Has anyone recovered from blank mind?

Ever since my mind went blank/silent I feel completely disconnected from everyone and everything, and I feel emotionless - no stimulation in my brain, no matter where I am - in a basketball game, crowded supermarket - no stimulation or emotions whatsoever. Just blank and void, and a constant feeling of timelessness.

Has anyone recovered from this?

Mindfulness and grounding exercises can help. It helps you become present in the current moment again. It is ok if the emotions lag behind. Let them come as they come not rushing them or pushing them away.

Try naming 5 things you see. One at a time.
5 things you hear. One at a time.
5 things you feel one at a time.
Then 4 things you see, hear and feel, 3 things you see hear and feel and so on with 2 and 1. The things you feel can be outer sensations like your feet on your shoes or inner sensations like thirst or your heartbeat.

Try this at home first. It can be done anywhere you feel disconnected though.

Look up mindfulness for more ideas.

Thanks, I will try it.

I'm not sure how it will help, however, since I already feel like I'm in the present moment, but there's just this void...emptiness/nothing.

Hi - I don't know you or your situation, but I was just wondering if at the moment your mind feels that way because at the moment it's trying to heal by putting the least strain on itself possible. Perhaps as time goes on and you continue in your recovery, the feelings and thoughts should gradually come back. Or another thought - are you on any medication at the moment, such as lithium? That can really damp down emotional reactions for some people, while keeping unwanted symptoms under control. Hope things improve for you soon!

Thanks for your response. I'm not on any current medication. I know some people with the blank mind dp that have been this way for over 2 years now. I really hope recovery is possible and that I get my "self" back...

Yes, many people do recover. What really, really helps is psychotherapy (talk) with a therapist who has training in the treatment of dissociation. The ISSTD (isst-d.org) member locator is a good place to start, to find such a therapist.

Thanks for the tip, Una+. Do you know anyone personally who's recovered from this?

igork wrote:Do you know anyone personally who's recovered from this?

Yes, I have. And so have many others over on the DID Forum.

Hello dear,
*Mod edit * i have been througj this depersonalisation order.it lasted me for arpund a month because i could not identify what is this.for me it started suddenly.i neither smoke weeds nor had any previous trauma.ome day at night i suddenly felt lightheaded and felt like iam living in dream.then it started.though i know something has happened to me i could not figure out.then after searching on net i found out that i have this dp disorder.then i started to analyse why this happens.my dear brother if u run continously for 30 kms ur heart beat will rise you will be dehydrated.this is because u have put too much stress on ur heart ...in similar way when u keep too much stress on ur brain.ur brain shuts down.the dp is brains way of telling i cant tolerate this anymore.it is basically a temporary phenomenon.it may last for weeks if the concerned issue is unadressed.even now i have dp but which is in mild form.so my dear,u should understand how much strain u have put on ur brain.first acknowledge that thing.and remember dp is very normal.it will go away.one more thing if u visit psychiatrist,if they prescribe u antidepressants take them.these folks who says that my condition became worse after taking antidepressants dont know its working phenomenon.the typical antidepressants take around 4 weeks to change chemical imbalance in ur brain.so important thing which u should follow is
1.never believe people who says that my dp lasted for years or even months.They may have some other severe disorders which may had lead to this dp.
2.never never nevr nevr believe these type of people.
3.socialise with people
4.take medications if necessary and keep faith on doctor
5.remember that this is a natural phenomenon of brain .if this does not happen then u would have not been alive
6.embrace this feelings and be happy.i promise u that u will come out of this dp

I feel like I've recovered, or at least am so used to it that I can handle it, but in my experience there was no quick fix, no one thing that could snap me out of it. I tried all kinds of mindfulness techniques, changed my diet, went on medication, but only now do I realise that the answer was always within me, and was just taking a while to show itself. It took a long time, but eventually I felt like myself again, and hopefully you will too before long.