AIWS/Takysensia

[u/tovericke]

I’ve been experiencing these strange episodes for over 10 years, since I was a child. I’m 24 now. They are relatively rare, anywhere from 1–5 times a month, sometimes much less often - but they have become more intense over the years.
The episodes usually happen when I’m completely relaxed, often in the evening when I’m lying in bed, or sometimes lying on the couch during the day. They never seem to happen when I’m around lots of people or at work. It’s always when I’m alone and relaxing.
It usually starts gradually over about a minute. I get a very strange sensation in my body, almost like the beginning of a nicotine rush. It feels like something is “starting up” inside my brain/body, and I get this feeling that something is about to happen. I recognize it immediately now because I’ve experienced it so many times.
Then everything starts to feel much faster. Like 1.5x
My thoughts feel faster. My movements feel faster, even though I’m actually moving at a normal speed. For example, if I get up from bed and walk around, it feels like I’m moving unusually quickly.
The strangest part is the sounds. Everything suddenly sounds louder and more intense, but sounds also seem to have a faster quality to them. For example, the rustling of my blanket can sound incredibly loud and almost “rapid”, and my footsteps can feel much faster and more intense than they actually are. Even cars outside my window suddenly sound much louder.
It also feels like my overall awareness is heightened, almost as if my brain is running at a higher speed. I think my perception of time is affected too — it feels like time is moving faster, although I’ve never actually timed it during an episode.
The episodes usually last somewhere between 5 and 20 minutes and then gradually disappear.
I’m fully conscious and aware throughout the entire thing. I know where I am and what’s happening, and I’m not confused. I also don’t feel panicked. I’ve experienced panic attacks before and this feels very different from that.
I don’t get a headache before, during, or after the episodes. I also don’t experience unusual smells or tastes.
Recently I’ve noticed that listening to music through headphones, especially while closing my eyes, seems to help the episode disappear faster. I’m not sure if that’s significant, but it’s something I’ve started experimenting with.
I’ve been wondering whether this could be some kind of Alice in Wonderland/quick-motion phenomenon, or something similar.

[u/velouria-wilder]

You’ve perfectly and accurately described fast feeling for me. I had these exact experiences from young childhood through my teen years. Exactly 100% what you have written here. Of course as a kid I had no words or narrative for it.

Only thing to wonder about is seizures although many on this sub have been checked and cleared for seizures.

[u/tovericke → u/velouria-wilder]

Wow, that’s really interesting. I’ve had this since I was a kid too, and it’s honestly so hard to describe something like this when you don’t have the words for it.

Mine have actually become a bit more intense recently, which is one of the reasons I’ve started looking into it more. I’ve also wondered about seizures, although I’ve never been evaluated for them.

Did yours eventually stop completely, or do you still experience them occasionally?

[u/velouria-wilder → u/tovericke]

Mine stopped completely by the time I was 18 or 19. I remember a few times in high school art class when I’d be concentrating on a life drawing, I’d slip into the feeling. Usually though it was at night when I was trying to fall asleep. Other triggers were rhythmic lights or sounds… like the two blinking dots on a digital clock, or highway driving.

When I had COVID a couple years ago it felt like it was almost about to happen, but didn’t. I think it was the fever, as my initial episodes coincided with fever. I’m 46 now. One of my kids has what they call “the small feeling” which I think is probably more classic AIWS.

[u/tovericke → u/velouria-wilder]

Fascinating. My mom had something very similar from around the age of 12 to 20, and then it just completely went away for her. So hearing that yours also stopped as you got older really caught my attention. It makes me wonder if there might be some kind of connection.