Where I'm from, it's caused by cognitive dissonance. The mind conflicts against itself. The degree of hemorrhaging varies greatly from person to person.

I suffered it myself before this [a pause] change in our situation. When there seemed to be fluctuations in our surroundings.

[The time shifts. But, as they're supposed to be discreet about that, he'll let the other fill in the gaps.]

It's very possible that his mind is reacting in a similar way or that the uniqueness of this situation has brought on its own change of some kind.