Deep, dark, dread "episodes" in a normally upbeat, happy person - Medical? Metaphysical? Paranorma

I had a hard time deciding which forum to post this in because there’s several it could easily have fit into: Medical, Metaphysics, Paranormal (I’ve even considered it could be a demon it feels so dark), Dreams, etc. so I just posted in the Gray Area.

For the last several months, occasionally (a few of times a month) I've been having these "episodes" of something that I don't know what it is. Anyone know what this could be? I'm open to all potential explanations, this one's got me stumped.

I'll be going along with my normal every day life when suddenly I'll literally be overcome with this horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach that always makes me nauseous feeling. The nausea is not really a physical feeling of nausea, more of a deep, dark, horrible, mental feeling, but it makes me sick to my stomach it's so strong. It's at this point that I have a feeling that there is something just out of my grasp. It's really hard to explain. It's like I know something or have had a dream or experience that I can't remember - flashes of something just outside of my grasp. I can almost recall what it is but never do. This is just like when you first wake up from a dream and know that you've had one but can't quite remember it - you just know it's there, except that these episodes are in the middle of the day usually.

It's a really "dark" feeling, severe dread is the best I can describe it. I will literally go to the restroom because I think I'm going to vomit, no, I WANT to vomit so it'll be over - but I never do. On the way to the restroom, I start feeling weak, sweating, and dizzy It lasts for several minutes and then subsides quickly and I'm back to my normal routine, except now I'm asking myself what in the world is going on with me. At the moment it's happening, it is severe (and I don't use that word lightly), however, later on (30 min or so), I'm fine - feeling all better and back to business as usual. These "episodes" can happen anywhere, anytime, under all different circumstances. The last one happened in a normal meeting with my boss at work - I didn't immediately get up to go to the restroom because we were busy. He told me that I lost all color in my face and asked if I was alright - it was then that I excused myself.

I've always been healthy so I'm wondering has anyone else had these kind of "episodes"?

Does anyone know of a physical ailment that manifests this way? Is it some sort of deficiency? Vitamin, mineral, etc.? Maybe something to do with serotonin? I don't know, I'm grasping at straws but what bothers me the most is it's connected to the feeling that something is just out of reach to me. Is that feel of something out of reach the result of the ailment or the cause of the ailment?

I have had very similar feelings lately, although mine are more prone to happen at night. I am leaning towards it being a panic/anxiety attack but I'm no doctor. All I can explain when it happens to me is a feeling of sheer TERROR but with a feeling of knowing too...Almost like i am falling or on a roller coaster to despair and have to go for the ride.That feeling in your gut that something is wrong, out of order. I also have been feeling like I am shaking but it's an internal shaking, trembling. I have never been in an earthquake but that's what the shaking reminded me of. I've read an article somewhere, cannot remember where though, stating that a panic attack is your Fight or Flight responses getting all out of whack. Maybe it's a precursor of things to come. An instinct that's kicking in? I'll quit rambling on but this definitely caught my eye. If it gets any worse then I'd consider a trip to the doc.




Edit: Here's some links to possibly help. 1st) is wiki about panic attacks, check out second paragraph. en.wikipedia.org...

2nd) Are some coping skills that could help www.stop-anxiety-attack-symptoms.com...

You know... I'm not doc so I'll just relate to you my experience. I went through something like this a few years ago. Doc tried to say it was depression and sent me home with meds to try out. At my request, I asked for a blood panel to make sure nothing else could be wrong. Turns out I was severely anemic. I couldn't believe anemia was the driving force behind all of it, but once it was corrected I began to feel better.

I'm not saying that all depression is a deficiency but it's sure worth looking into as part of all the other avenues. Hope you feel better very soon.

reply to post by RainofStars


Wow, you know I never considered panic attacks. I'll read up on it. Most of the symptoms listed in your link don't apply but there are a couple that I mentioned above. I always though panic attacks were.. uh .. different than what's described there. Thanks.

reply to post by Iamonlyhuman


Sounds like panic attacks exacerbated by low-blood sugar, I'd get to a doctor if that's possible.

I'd also try not to let myself get hungry. Keep some food/health shake on hand and try to keep snacking and drinking - and so forth.

