Nearly everyone zones out from time to time. It might happen more frequently when you feel bored or stressed, or when you'd rather be doing something else. It's also pretty common to experience prolonged spaciness or brain fog if you're dealing with grief, a painful breakup, or other difficult life circumstances.

What is zoning out a symptom of?

Zoning out is one of the more common warning signs of ADHD in both children and adults. Zoning out in conversations with family, or meetings at work are a reflection of attention issues, which is a leading sign in the diagnosis of ADHD.

Can anxiety cause you to zone out?

People who have chronically high levels of anxiety sometimes have the experience of “zoning out” or “numbing out.” The technical term for this is “dissociation.” All of us dissociate at times, this is normal.