I don’t want to call it an out-of-body experience because I didn’t feel like I’d floated out of myself, nor was I looking at myself from a distance. What happened was, I was sitting in the small audience of fifty people at the writer’s Masterclass last weekend, and had finally gathered the courage to ask a question. I was shaking in my boots. (Not literally: I was a bit nervous and I was wearing running shoes.) About half way through my question, I noticed I could hear myself as other people might. I actually remember thinking to myself as I spoke that I could hear my voice, and I had time to wonder in amazement that I didn’t stutter or screw up what I was saying as I was saying it. It was kind of surreal. Like mentally multitasking.
Has this happened to you? If so, what were the circumstances?
October 8, 2015 at 12:36 pm
Yes, it has! But I don’t remember the exact circumstances. I just recall hearing myself and was slightly amazed, as you were, that although I had thoughts of “Wow, I can hear myself. This is strange” as I was talking, that I never lost track of my words. Isn’t it neat how we can multi-task?
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October 9, 2015 at 1:36 pm
It really is neat. I’m sure our brains can do much more than we realize most of the time.
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October 8, 2015 at 8:41 am
I have experienced a similar feeling when talking to a class at the University… I think I know what you mean … it is a sort of dissociative effect somehow, as you were speaker and part of the audience somehow…
I am now thinking that it could be sort of a consequence related to the fact of feeling nervous but proud or excited at the same time…
It is probably a kind of challenge, I guess..
Best wishes to you. Aquileana 💫 –
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October 8, 2015 at 11:26 am
Thanks, Aquileana. I think I was far too afraid of screwing up to be proud – more like “am I really worthy of speaking aloud?” 😛 The funny thing is, I have many times stood at the front and led a discussion. Then I’m okay. But being in the audience and at the centre of attention – perhaps I just wasn’t prepared enough.
Thank you for sharing your experience. 🙂
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October 5, 2015 at 2:52 pm
It used to happened all the time I was at school… nowadays it happens when I see a hospital Dr !
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October 6, 2015 at 11:59 am
Oh boy – it’s gotta be nerves, don’t you think? Thanks for sharing, Willow. 🙂
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October 6, 2015 at 1:00 pm
Yes nerves with a capital N
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October 5, 2015 at 11:55 am
Yes, it often happens when lecturing in front of a class. It’s as if I’m listening to someone else speaking.
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October 6, 2015 at 11:58 am
It’s quite disconcerting, isn’t it? Thank you for sharing your experience, Patricia. 🙂
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October 5, 2015 at 10:52 am
Yes, I have! Fortunately very rarely and in similar situations! Must have something to do with adrenalin I’d guess:)
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October 6, 2015 at 11:57 am
It could be – adrenaline can do all kinds of things. Thanks for commenting, Luccia. 🙂
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October 5, 2015 at 4:09 am
I have had this and the other kinds of our of body experiences you mentioned. I think or is a temporal lobe thing.
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October 6, 2015 at 11:56 am
It could be, brought on by nerves. Interesting. I’ll have to look into it. Thanks for your comment, Mira. 🙂
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October 5, 2015 at 3:51 am
I have tried this too, specially in the beginning in my practize to be a teacher. When I needed to stand up in front of a lot of people like parents I tried this.
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October 6, 2015 at 11:55 am
You actually tried to do it?!? Wow, I don’t think I could be that brave!
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October 6, 2015 at 12:13 pm
I needed to Linda, when you are educating, you also need to talk to parents and others in public, so I learned by experience also to relax and then it stopped.
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October 6, 2015 at 12:19 pm
I’m glad it stopped, Irene. I don’t know about you, but I didn’t enjoy it at all.
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October 6, 2015 at 12:28 pm
Neither did I, but I learned to live with it, while it was there.
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October 6, 2015 at 12:41 pm
Again, you’re brave for working through it. 🙂 Hats off to you, Irene. 🙂
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October 4, 2015 at 11:26 pm
I’ve had those experiences quite frequently in the past as I have DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder) AKA “Sybil”. It was a result from my abuse as a child but now only happens occasionally since therapy. 🙂
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October 5, 2015 at 10:54 am
I wonder how many people from the younger generation would get the reference to “Sybil”? 🙂
It’s very interesting, that it could be connected to DID. I’m glad the therapy is helping you. Thanks for sharing, Susan. 🙂
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October 5, 2015 at 4:14 pm
That’s true “Sybil” is kind of outdated. I forget my age…LOL 🙂
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October 6, 2015 at 11:53 am
But… it really doesn’t seem that long ago, does it? Haha. 🙂 I think I read the book when I was a teenager.
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October 4, 2015 at 10:49 pm
Pretty much every single time I speak in public in front of more than just a couple of people.
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October 5, 2015 at 10:40 am
Wow. How do you feel about it?
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October 5, 2015 at 10:44 am
I’m just proud of myself when I am able to push through the anxiety and speak up. The only problem is that feeling like you’re out of your body you don’t feel like you are fully in tune with what you have actually said. I typically gaze around the room and look at other’s facial expressions to make sure I didn’t say anything ridiculous. So far I have never said anything that was incredibly shocking or offensive, based off the reactions. Ha.
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October 6, 2015 at 11:51 am
That’s it – it’s distracting to the point where you just have to rely on your mouth to do the right thing, coz your brain just isn’t all there. 😛
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October 6, 2015 at 12:32 pm
Yep! The good news is that I haven’t said anything totally off-the-wall (at least not yet!)
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October 4, 2015 at 10:30 pm
I can’t say I’ve had the “pleasure” of that experience.
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October 5, 2015 at 10:34 am
Hehe. “Pleasure” is certainly stretching it. Thing is, I’ve never had a problem with speaking in public before (okay, not since I was in elementary school). Maybe it’s because it’s been so long.
