u/hyrule_02

Does anyone else experience lengthy dissociative episodes alongside their OCD?

I recently experienced an extended dissociative episode that lasted almost a week and a half. I’ve had these episodes before but thought it was just brain fog.

This most recent episode was by the worst I’ve experienced. I ended up in hospital and was admitted into the psych ward. I was diagnosed with OCD by the hospital psychiatrist along with an explanation for the “brain fog” as being a dissociative episode and derealisation.

I really struggle to explain what the dissociation and derealisation feels like. It’s also it like a dream state but I’m aware that I’m awake but also I’m almost paranoid that I’m not?

Everything almost doesn’t feel real and I feel numb and detached, conversations don’t interest me I can’t do anything but sleep. I struggle to do basic tasks during these episodes like even using a computer or phone. I’m unable to leave the house and I struggle to even feed myself but I don’t feel sad or depressed, just not fully present.

I’ve kind of described it almost like that feeling you get right after you walk out of a movie at the cinemas if that makes sense but x100 and it doenst go away. I also struggle to determine if I’ve verbalised my thoughts.

My OCD symptoms also increase and get a lot worse during these episodes I think because I’m struggling to realise that I’m actually present or that I’m not just imagining things so when I get an intrusive thought I struggle to differentiate if it’s real or not because I lose that ability almost completely.

For an example I have pet mice and I kept getting intrusive thoughts that they were sick or their enclosure was open or they somehow escaped and had died. And I was having to continually check the lid and check they were still in there and alive. The Psych at the hospital recommended for me to get weekly Psychotherapy from a psychiatrist for up to a year. He also told me I need to try my hardest to not act on my compulsions. So when I got home I resisted not checking on my mice however later that night I walked past their enclosure and one had actually passed away (literally the week from hell omg 😭😀). Now I keep thinking that wasn’t an intrusive thought then and keep ruminating on that but is that also OCD lol? I had many other compulsions also though.

Anyways I went on a bit of tangent there but does anyone else experience these episode of dissociation? And is that common with OCD?

It’s a terrible feeling and I’m always scared it’s going to come back and I’ll pretty much just lose a week of my life.

Does anyone else experience lengthy dissociative episodes alongside OCD?

I recently experienced an extended dissociative episode that lasted almost a week and a half. I’ve had these episodes before but thought it was just brain fog.

This most recent episode was by the worst I’ve experienced. I ended up in hospital and was admitted into the psych ward. I was diagnosed with OCD by the hospital psychiatrist along with an explanation for the “brain fog” as being a dissociative episode and derealisation.

I really struggle to explain what the dissociation and derealisation feels like. It’s also it like a dream state but I’m aware that I’m awake but also I’m almost paranoid that I’m not?

Everything almost doesn’t feel real and I feel numb and detached, conversations don’t interest me I can’t do anything but sleep. I struggle to do basic tasks during these episodes like even using a computer or phone. I’m unable to leave the house and I struggle to even feed myself but I don’t feel sad or depressed, just not fully present.

I’ve kind of described it almost like that feeling you get right after you walk out of a movie at the cinemas if that makes sense but x100 and it doenst go away. I also struggle to determine if I’ve verbalised my thoughts.

My OCD symptoms also increase and get a lot worse during these episodes I think because I’m struggling to realise that I’m actually present or that I’m not just imagining things so when I get an intrusive thought I struggle to differentiate if it’s real or not because I lose that ability almost completely.

For an example I have pet mice and I kept getting intrusive thoughts that they were sick or their enclosure was open or they somehow escaped and had died. And I was having to continually check the lid and check they were still in there and alive. The Psych at the hospital recommended for me to get weekly Psychotherapy from a psychiatrist for up to a year. He also told me I need to try my hardest to not act on my compulsions. So when I got home I resisted not checking on my mice however later that night I walked past their enclosure and one had actually passed away (literally the week from hell omg 😭😀). Now I keep thinking that wasn’t an intrusive thought then and keep ruminating on that but is that also OCD lol? I had many other compulsions also though.

Anyways I went on a bit of tangent there but does anyone else experience these episode of dissociation? And is that common with OCD?

