Feeling an unearned sense of intoxication can be a confusing and unsettling experience. These sensations frequently involve a feeling of unreality about one’s surroundings (derealization) or a sense of detachment from one’s own body and thoughts (depersonalization). Many people also report unexplained dizziness, lightheadedness, or persistent mental fogginess that mimics the effects of being under the influence. While these feelings are not caused by an actual drug, they signal a real physiological or psychological shift. Investigating the source of these temporary changes in perception is important for determining whether the cause is routine stress or a health concern.
The Connection to Anxiety and Stress
Anxiety is a common psychological explanation for feeling detached from reality. During intense anxiety or a panic attack, the body often hyperventilates, causing rapid, shallow breathing. This over-breathing significantly drops the level of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the bloodstream, a condition known as hypocapnia.
Low CO2 levels cause blood vessels in the brain to constrict, reducing blood flow and oxygen delivery. This physiological change creates physical sensations like lightheadedness, confusion, and tingling, which are often mistaken for intoxication. The resulting chemical imbalance can lead to a sense of unreality, further escalating the panic cycle.
When the brain perceives an overwhelming threat, it may employ dissociation as a defense mechanism. This can manifest as Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder (DPDR), where the individual feels profoundly disconnected from their self or environment. These dissociative symptoms are a direct response to extreme stress or trauma.
The feeling of detachment is the brain’s way of insulating itself from psychological pain, effectively numbing emotional and physical sensation. This protective response results in a very real experience of altered reality for the individual.
Causes Related to Body Chemistry
Feelings of mental fogginess or disorientation can signal a systemic metabolic issue. The brain relies on a precise chemical environment, and hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, is a common culprit since glucose is its primary energy source. When blood glucose levels drop, brain function is immediately impaired.
The resulting symptoms can include confusion, difficulty concentrating, dizziness, and general weakness, contributing to the perception of being “out of it.” These are the brain’s distress signals due to a lack of fuel, often pronounced in people with diabetes or those who have gone long periods without eating.
The body’s hydration status also significantly influences cognitive function, as the brain is mostly water. Even mild dehydration can negatively affect mood, attention, and short-term memory, leading to “brain fog.” Severe dehydration causes confusion and disorientation because decreased blood volume restricts oxygen reaching the brain.
Chronic sleep deprivation, defined as consistently getting six hours of sleep or less, impairs cognitive function and spatial awareness. A lack of sufficient rest degrades the ability to focus, react quickly, and process information, creating a sensation of being dull or “off.”
Sensory and Balance System Issues
The body maintains orientation and balance through the vestibular system, which involves the inner ear and specific brain regions. When this system is disturbed, the result is often vertigo—a sensation that the world is spinning or moving when it is not. This false sense of motion creates a profound feeling of instability or a “floating” disconnect, easily misinterpreted as intoxication.
Disorders of the inner ear, such as vestibular neuritis or Ménière’s disease, send incorrect signals about head position. This disrupts the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) that stabilizes vision, causing visual disturbances like blurred vision or the perception of objects bouncing. This miscommunication contributes to a disoriented state.
A migraine can also manifest with sensory or visual disturbances known as auras, which precede the headache pain. These auras cause temporary altered perception, including visual snow, flashing lights, or dissociation. Some individuals experience vestibular migraine, where the primary symptom is episodic vertigo and dizziness that significantly alters their perception of reality.
Medication Side Effects and Withdrawal
The introduction of new prescription medications, particularly those acting on the central nervous system, can trigger temporary changes in mental status. Starting a regimen of antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, or certain anticonvulsants may cause side effects like dizziness, lightheadedness, or depersonalization. These effects usually occur as the brain adjusts to the medication’s influence on neurotransmitter levels.
Abruptly stopping certain substances can also lead to a withdrawal syndrome that mimics an altered state. This occurs as the brain adapts to the sudden loss of the substance’s effects.
Common Withdrawal Symptoms
- Caffeine withdrawal, which typically peaks 20 to 51 hours after cessation, can cause profound fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and mental fogginess.
- Sudden cessation of an antidepressant can result in Antidepressant Discontinuation Syndrome, including dizziness, poor balance, sensory changes (“brain zaps”), and episodes of depersonalization.
- Nicotine withdrawal can cause difficulty concentrating and a restless, jumpy feeling as the brain adjusts to the absence of the stimulant.