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October 5, 2015 at 10:45 am
Yea public speaking is a perishable skill to some extent, especially when it comes to comfort and nerves.
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October 5, 2015 at 10:58 am
Seems so. 🙂
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October 4, 2015 at 10:12 pm
I haven’t had that particular experience but I really like the fact that you have opened up this discussion. It would be great if people talked about their more unusual experiences more openly. It could be a good SOC topic. btw – I’m so glad I found your blog. It is very stimulating.
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October 5, 2015 at 10:30 am
Thanks, Suzanne. 🙂 It would be a good one for SoCS – the trick will be to get it down to a one-word open-ended prompt. I’ll think about that, thanks!
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October 5, 2015 at 11:17 pm
I can see your problem. ‘Out of body’ probably wouldn’t work.
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October 6, 2015 at 11:49 am
I’ll figure it out. It’s a great suggestion! 🙂
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October 4, 2015 at 10:04 pm
I actually haven’t had that particular affect happen to me,. likely because i so rarely do any public speaking – even the asking of questions. That said though Linda I have known without a doubt for some time that we can feel the emotions of others and see ourselves in their eyes. In fact we can actually affect those emotions with our own if they are in flux -it is a two way connection. I recall clearly flying from Houston to Newark and feeling very nervous and upset. I love flying and have never felt that way in a plane before. It was a clear day, I was cheerful as I was going to see my girlfriend, and I was well rested, with a full tummy. I found myself terrified of the plane crashing. Knowing my own feelings from experience, I could only surmise that I was picking up someone else’s concerns. I looked around and sure enough there was an older woman sitting two seats over (empty seats between us) who had a death grip on her seat arms and looked like she was going to die of fright at any moment. Inquiry found that this was her first time flying and she was petrified. I explained all that was happening and talked to her and she calmed down. The fear went away. We really are all hooked to each other very literally Linda. I’ve had similar experiences involving knowing the thoughts of others under certain circumstances as well. It cannot be created – it happens or it doesn’t and the degree is uncontrollable – it may be a hint , a mere whiff, or it may be full knowledge. Ha! As an epilogue to the lady from Houston story, I looked over when we were landing and saw her with both feet up on the back of the empty seat ahead of her. She looked over at me with an embarrassed grin and said: “Just helping the pilot stop the plane. I figure he needs all the help he can get and it can’t hurt.”
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October 5, 2015 at 10:28 am
Haha! Kind of like you do as a passenger in a car, eh? My best friend was a driving instructor and he had a brake on the passenger side of the car. I had to travel with my feet tucked as far under the seat as they could go just in case.
I’ve had such instances of connection with people as well. Thanks for sharing that, Paul. 🙂
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October 4, 2015 at 9:43 pm
Yep, had it happen every so often…it’s surreal, then I forget what it was I was talking about. 🙂
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October 5, 2015 at 10:21 am
That’s what I was afraid of! That I’d get distracted by my own voice and lose track of what I was saying – but I didn’t. That’s what made it so weird. Thanks for sharing, my dear. 🙂
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October 4, 2015 at 9:43 pm
Happens to me, too. And I think I start speaking in tongues. Which explains all the odd looks people give me when I’m finished.
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October 5, 2015 at 10:19 am
Haha! The question is, do you hear yourself speaking in English?
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October 5, 2015 at 11:25 am
I’m so nervous, I don’t know what the heck I’m hearing.
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October 4, 2015 at 9:32 pm
I have. It was usually when I spoke while deep in thought.
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October 5, 2015 at 10:19 am
I was thinking pretty deeply – at least concentratedly enough to try not to mess up what I wanted to say. Thanks for commenting Beth. 🙂
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October 5, 2015 at 10:23 am
Thanks Linda. That’s exactly what I was doing, too.
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October 4, 2015 at 9:22 pm
I’m glad that so many of your readers have commented that it’s a perfectly normal experience, because I’ve had it happen, too – more than once. I just figured I was losing my mind.
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October 5, 2015 at 10:17 am
I know, right? I thought I was the only one too!
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October 4, 2015 at 8:54 pm
Perfectly normal. I have had it happen in a situation like yours and also when I have not had enough sleep (coupled with one margarita too many)
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October 5, 2015 at 10:16 am
Normal even! I can definitely see it happening after a few drinks… but then I’ve never spoken in public after a few drinks. Makes me wonder what karaoke would be like.
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October 5, 2015 at 12:39 pm
I know and you don’t want to know.
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October 6, 2015 at 11:48 am
Haha!
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October 4, 2015 at 8:52 pm
Oh yes, this comes quite often with my anxiety. Dissociation. Like your brain is mic’ed up or somethin! Eerie.
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October 5, 2015 at 10:10 am
Exactly! Like your brain is wearing a mic. And I was a bit anxious, so there’s that. Thanks, Joey. 🙂
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October 4, 2015 at 8:40 pm
Oh yes, that is the oddest thing ever! I call it “not being present.” It is a bit like being disembodied and sitting out in the audience listening to yourself.
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October 4, 2015 at 8:45 pm
It is! And yet you’re still making sense! Has it happened to you more than once?
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October 4, 2015 at 8:46 pm
Yes,it’s happened a couple of times, usually when I am tired and nervous, or scatterbrained.
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October 5, 2015 at 10:08 am
Well I was a bit nervous, and I’m always tired and scatterbrained… 😛
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October 4, 2015 at 8:32 pm
I’ve had exactly that happen under the same circumstance. Really odd, isn’t it?
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October 4, 2015 at 8:36 pm
It really is! So much so that I’m still thinking about it a week later.
Glad I’m not alone. 🙂
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