It’s a terrible feeling and I’m always scared it’s going to come back and I’ll pretty much just lose a week of my life.

Sorry if I’m over explaining a bit my post was getting misunderstood in another subreddit so I just wanted to clarify some things before I get started.

I just wanted to make it clear that I wasn’t expecting 24/7 care or for him to completely drop everything for me. All I really wanted in those moments was comfort and reassurance, just for him to say “you’re okay, I’m here for you.” When we got to the hospital it was very late at night and there was a long wait in the ED. I asked him to stay because I was scared, confused, and genuinely didn’t feel like myself. The morning after he stayed the night I could tell he was exhausted, so I told him to go home, rest, and take care of himself and come back when he felt ready.

\*\*I also want to preface this is the first time I’ve experienced a mental health crisis or really any mental health issue to this extent, the previous episodes I mentioned I genuinely just thought they were brain fog and had gone to doctor for them in the past.\*\*

TL;DR: I had a severe dissociative/mental health crisis that led to psych ward admission and intensive psychiatric treatment. My boyfriend knew I was struggling for over a week but mostly prioritised gym, work, laundry, and other plans over supporting me. During the worst night I had to beg him to drive me because I didn’t feel safe driving to his own family dinner, and at the hospital he acted irritated, emotionally distant, and inconvenienced by me. Meanwhile, my best friend became my main support person. Afterward, my boyfriend accused me of being manipulative during the crisis. AITA for feeling abandoned and expecting more support from my partner?

I (23M) have been with my boyfriend Miles (27M) for a while now. Recently I went through what doctors described as a pretty severe mental health crisis involving dissociation, panic attacks, and eventually being admitted to a psych ward/hospital program. I’m now on multiple medications and being referred for intensive psychiatric treatment because apparently my case is considered complex.

For context, for about a week before things escalated, I was very obviously not okay. I was disconnected, barely eating or drinking, struggling to function, and had pretty much completely isolated myself. I had repeatedly told my boyfriend I didn’t feel right or okay. This isn’t the first time I’ve had dissociative episodes either, so he knew this kind of thing had happened before. (Also for context we don’t live together but live relatively close together) (when I say this isn’t the first time I’ve had these episodes in the past I thought they were brain fog)

Throughout that week I kept asking him to come be with me for a bit or just hang out so I didn’t feel so isolated because I felt genuinely scared and alone. I wasn’t expecting him to be with me 24/7. Most of the time he said no because he had plans, gym, errands, work, etc. He only came around once when it was convenient for him.

The biggest issue happened the night things got really bad. I told him multiple times I didn’t think I was okay to drive to his house for family dinner (we were together at my house at this point). Instead offering to drive, he got annoyed because he wanted to go to the gym afterward. I literally had to beg him to drive me.

While in the car I started to panic about how I was feeling. (I had missed a whole week of work at a new job and was worried I was going to feel the same the next morning (Monday)). How he responded to this (completely unsupportive and refusing to take me urgent care) took me so aback that I genuinely thought I was hallucinating because of how terrible he was treating me. By the time I ended up in hospital, I felt completely abandoned.

What hurts most is the way he acted while I was there. Physically, yes, he was present at points, but emotionally he felt completely checked out. He looked irritated sitting with me in the waiting room, barely comforted me, sat away from me, had even faced away from me at points, refused to get me sick bag, and also just refused to sit next to me at times and acted inconvenienced by the entire situation (for context we were in the emergency department waiting area for 5 hours) At one point I asked if he was mad at me because his body language and attitude made it seem obvious, and he got frustrated at me for asking. At one point he even stormed out of the room…

I also had to basically beg Miles to take time off work for me (I wasn’t him asking him to take that week off just the time I was in the hospital or at least the first couple of days I was there). Which hurt even more because he works for family friends who absolutely would have understood the situation. It wasn’t like he was risking getting in trouble at work. Even when he did take time off, it genuinely felt like he didn’t want to and resented me for needing him there. (I would understand not taking off work if he was going to lose pay but has a lot of sick/compassionate leave saved up)

Meanwhile, my best friend Emily took days off work for me, slept on a hospital floor for me, helped explain things to doctors, and basically became my support person. Seeing the difference in how they treated me versus how my actual partner treated me honestly broke me emotionally. (I never asked Emily do these things for me either I wouldn’t expect any one to sleep on the floor for me)

What also hurt was that when I was finally seen by the psychiatrists and clinicians and was actually being diagnosed and assessed properly, Miles wasn’t even there for that either. Finding out the severity of what was going on with me and being told I needed intensive psychiatric treatment was confronting, and my partner wasn’t even there to support me.

