syndrome!! but now realise that's it's all part of Mr Panic & Mrs Anxiety.)


Linda. x

Being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent.

[davidr]

I think the light headed feelings and sense of detachment you describe 'can' be attributed to shallow breathing which often accompanies anxiety problems. This is certainly how it has been explained to me by several doctors. I am at a stage after a year of various tests where I accept that my symptons are anxiety related and this board is tremendous in helping as part of a recovery program, it is not however a substitute for proper medical opinion and if you are feeling unwell with the symptons you describe I suggest you visit your GP first and get a Doctor to clarify things with you.

I had CT and MRI scans last year after left side paralysis which accompanied the light headed and detached feelings. The scans showed everything was normal and it was suggested that even the paralysis could have been brought on by anxiety as there was no other clinical way of explaining the episode. I however would have only accepted this after having a CT and MRI scan.

[Meg]

Hi Deb

Take a moment to read this.

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/symptoms.htm


Meg
www.overcominganxiety.co.uk
You cannot conquer fear until you have learned what it is you're afraid of. The enemy is ignorance. Vivian Vance

[SickofIt]

I agree with everything that has been said. I made the same conncection that davidr mentioned with the shallow breathing. Part of my recovery is learning how to regulate my breathing.

[lainey]

Hi Deb

Yes, I have had this and trhe one psymptom I seem to have been left with now is shallow breathing which brings on many other symptoms, can't win eh!

Take care

Elaine x

[davidr]

powerbreathe has helped a lot with this for me. It is a medical device that can be purchased online for £49.99. They call it dumbells for your lungs and essentially it retrains the lungs and diaphragm to strengthen them and get you breathing more efficiently. Asthmatics, people with heart and lung problems and athletes use it to help make their breathing more efficient.

Apparently the respiratory muscles are very lazy and tend to quickly pick up memory effect and if you get used to breathing in a certain way because your are holding yourself tightly due to stress / anxiety etc then you soon develop a shallow breathing pattem.

Even blood pressure has been proven to be reduced by regular use of deeper breathing and slowing down the breathing to below 10 breaths a minute for 15 or so minutes 3-4 times a week.

[Tracy68]

Hi Debs
I get this too. Not all the time but at least once/twice a week its horrible. I also sometimes feel like i'm walking really high up, you know when you look down at the ground it seems far away (dunno if that makes sense).
Take care
Tracy
x

[davidr]

I found a good analogy for me today about how the detached floating sensation feels to me. I was in a store and I was going down to a lower floor and the escalator was not working. As I put my foot onto the escalator my mind assumed it should be moving but my foot sends feedback to my brain saying hang on the escalator doesn't work and I got that exact same feeling I get when I have these light headed detached sensations.
I think everyone experiences this weird sensation with escalators that don't work so I was able to explain to my partner how this was exactly the sensation of detachment and unbalance I sometimes get with anxiety.

[Debs]

Had a good day yesterday!! Every time I felt the spacy feeling coming on, I took deep breaths and it seemed to work.

I think it comes on more when I'm busy, but maybe that's because you forget to breathe properly when you're doing things. I think I'm gonna get a relaxation cd and take some time in the day to relax and concentrate on my breathing.

Thanks everyone for your advice, it's really helping me xx

xxDebxx

[davidr]

Great to hear your feeling a little better. Your body and mind will be pleased to hear your going to commit yourself to taking time out for you in the day. It is hugely important and will improve your health. As most of us are not used to relaxing it does take time to adjust and your mind will at first find it hard to switch off and get used to just being still and empty. Percivere with it though and you will be suprised how things improve in your health in a short space of time. Good luck.

[sandy]

i to get funny heads, and dizziness it really scares me, i worry its a brain tumor, i have it most days its horrid sandy

[davidr]

This can be a side effect of some antidepressant medications such as citalapram which you are taking. I would visit your GP and let them know how you are feeling. They may be able to reassure you about your medication or else offer you an alternative. Good luck.

[Jules]

I get that feeling in my head, I also seem to sigh a lot?

Jules

[sharob71]

i get these spaced out feelings as well. i was told it is something to do with the effect of adrenalin overload on the brain...i also find the more i concentrate on it the worse it is..although it has taken me a long time to realise this....now i try not to think about it when i get an episode and it go eventually

tc everyone

sharon xx

[westmeathangel]

i get the spaced out feelin ... and not just after a few glasses of vino.. lol but its the strangest symptom to explain to anyone try tellin ur doc sometimes i feel im having an out of body exp.. keep repeating my name to make sure i am who i think i am and repeat my kids names my address etc... so to stay in touch wid reality gawd even typing it makes me sound even madder than i actually am lol

[katyfitz]

hi debs, i too get this feeling. i constantly feel lightheaded and like nothing is real. my eyes seem very tensed i have tension in my lower part of my neck and back of eyes seem to notice it alot more if o dont sleep on enough pillows (stupid it sounds). i worry that the foggy feeling and eye straighning is to do with a brain tumour but my doc reasurred me 100% that i have NOT GOT a brain tumour. he told me and mri and ct arnt necesarry because he knows 100% it will come back normal. who can i trust more than my family doc eh? but i still need reassuring. i hate being left alone and when i go out i get this tight feeling like someone is suffocating me or strangling me everything tightens up which makes me panic like im chocking and dying i STILL think im dying of an illness no one can pin point. if anyone can relate and understand what ive said please reply as i need support and encouragment

[Liviguy]

I suffer from the light headed feeling. Some days are worse than others.

