does anyone else feel like theyre not really doing what they think they are?

[T*]

Bit of a difficult one to explain, but I get this feeling a lot, wether im walking, sitting, reading ect. I feel as though im not really doing it, like im somewhere else doing something else. Sometimes it feels like im watching myself on camera or in a film, its a stramge feeling and makes me panic really bad and is very hard to try and bring myself back to the here and now,and what is real. Does anybody else get anything like this?

[oldtime]

It's depersonalisation and it is something you get with anxiety.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depersonalization

It is very weird, but very common with anxiety. I've had it on and off for a long time, I started noticing it long before I was diagnosed with anxiety.

[T*]

I havent been diagnosed yet, I dont really want to see a gp, but im pretty sure of what it is. It is very strange, but its good to know im not the only one.

[Kez_miller]

text book depersonalisation. its just a symptom of anxiety, its horrible n is very scary but the only way to get rid of it is to ignore it, stop thinking about it and keep calm!

[debs71]

Yes, me too, even on my 'good' days. I get in mostly out in public, like when walking to the shops. A feeling that I am not really doing it, and I am in a movie or something.

Very weird, but one of the joys of anxiety I'm afraid.

[T*]

Yes, I mostly get it when im out too, but have recently started happening at home

[NoPoet]

Yep, this is extremely common and is harmless. All it does is increase the anxiety in someone who doesn't know what it is, or who does know what it is but fears it anyway. It's usually a natural defence mechanism to prevent you from being overloaded by stress but it can be triggered by illness (eg when you're recovering from flu) and some types of medication.

A lot of people seem to get depersonalisation and/or derealisation because the way they think has changed due to their experiences with anxiety etc. Basically, they don't recognise themselves for a while. This isn't a bad thing - life is about growing and changing - and people gradually learn to be comfortable in themselves as they start to recover, at which point depersonalisation usually seems to just fade away.

[T*]

Thats good to know, thankyou. It does scare me, but I think itll scare me less now that i can understand it.

[Mac1chick]

I,ve had this for 2 months is that normal ? Think Im accepting now but at times it really scares me and I think I will never feel normal again. Can anybody say idf they had it longer than 2 months and got better ?

Mac

---------- Post added at 19:39 ---------- Previous post was at 19:37 ----------

oh and my eyes feel wierd as well ! Is this part of Dp ?

[NoPoet]

Mac1chick, it doesn't really matter how long you experience it. It's a normal part of the process. Fearing it and constantly monitoring it will just prolong it, but it can't hurt you, it is not designed to.