Emily was the one helping explain things and supporting me emotionally while Miles seemed detached from the whole situation. That honestly broke my heart because I can’t imagine not showing up for someone I love during a moment like that. (In the other subreddits people had suggested maybe he was burnt out from my mental health issues if this was an ongoing thing, however it wasn’t this was the first time I had experienced something like this)

After I got discharged, things got worse. He greeted me with obvious hostility because he was upset over some texts I’d sent earlier while I was literally mid-breakdown. He later told me he felt I was being manipulative during the crisis and that the way I was acting was unfair to him. I understand it’s fair for him to have been upset I wasn’t very nice in the texts but I was also not myself, I was frustrated because I had texted him late in the afternoon how he was doing and if he was coming back soon and he told me he had laundry to do, I let him know I wanted him there and he told me he was busy and I got frustrated because he was prioritising what felt like chores over me. I would have completely understood if he had just said “I just need some time for myself, I’ll be back tonight” for example.)

That’s where I’m conflicted.

I \*know\* I wasn’t acting like myself. I was emotional, panicked, dissociating, and a bit abrasive, and probably overwhelming. I definitely sent snappy texts and I understand caregivers/partners can get exhausted too.

But at the same time… I genuinely feel like asking your partner to support you during a mental health crisis is not asking too much. I wasn’t asking for luxury treatment. I just wanted comfort, reassurance, and for him to actually show up emotionally and not make me feel like a burden.

I do want to say we have talked about this and he does know I’ve made this post. He has apologised and acknowledged what he did was wrong and not okay and that he knows I would have been there for him if the situation was reversed. However when I asked him why he treated me like that he couldn’t give me an answer. I told him I think he really needs to reflect on that because we really do love each other but I’m so confused and conflicted to make things even more stressful we just bought a home together 😀.

Anyways do you think I handled this situation incorrectly I understand he has apologised but did I overreact?

Does anyone else experience lengthy dissociative episodes alongside their OCD?

I recently experienced an extended dissociative episode that lasted almost a week and a half. I’ve had these episodes before but thought it was just brain fog.

This most recent episode was by the worst I’ve experienced. I ended up in hospital and was admitted into the psych ward. I was diagnosed with OCD by the hospital psychiatrist along with an explanation for the “brain fog” as being a dissociative episode and derealisation.

I really struggle to explain what the dissociation and derealisation feels like. It’s also it like a dream state but I’m aware that I’m awake but also I’m almost paranoid that I’m not?

Everything almost doesn’t feel real and I feel numb and detached, conversations don’t interest me I can’t do anything but sleep. I struggle to do basic tasks during these episodes like even using a computer or phone. I’m unable to leave the house and I struggle to even feed myself but I don’t feel sad or depressed, just not fully present.

I’ve kind of described it almost like that feeling you get right after you walk out of a movie at the cinemas if that makes sense but x100 and it doenst go away. I also struggle to determine if I’ve verbalised my thoughts.

My OCD symptoms also increase and get a lot worse during these episodes I think because I’m struggling to realise that I’m actually present or that I’m not just imagining things so when I get an intrusive thought I struggle to differentiate if it’s real or not because I lose that ability almost completely.

For an example I have pet mice and I kept getting intrusive thoughts that they were sick or their enclosure was open or they somehow escaped and had died. And I was having to continually check the lid and check they were still in there and alive. The Psych at the hospital recommended for me to get weekly Psychotherapy from a psychiatrist for up to a year. He also told me I need to try my hardest to not act on my compulsions. So when I got home I resisted not checking on my mice however later that night I walked past their enclosure and one had actually passed away (literally the week from hell omg 😭😀). Now I keep thinking that wasn’t an intrusive thought then and keep ruminating on that but is that also OCD lol? I had many other compulsions also though.