At times I dont feel like I am actually in myself, and I am looking from the outside.

I find it difficult to stand without holding on to things and when faced with a supermarket queue, standing on a train, bus etc etc it usually brings on a panic attack which is very hard to hide from others.

When at work I sometimes need to lock myself in the toilet to compose myself.

[saxon1hero]

[8D] Hi there,

I am a 25 year old guy also suffering from spaciness/lightheaded feeling. It is especially bad when I am around large crowds or shopping in the city centre. I'm sure it is anxiety related. Started having symptoms 12 months ago. Came on with shallow breathing, ear/headaches, and aching legs. Doc said it was a viral infection, had many inconclusive tests. Now I am left with spaciness, anxiety, depression, feelings of worthlessness and aching/tight leg muscles. Have decided to check my Thyroid out and also Adrenal glands, as these are sometimes interconnected. Spaciness could be stress related, but Thyroid can cause many problems including anxiety and adrenal burnout. Also viral infections of the inner ear etc. can knock Thyroid function.

There are many people suffering from spaciness. This can in turn knock self-confidence and cause even more anxiety. It's a vicious circle.

Hope this is useful.


Rob :)

Robin. J. Smith

[stuboy]

dear debs i think this is due to over breathing it seams easy to tell u this but i no what it is like when u get it u cant stop thinking the worse i try to relax myself and my breathing

[help me 21]

i get it all the time feel like im not real and im stuck in a bubble. i feel like im suffocating eyes fuzzy and haveing blurred vision any 1 else has this feeling

[help me 21]

hi all i ant new iv been on here nw for 8 months no 1 seems 2 reply 2 my messages how come well 8 months ago i had blurry vision fuzzy vision every thin looks foggy and misty vision and it felt like i cud not breath................. 8 months on im gettin patchy vison did have it before but its still there fuzzy n foggy n blurry vision i still get it i also get patchy white stuff in my eyes like when im watchin tv n look away i can still c the tv its sooooooooooooo scary also feels like im floating n im in a bubble nothing feels real. also floaters any coments plz xxx

[KK77]

hi all i ant new iv been on here nw for 8 months no 1 seems 2 reply 2 my messages how come well 8 months ago i had blurry vision fuzzy vision every thin looks foggy and misty vision and it felt like i cud not breath................. 8 months on im gettin patchy vison did have it before but its still there fuzzy n foggy n blurry vision i still get it i also get patchy white stuff in my eyes like when im watchin tv n look away i can still c the tv its sooooooooooooo scary also feels like im floating n im in a bubble nothing feels real. also floaters any coments plz xxx

This is a bit of an old thread - that's probably why no one replied.

Anxiety causes all these sorts of problems with vision. I don't think any of your symptoms sound unusual if you suffer from anxiety. But I think you should have your eyes tested if you haven't already done so. This will put your mind at rest.

[joelad90]

hi this site has really helped me i feel exactly !!!! what you do and i allways feel ill and scared i live in constant fear that im dieing or something serious or that im losing my mind and im to terrified to go to the doctors but finding this site has really helped me on the road to recovery i feel for anyone who feels anything like what we do but this is not perminant and we can beat it i really hope you find peace x luv joe

[Ikari]

Anxiety causes all these sorts of problems with vision. I don't think any of your symptoms sound unusual if you suffer from anxiety. But I think you should have your eyes tested if you haven't already done so. This will put your mind at rest.

I definitely agree with this - I had terrible vision for a while, everything was blurred and I simply couldn't focus. I went for an eye exam, discovered that my sight is actually not far off perfect, and from then onwards I found it for better by the day, and within a week or so my vision was back to normal.

I'm still having what I think are some anxiety-related problems with feeling light-headed a lot of the time, but getting my vision back to normal is a huge relief.

[help me 21]

i feel all foggy 24/7 nothin feels real n eveything looks dull n get the spacey feelin 24/7 and fuzzy dots reply plz

[ragdoll]

yeah i've had that symptom for almost 10 weeks now, trying to get used to it as it's clearly not about to go anywhere, but i also thought it was a brain tumour. i had an mri and it's not... and i was convinced it was. so yeah i think it's a pretty common symptom, really hard to describe though!

[jothenurse]

I get the feelings of unreality sometimes - I thought it was from the Ativan I take because that can make me a little dizzy/drowsy, but because I only take 1.5 to 2 mgs of Ativan a day (a benzodiazepine), the doctor said it was more likely caused by the anxiety. It's best to not try to dwell on it - distract yourself on something else and it helps make it go away. It's an awful feeling though.