Need help in handling "shutdowns"

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I have been having really scary and disturbing episodes lately where I have totally shut down and not been able to speak well or understand what someone else is asking or trying to tell me. I would love to know if that's something others deal with and if there is advice on dealing with it. This is not something that is normal for me and I've never had it happen before.

Oh yes I go past the difficulty with speaking to unconsciousness my therapist says it is my sympathetic nervous system shutting down. To prevent this from happening whenever I feel myself going down ie: shaking and cold / numbness I use my skullcap tincture and run my hands under warm water this breaks the cycle. I actually carry instant hot packs (toe warmers) with me in stressful situations like school they work along with cyclical breathing exercises.

Thank you so much. This actually explains why I might have had a fainting spell years ago. I do feel like I am "shutting down" due to excessive stress or stimulation.

I have experienced shutdowns all my life (although until recently, I had no idea what caused them - it was just something that happened.) Social interaction is stressful for me. Complicate that with a noisy environment (visual noise is just as bad for me as audible noise) & I first get confused, then uncommunicative. I can force myself to focus for a while, but it isn't sustainable.

Back when I was teaching, I had no idea why I should be so tired at the end of the day - and by the end of the week, I would be unable to do anything. Now, I can plan ahead to limit my exposure to noisy social situations - or if it is unavoidable, I am at least aware of the cost I will eventually pay. So it doesn't bother me that some days I get home from work & just crash - or sleep all day on Saturday.

For me, it's all about energy. If I know I need to face an especially stressful situation - I will consume a few more calories beforehand, to provide the extra energy to get through it. Afterward, I will just go with the feeling of exhaustion & get some sleep. I'll try to plan ahead to allow for the necessary down time, so my body has time to rest & recharge.

Plus, I go to the gym 4 or 5 times a week. The exercise takes the place of stimming for me - I used to rock a lot - and the endorphins give me a psychological boost. It also allows me to eat more during the day - counting snacks, I eat about 10 times a day (keeps my energy level constant.)

As others have said energy and shock (warm water) can be very helpful dealing with shutdowns. Another thing is having a focuser. For me it's smoking, no matter what situation happens all I have to do, is go outside, light the cig, breath in, breath out, and focus on that for about 5 minutes. Then I'm good.

(not suggesting you should take up smoking)

But yeah, something that you can do to just completely focus your attention on for a few minutes can really help. +Breathing exercises.

I experience something like this, but mine is brought on by consuming too much carbohydrate, or not enough protein. It becomes very difficult for me to understand what people are saying. Its like I cannot remember by the end of the sentence, what was spoken back at the beginning. Word recall becomes almost impossible, and my mouth won't say the words I am thinking. It either mispronounces the words, or I just can't get them out at all.

But I can avoid my version of this altogether by making certain that I consume plenty of protein, drink lots of water, and get plenty of rest, which for me is 8 to 9 hours a night. I do require much more sleep than most people I know. I don't experience any kind of numbness, or I haven't, but it becomes nearly impossible to think clearly, I call it brain fog, and I feel very tired and sleepy, but what I need when I get this way is protein.

I have DID, we have a lot in common with autistics. If I start to lose "the present" really badly I will take my shoes and socks off and put them on like a frozen brocolli or pea package. Then I try to deep breathe like in yoga and stop any automatic movement (I'm a rocker). I've gotten better about "going away" by recognizing what some of my triggers are--anxiety can be alleviated by a short walk, mind spinning, etc, or avoiding looking at perfect patterns that might "suck" me in.

Getting "stuck" or dissociating is a normal behavior. Everyone does it, even if it just losing track of time while you are driving. The wierd thing is when I feel trapped within my own body and unable to move.