Anyways I went on a bit of tangent there but does anyone else experience these episode of dissociation? And is that common with OCD?

It’s a terrible feeling and I’m always scared it’s going to come back and I’ll pretty much just lose a week of my life.

TL;DR: I had a severe dissociative/mental health crisis that led to psych ward admission and intensive psychiatric treatment. My boyfriend knew I was struggling for over a week but mostly prioritised gym, work, LAUNDRY, and other plans over supporting me. During the worst night I had to beg him to drive me because I didn’t feel safe driving, and at the hospital he acted irritated, emotionally distant, and inconvenienced by me. Meanwhile, my best friend became my main support person. Afterward, my boyfriend accused me of being manipulative during the crisis. AITA for feeling abandoned and expecting more support from my partner?

I (23M) recently went through a serious mental health crisis involving a dissociative episode that led to me being admitted to a psych ward. I’m now on multiple medications and being referred for intensive psychiatric treatment.

For about a week beforehand, I was very obviously not okay. I was disconnected, barely eating or drinking, struggling to function, and isolating myself. I repeatedly told my boyfriend Miles (27M) that I didn’t feel right. This also wasn’t the first dissociative episode I’ve had, so he knew this kind of thing had happened before. We don’t live together, but we live close by.

Throughout that week I kept asking him to come be with me because I felt genuinely scared and alone. Most of the time he said no because he had plans, gym, errands, laundry, work, etc. He only came around once when it was convenient for him.

The biggest issue happened the night things got really bad. I told him multiple times I didn’t think I was okay to drive to a family dinner because I could barely focus properly. Instead of helping, he got annoyed because he wanted to go to the gym afterward. I literally had to beg him to drive me.

While in the car I started panicking about how I was feeling. His response was so cold and unsupportive that I genuinely questioned if I was hallucinating because I couldn’t believe my partner was treating me like that. By the time I ended up in hospital, I felt completely abandoned.

What hurt most was how he acted there. Physically he was present at points, but emotionally he felt completely checked out. He looked irritated sitting with me in the waiting room, barely comforted me, sat away from me, refused to get me a sick bag, and acted inconvenienced the entire time. We were there for around 5 hours. At one point I asked if he was mad at me because his body language made it seem obvious, and he got frustrated at me for asking. He even stormed out at one point.

I also basically had to beg him to take time off work for me, which hurt even more because he works for family friends who absolutely would have understood the situation. Even when he did take time off, it felt like he resented me for needing him there.

Meanwhile, my best friend Emily took days off work for me, slept on a hospital floor for me, helped explain things to doctors, and basically became my support person. Seeing the difference between how she treated me versus how my actual partner treated me honestly broke me emotionally.

After I got discharged, things got worse. He told me he felt I was being manipulative during the crisis and that the way I acted was unfair to him.

I know I wasn’t acting like myself. I was emotional, panicked, dissociating, needy, snappy, abrasive, and probably overwhelming. I understand partners can get exhausted too.

But I genuinely feel like asking your partner for support during a mental health crisis is not manipulation.

TL;DR: I had a severe dissociative/mental health crisis that led to psych ward admission and intensive psychiatric treatment. My boyfriend knew I was struggling for over a week but mostly prioritised gym, work, LAUNDRY, and other plans over supporting me. During the worst night I had to beg him to drive me because I didn’t feel safe driving, and at the hospital he acted irritated, emotionally distant, and inconvenienced by me. Meanwhile, my best friend became my main support person. Afterward, my boyfriend accused me of being manipulative during the crisis. AITA for feeling abandoned and expecting more support from my partner?

I (23M) recently went through a serious mental health crisis involving a dissociative episode that led to me being admitted to a psych ward. I’m now on multiple medications and being referred for intensive psychiatric treatment.

For about a week beforehand, I was very obviously not okay. I was disconnected, barely eating or drinking, struggling to function, and isolating myself. I repeatedly told my boyfriend Miles (27M) that I didn’t feel right. This also wasn’t the first dissociative episode I’ve had, so he knew this kind of thing had happened before. We don’t live together, but we live close by.