Make a mental note of any dietary changes or stresses which might have occurred recently, and go from there. Hopefully to a doctor.

reply to post by Thunder heart woman


reply to post by Exuberant1



Thanks to both of you. I have decided that a full blood work-up is what I'm going to request. I definitely need to find out what's going on. I don't go to the doctor often but I do think this warrants it.

this feeling your talking about would give me such horrible anxiety i on two occasions developed a malformation of nerves in mouth the doctors could not explain, like tumors they would grow and grow and who knows if they would ever stop if i did not get them cut out, about a year and a half ago i started facing my fear of running for long periods of time in the wilderness and mainly the deserts that border Las Vegas, i have always wanted to be a cross country runner but was way too scared ( i was never an athlete ) this past year has been the weirdest in years JUST because all my old scary feelings are suddenly easily manageable and my when my anxiety comes i can simply dismiss it? never in my life did i have that type of strength! point is it could well be something physical but it could also be a mystery only you can figure out? just a thought.

I have had some experiences like that as well. It may be a medical issue, or it may be that your are developing empathic skills. For anyone not aware of what it is:

empathic.net...

PLPL

Sorry i dont have an explanation for you but i do know how you feel. Sometimes i will randomly feel panicky and just feel such dread that it gets hard to breath sometimes and my eyes just start watering even though im not crying. I know it sounds stupid but it just feels like im supposed to be doing something important but i just CANT figure out what it is and i think thats why i get in these episodes, its like if there was someone holding a gun to my mothers head and i new she was going to die but there is just nothing i can do. its a terrible feeling. I think thats what brings me to sites like this but i just feel like maybe i can find answers maybe (stupid sounding i know). It sounds like anxiety attacks but i just dont think that that is it. Also im not sure if this has anything to do with it but ive had some strange dreams too, one that sticks in my memory though is where i just walked outside my house to take out the trash and i looked up in the sky and saw a solar eclipse and then i woke up in a cold sweat and i was just so scared. This is really strange to me because honestly the dream when i remember it wasnt very scary but my reaction to the dream at the time really is scary to me.

reply to post by POPtheKlEEN89


I agree it could be something else besides a medical condition but I think I've decided to start ruling things out... and it seems the medical issues are the easiest to rule out.

Thanks!

reply to post by Minori


Thank you for that link. I will pay attention more to when and what surroundings these "episodes" happen. Seems to me that in order for it to be empathic I would need to be around other people every time it happens. Thinking back I can't remember if every time I was around people. I'll pay more attention to it.

reply to post by eyesontheskies


I hardly ever remember my dreams and that's the problem. The feeling associated with these episodes feels so familiar like it was in a dream. I almost can visualize the situation... but not quite. Ugh, it's SO frustrating!

reply to post by Iamonlyhuman


There are many different levels to empathy. In my case I tend to pick up feelings from people I am close to (friends, family), but that is not always the case. It is not always necessary to be in close proximity to people to have this expereince. The tricky part comes in when you have to discern your own emotions from that of someone else. It can drive you crazy or at least make you think you are going nuts....lol.

PLPL

I've been having issues like this since about last May. I even passed out randomly on the 29th of last month, which has never happened to me; Unless really drunk, but I'm sure most people have that problem when they drink too much, and I've been pretty broke lately so no partying for me...

No, before anyone says anything along the lines of "Go see a doctor, it's medically related", mine are not medically related, and I know that for a fact. I've seen 4 doctors (a GP, a Neurologist, a Cardiologist, and even a Psychologist) and had a smattering of expensive tests (full bloodwork, head CT, MRI & MRA, EKG, and an EEG) and NOTHING out of the ordinary according to all 3 doctors.

I'm wondering the same thing you are.

Definitely sounds like a bad panic attack. I get them quite often... and it's an awful experience every time.

I'm on medicine now to help prevent them, and I'm also prescribed Xanax which I take when I first start to feel the terror coming up on me. And I'll admit that the medicine helps.

These past couple months the attacks were becoming more frequent and were accompanied by weird depression. Sometimes I would panic so intensely that I would turn a pale yellow, begin sweating profusely, and even throw up. So I ended up going to the doctor and they discovered that I was severely anemic. After taking iron supplements for a few weeks, it started to turn around.

I mean, sure, I still get panic attacks now... but they were unbearable when I was suffering from anemia.

So my advice would be to go to a doctor to get your blood levels checked. If everything is normal there, then go to a psychiatrist to at least get some kind of drug for temporary relief (like xanax or valium or something similar). Obviously the drugs aren't a permanent solution, but I'll admit that it makes the incidents more manageable while you work on figuring out why you're suffering from these attacks to begin with.

Anyway, I really hope you figure out why you're experiencing these panic attacks and that things start to get better soon! They're an awful experience... one that I wouldn't wish on anyone. Especially when they come up on you randomly. I know that I got to a point where I was just too scared to go out because I knew there was a big chance that I would experience an attack. It cut into my life. I hope you solve the problem before it gets as bad as I had it!!