Feeling Awful / Grounding Tips Please

Earlier, on the walk home from school (about 15 minutes long) I kept feeling dizzy and forgetting that it was real life and not just me watching a film. It was like being in a theatre production while drunk and knowing the script but forgetting to read it. I kept feeling like I'd fallen asleep, remembering I was meant to be talking, realising I never stopped talking, realising I was actually alive and not watching a film, repeat. This stopped when I got home and returned for about an hour later in the evening. How do I stop this? It's uncomfortable and gives me a sick feeling.

~Lex and some others

I know this exact feeling, it's terrible, I think I'll use a couple of the tips too when some are actually posted, I wish I could help.

what do you usually do for grounding?
strong stimulation for yur senses would help.
like strong mints, chili, extremely sour candy...
cold packs help but they are not practical to carry around.
"safe pain" is still one of the best tools to interrupt the dissociation. like putting a marble in your shoe and keep walking.
and i will endlessly preach about medical ammonia... which is the best way to get out of this really fast.

you can also try everything that calms you or lowers anxiety. for some that is a favorite taste, essential oils, breathing slowly... you know what is best for you
in the end it all comes down to mindfulness again. touching things, observing things, listening to things, using all your senses for grounding.

this is classic. it can be stopped. there is hope.

Have you seen a neurologist? There are seizures (ex. temporal lobe) that have a lot of the symptoms you are describing. You might consider a checkup to rule this out.

Thanks everyone! I don't think they're seizures, but they're only as strong and inconvenient as I described them when I have a headache beforehand. I'll try the marble thing!

Hi Cyancelity, At home we have a list on the wall because sometimes we forget to ground. Once you have worked out what works for you you could maybe keep a list in your pocket just looking at the list and following what it says can help. My list includes 1/ looking at particular photos- I have a photograph of my dog on my phone which prompts pleasant feelings. 2/ Smelling an essential oil - I carry a bottle in my pocket. 3/Touching things - I carry a textured piece of cloth that my T gave to me. I rub the cloth between my fingers. 4/ Finding a safe place -If you are walking maybe sitting down can help and telling yourself to feel the support of whatever you are sitting on. If I am at home I sometimes lie on the floor or sit in my safe corner. For me the feeling of safety helps decrease anxiety and hence becoming more grounded. Sometimes just knowing you are armed with a strategy helps.

You can practise grounding techniques and relaxation on a daily basis this can help to lessen the frequency and duration of these experiences.

As Birdsong said about medical ammonia - like smelling salts and work instantaneosly (smelling salts are used to bring people round when people faint). If you like to chew things then really, really strong menthol chewing gum can help.

this sounds like a form of depersonalization / derealization and is something we are all too familiar with. We usually start counting things around us such as red cars, squirrels... we hadn't heard of the ammonia idea; we would like to know why it would be effective.

it is what ALL trauma Ts here use to help dissociating patients.
the smell is very intense and averse and it reaches the brain even when a person cant smell a thing.
in addition to the bad smell it creates a sharp pain in the brain, the combination gets people out of pretty much every dissociative condition that is known.
it is instantly interrupting dissociation within a few seconds.

where I live pharmacies sell ammonia sticks. they have a small glas tube with ammonia in it that is covered with layers of cotton. when bending the stick the glas breaks, you shake it a little to let it spread in the cotton and hold it under your nose. it practically wakes the dead.

wow, who knew? that is really interesting. would it help when having a panic attack?

it is hard to tell what would help you, people react differently. we always go for pursed lip breathing instead when it is panic.
it surely clears your mind, so maybe if you are losing it it might get you back in contact with reality.