disoriented and confused

[andrewm88]

does anyone ever feel disoriented after waking up sometimes? like its been happening to me alot where i wake up and for a few seconds i have no idea where i am, or who i am. this is worrying me alot. also sometimes i wake up and i feel like my mind is completely blank like i just kind of stare at the ceiling for a minute or so because i feel like my brain hasnt been switched on yet. im worried :S

[cwtn91]

Haha, I actually had this happen this morning.  I have no idea what it is, but it has me worried too.  Waking up and feeling as if my brain isn't on yet.  It gets me worried, but it usually clears up after a half hour or so, and sometimes I just roll over and sleep it off.

I'm sure it's nothing, but I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one that experiences it.

[jvaughn1686]

Yes, this has happened to me a few times and I have been curious about it. It's happened even when wake up in familiar places, like my own bed. When it is the worst is in the middle of the night and everything is black and I can't see. I guess I just panic so much and don't know where I'm at I try to get up and find out or find something familiar. I usually end up looking for a door and find my way lost in my own room! It's only when I see some sort of light that I find my bearings and realize where I am. It usuallys lasts about 30 seconds and it scares the crap out of me. Can this be a precursor to an underlying issue?

[sgately11]

Hi Andrew,

No need to worry, I get that in cycles and know what you are talking about. I will wake up and feel like my mind is still in some dream state and that "reality" has not caught up yet. It can be scary especially when you hit the point when you want to remember something or know where you are and cannot. I think non anxiety folks can relate to this feeling if they are traveling and wake up in a new hotel room at night and have to adjust for a few seconds to orient themselves.

I wouldn't worry about this one, it is normal.