Throughout that week I kept asking him to come be with me because I felt genuinely scared and alone. Most of the time he said no because he had plans, gym, errands, laundry, work, etc. He only came around once when it was convenient for him.

The biggest issue happened the night things got really bad. I told him multiple times I didn’t think I was okay to drive to a family dinner because I could barely focus properly. Instead of helping, he got annoyed because he wanted to go to the gym afterward. I literally had to beg him to drive me.

While in the car I started panicking about how I was feeling. His response was so cold and unsupportive that I genuinely questioned if I was hallucinating because I couldn’t believe my partner was treating me like that. By the time I ended up in hospital, I felt completely abandoned.

What hurt most was how he acted there. Physically he was present at points, but emotionally he felt completely checked out. He looked irritated sitting with me in the waiting room, barely comforted me, sat away from me, refused to get me a sick bag, and acted inconvenienced the entire time. We were there for around 5 hours. At one point I asked if he was mad at me because his body language made it seem obvious, and he got frustrated at me for asking. He even stormed out at one point.

I also basically had to beg him to take time off work for me, which hurt even more because he works for family friends who absolutely would have understood the situation. Even when he did take time off, it felt like he resented me for needing him there.

Meanwhile, my best friend Emily took days off work for me, slept on a hospital floor for me, helped explain things to doctors, and basically became my support person. Seeing the difference between how she treated me versus how my actual partner treated me honestly broke me emotionally.

After I got discharged, things got worse. He told me he felt I was being manipulative during the crisis and that the way I acted was unfair to him.

I know I wasn’t acting like myself. I was emotional, panicked, dissociating, needy, snappy, abrasive, and probably overwhelming. I understand partners can get exhausted too.

But I genuinely feel like asking your partner for support during a mental health crisis is not manipulation.

AIO for expecting my boyfriend to support me during a mental health crisis?

I (23M) recently went through a serious mental health crisis involving a dissociative episode that led to me being admitted to a psych ward. I’m now on multiple medications and being referred for intensive psychiatric treatment.

For about a week beforehand, I was very obviously not okay. I was disconnected, barely eating or drinking, struggling to function, and isolating myself. I repeatedly told my boyfriend Miles (27M) that I didn’t feel right. This also wasn’t the first dissociative episode I’ve had, so he knew this kind of thing had happened before. We don’t live together, but we live close by.

Throughout that week I kept asking him to come be with me because I felt genuinely scared and alone. Most of the time he said no because he had plans, gym, errands, work, etc. He only came around once when it was convenient for him.

The biggest issue happened the night things got really bad. I told him multiple times I didn’t think I was okay to drive to a family dinner because I could barely focus properly. Instead of helping, he got annoyed because he wanted to go to the gym afterward. I literally had to beg him to drive me.

While in the car I started panicking about how I was feeling. His response was so cold and unsupportive that I genuinely questioned if I was hallucinating because I couldn’t believe my partner was treating me like that. By the time I ended up in hospital, I felt completely abandoned.

What hurt most was how he acted there. Physically he was present at points, but emotionally he felt completely checked out. He looked irritated sitting with me in the waiting room, barely comforted me, sat away from me, refused to get me a sick bag, and acted inconvenienced the entire time. We were there for around 5 hours. At one point I asked if he was mad at me because his body language made it seem obvious, and he got frustrated at me for asking. He even stormed out at one point.

I also basically had to beg him to take time off work for me, which hurt even more because he works for family friends who absolutely would have understood the situation. Even when he did take time off, it felt like he resented me for needing him there.

Meanwhile, my best friend Emily took days off work for me, slept on a hospital floor for me, helped explain things to doctors, and basically became my support person. Seeing the difference between how she treated me versus how my actual partner treated me honestly broke me emotionally.

After I got discharged, things got worse. He told me he felt I was being manipulative during the crisis and that the way I acted was unfair to him.

I know I wasn’t acting like myself. I was emotional, panicked, dissociating, needy, snappy, abrasive, and probably overwhelming. I understand partners can get exhausted too.

But I genuinely feel like asking your partner for support during a mental health crisis is not manipulation.