MTS
12-20-2004, 10:05 PM
Hi people!
Some time ago I noticed I made wrong observations, developed a problem with reading and writing (starting to read in the middle of sentences, my eyes just jumped all over the text, instead of starting from the beginning).
The wrong observations I made were of a logical, or rather, illogical nature.
For example, I'd confuse a wallet for a cellphone for a split second, so when someone like my mother asked me to give her my cellphone, for a split second I was thinking my wallet was what she asked for. However, I immediatly corrected myself and knew how incorrect that observation was.
Another symptom was that I couldn't place names on the faces of actors, or other people I saw on TV. I used to be very good at this, and when someone in my family couldn't identify an actor, or remember their name, they'd just ask me, knowing that because I was a big movie buff I knew the anwser.
I lost this ability.
A final symtom is the fact that I can't figure out from where sounds are coming, and who is actually talking in a crowd, or in class. I can't pick up any visual clues that normally tell your brain who's actually talking. If I can't see lips moving, I won't be able to tell who's saying something in class, for example (note that this happens only with people who's voices I haven't heard a lot before, or those that sound alike.)
At any rate, these symptoms have plagued me for over 6 months. I went to a neurologist, but he couldn't figure out what was wrong when scans and blood tests came back normal, but he did diagnose ADD which I've had most of my life (I'm 21 btw). I'm supplementing for pernicious anemia with B12 shots too, so a shortage of that vitamin that can be ruled out as the cause.
A new symptom, which I've had only for the past week, might be an indication that this is psychological, perhaps schizophrenia developing.
I tend to hear a "white noise"-type of ringing in my ears when in a dark room without any sounds in the background (ie. sensory deprevation). Sometimes, I can hear thoughts, sentences or words spring into my mind automatically. I wouldn't call them "voices", they're not real sounds but rather the sound a sentence makes in your head when reading a book. With the important difference that I'm not thinking about anything when the word or sentence jumps into my mind. When I'm reading something, sometimes my mind's voice 'completes' the sentence while I actually stop reading a sentence.
The sentences or words that jump into my mind usually don't mean anything. It could be a sentence someone like my mother uses a lot, in her own voice (that is, her voice when I imitate her in my head, not her actual voice. Think of Arnie saying 'I'll Be Back' in your head. It sounds like Arnie is saying it, but it's not *exactly* the same, because it's your own interpretation/imitation of Arnie's voice)
I'm confused and anxious about these symptoms... Psychologists and schrinks the neurologist sent me to diagnose ADD have told me that because I don't "act" to these "voices", and because I claim they aren't real voices but thoughts, and the added fact that I'm worried about something being wrong with me (as opposed to thinking these voices are normal, or of a mystical/religious/whatever nature), it shows that I'm not detached from reality and thus I don't suffer from psychosis.
However, none have elaborated further on this and have blaimed "stress" as the cause of these symptoms.
I don't know...
I've always being a loner, and a dreamer, just like many schizophrenics in their youth, and allthough I've being under stress lately, I doubt it could affect my intelect and observational skills so strongly.
Does anyone recognise these symptoms? Perhaps someone who went through this and later developed psychosis, or schizophrenia? Or could it be a precursor to some form dementia?
Thanks for any comments!
Some time ago I noticed I made wrong observations, developed a problem with reading and writing (starting to read in the middle of sentences, my eyes just jumped all over the text, instead of starting from the beginning).
The wrong observations I made were of a logical, or rather, illogical nature.
For example, I'd confuse a wallet for a cellphone for a split second, so when someone like my mother asked me to give her my cellphone, for a split second I was thinking my wallet was what she asked for. However, I immediatly corrected myself and knew how incorrect that observation was.
Another symptom was that I couldn't place names on the faces of actors, or other people I saw on TV. I used to be very good at this, and when someone in my family couldn't identify an actor, or remember their name, they'd just ask me, knowing that because I was a big movie buff I knew the anwser.
I lost this ability.
A final symtom is the fact that I can't figure out from where sounds are coming, and who is actually talking in a crowd, or in class. I can't pick up any visual clues that normally tell your brain who's actually talking. If I can't see lips moving, I won't be able to tell who's saying something in class, for example (note that this happens only with people who's voices I haven't heard a lot before, or those that sound alike.)
At any rate, these symptoms have plagued me for over 6 months. I went to a neurologist, but he couldn't figure out what was wrong when scans and blood tests came back normal, but he did diagnose ADD which I've had most of my life (I'm 21 btw). I'm supplementing for pernicious anemia with B12 shots too, so a shortage of that vitamin that can be ruled out as the cause.
A new symptom, which I've had only for the past week, might be an indication that this is psychological, perhaps schizophrenia developing.
