If you experience something you believe is detrimental, and you find it subsides when you ascend, then who cares exactly what label to give it or exactly what causes it? Ascend.
Sometimes the discussions here get all pedantic about gas narcosis, the difference between the effects of gas narcosis and CO2 retention, etc. What I've come to understand from these discussions and other sources is that gas narcosis, CO2 buildup, anxiety, sensory deprivation, and maybe still more things that, at least for some people on some dives, seem to increase with depth can act together in unpredictable ways make someone feel weird or slow their reaction times or cause other effects that the diver wishes to avoid. Label it whatever you like, but if you as an individual find that ascending alleviates it, then just ascend. You may never know what the exact cause was. Too many variables.
Sometimes the discussions here get all pedantic about gas narcosis, the difference between the effects of gas narcosis and CO2 retention, etc. What I've come to understand from these discussions and other sources is that gas narcosis, CO2 buildup, anxiety, sensory deprivation, and maybe still more things that, at least for some people on some dives, seem to increase with depth can act together in unpredictable ways make someone feel weird or slow their reaction times or cause other effects that the diver wishes to avoid. Label it whatever you like, but if you as an individual find that ascending alleviates it, then just ascend. You may never know what the exact cause was. Too many variables.