I tend to hear a "white noise"-type of ringing in my ears when in a dark room without any sounds in the background (ie. sensory deprevation). Sometimes, I can hear thoughts, sentences or words spring into my mind automatically. I wouldn't call them "voices", they're not real sounds but rather the sound a sentence makes in your head when reading a book. With the important difference that I'm not thinking about anything when the word or sentence jumps into my mind. When I'm reading something, sometimes my mind's voice 'completes' the sentence while I actually stop reading a sentence.
The sentences or words that jump into my mind usually don't mean anything. It could be a sentence someone like my mother uses a lot, in her own voice (that is, her voice when I imitate her in my head, not her actual voice. Think of Arnie saying 'I'll Be Back' in your head. It sounds like Arnie is saying it, but it's not *exactly* the same, because it's your own interpretation/imitation of Arnie's voice)
I'm confused and anxious about these symptoms... Psychologists and schrinks the neurologist sent me to diagnose ADD have told me that because I don't "act" to these "voices", and because I claim they aren't real voices but thoughts, and the added fact that I'm worried about something being wrong with me (as opposed to thinking these voices are normal, or of a mystical/religious/whatever nature), it shows that I'm not detached from reality and thus I don't suffer from psychosis.
However, none have elaborated further on this and have blaimed "stress" as the cause of these symptoms.
I don't know...
I've always being a loner, and a dreamer, just like many schizophrenics in their youth, and allthough I've being under stress lately, I doubt it could affect my intelect and observational skills so strongly.
Does anyone recognise these symptoms? Perhaps someone who went through this and later developed psychosis, or schizophrenia? Or could it be a precursor to some form dementia?
Thanks for any comments!
Sponsor
Black-Dove
12-21-2004, 06:07 AM
Hey MTS,
It definitely doesn't sound like any kind of psychosis to me. I have the exact same symptom that you have with hearing thoughts, words, sentences etc pop into your head randomly. I've always had this, usually when my mind is blank and I'm concentrating on something, or if I'm really tired. I think this is pretty common, although I've never really asked anyone about it. I figure it's just a trick the mind plays when it's under any stress. I do have OCD and anxiety but I don't think it's related to that. I'm sorry I can't offer any advice on your other symptoms, if I had to take a guess I would also say it's stress related. I just wanted to let you know that I experience this particular symptom and I really wouldn't worry about it!
Lots of luck,
Julia
It definitely doesn't sound like any kind of psychosis to me. I have the exact same symptom that you have with hearing thoughts, words, sentences etc pop into your head randomly. I've always had this, usually when my mind is blank and I'm concentrating on something, or if I'm really tired. I think this is pretty common, although I've never really asked anyone about it. I figure it's just a trick the mind plays when it's under any stress. I do have OCD and anxiety but I don't think it's related to that. I'm sorry I can't offer any advice on your other symptoms, if I had to take a guess I would also say it's stress related. I just wanted to let you know that I experience this particular symptom and I really wouldn't worry about it!
Lots of luck,
Julia
MTS
12-21-2004, 04:11 PM
Thanks for the reply ...
I have OCD and anxiety as well, in particular, I have generalised anxiety dissorder and when under stress I tend to repeat movements and thoughts. (when I was a kid, I'd get these 'counting' spells where I forced myself to count the petals on a flower, the books in a shelve, etc. over and over again)
Perhaps people with anxiety and OCD are so stressed out most of the time and have raging, crowding thoughts all day long, that their mind wants to proceed at this pace when they're actually trying to rest?
I have OCD and anxiety as well, in particular, I have generalised anxiety dissorder and when under stress I tend to repeat movements and thoughts. (when I was a kid, I'd get these 'counting' spells where I forced myself to count the petals on a flower, the books in a shelve, etc. over and over again)
Perhaps people with anxiety and OCD are so stressed out most of the time and have raging, crowding thoughts all day long, that their mind wants to proceed at this pace when they're actually trying to rest?
mudhound
12-21-2004, 09:19 PM
I would agree with black dove
hummingbirdkiss
12-21-2004, 10:43 PM
message deleted
*music23*
12-22-2004, 01:58 PM
There is a neurological disorder called prosopagnosia in which people can't put names with faces and have to identify people through other things... voice, what they say, the way they act or move, etc. In some forms, those people can't recognize objects either. I hear there is a book about this by Oliver... Sacks, is it? Not sure about that name. Something like that. It's called The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat.
I'm not sure that this is related, but prosopagnosia is what some of those symptoms sound like. Do some research on it!
Good luck,
Kristina :wave:
I'm not sure that this is related, but prosopagnosia is what some of those symptoms sound like. Do some research on it!
Good luck,
Kristina :wave:

