View Full Version : Derealization!! please HELP
Hello as u may know ive been suffering from derealization and depersonalziation now for about 3 1/2 months, and i have not had a 1 day break from it, as ive had days were ive handled it better, or days/hours were im a complete wreck and scared. i have had an assessment for CBT and should be getting my first proper session in march (i know typical) and have not had/been on any medication, except valium which was prescirbed but didnt want to touch it as i had it 1nce before and didnt really help.
What i want to know is with derealization do you have a kind of obsession with eyes? i have the normal VS ( visual snow ) but i mean as if what is in front of your eyes isnt real, and its so wierd how you look through them and see everything around you and it just doesnt seem real as if its a painted picture not reality and it feels it all just in your head, ive had this one for the last 2 days and whenever i start to adjust with the previous ( i dont know myself, who i am or my family) it throws this one at me, its horrible and hard to explain, but how you see through your eyes it feels so virtual, anyway a little reasurrance would help a lot!!! thanks xx
miss sparkle
14-02-12, 22:27
hi.
depersonisasion or whatever its called is along with dizziness my main problem. I have been suffering with it pretty much constant since just before Christmas. I go from dizziness, to spots in my eyes to feeling like i am in a dream pretty much all day long!
Really starting to get on my nerves, but not too sure what to do about it.
I am waiting on blood results, and have got a unopened packet of anti depressents, as not sure if they will help or hinder, and heard some scary things about them. Just want to feel ok again! Sorry i know its not exactly the same as you or advice, but just wanted to reply :-)
hey dont worry i get i all :) i havent had any meds and the dots are visual snow ( search up on google ull see) its all anxiety and im also depressed, im 16 and what u described is derealization and depersonalization xx
Am i the only one??? please be bovered to reply, anything will help...
I have had that.
I think it has to do with your bodies reaction to anxiety or trauma.
The thing is you need to try to focus on something external and distract yourself
And also don't try to force the feeling away. Accept it. Life is weird. If I sit here and think about it, the fact that I am typing, etc.. is all strange. The universe is weird. We cannot even know that everything is real. We just have to trust it is
only one instance and it was dream like relating to a trauma some 20 years ago which had never come to light until several months ago whilst I was in hospital. It made me freak out a bit I still worry about it but accept it wasnt real or try to , very unsettling especially when your at that stage your learning about anxiety the the tricks it can play on you.
agree 100% thanks, but it is anxiety and i have accepted it just want it to F off , thanks guy s
I have suffered with this a lot since I had an accident.. I've often found myself questioning if this is all real or just something made up in my head. I get dizzy sometimes and feel like I might pass out if it gets too bad. Talking to someone helps ground me or holding onto my Husband really helps me feel more 'real'. I'm sorry you're going through this :(
Rhys1879SAFC
15-02-12, 23:38
I've had this for over a year now.
Its horrible, but its just an anxiety symptom and nothing to worry about even though it is pretty unsettling. It will leave you when your anxiety leaves you.
I've had all the symptoms and trust me it does get better with time. At first its hard, it took me a good 4-5 months to get used to it. Once you get used to it though it doesn't scare you as much and it gradually starts to wear off.
Some people get dp/dr very fleetingly, for others it takes time. Its a defence mechanism, your mind will know when you don't need to feel disconnected anymore.
Have a read of this article below for some reassurance.
http://www.anxiety-hub.com/featured/depersonalization-disorder-treatment-tips/#comment-339
Hi Conor - I know what you mean about the eyes thing, not just the visual snow but the oddity of vision/visualising. I can't really describe it but I know exactly what you mean from your post, I had it too (as you know I have suffered badly with DP and DR when I was your age). For a while a was scared to "see", I was so obsessed with vision and what I saw compared to what others were seeing, it felt like my eyes were on stalks sometimes and I had the same troubles you describe. I just wanted to stop seeing.
I had a brief period of DP a couple of weeks ago, more brief than any period I have previously experienced, and I can honestly say that I was able to get through it with the help of my Claire Weekes audios, I literally listened to them over and over and just accepted how I was feeling. Its so much easier said than done but I just accepted it and floated through it and I found keeping busy really helped too, over a few days it deminished.
I know you're going to the docs tomorrow so good luck with that and any meds they may give you, and I know how hard and scarey DP and DR are and how lonely and isolated it can make you, but believe me, it's temporary, not perminent (even though there may not seem to be an end in sight at the moment, when I was your age it lasted at least 18months, and if I had know that AD's could have helped me then, I wouldn't have suffered unnecessarily). I'm not saying that meds are the only way, but they can help you overcome it so you are in a position to address the causes and triggers, it could be something that happened over a year ago (I never believed that when I was told that 15 years ago) and things have slowly built up since, without wanting to sound condescending, and speaking with experience, it could be a mixture of hormone changes, coupled with exam pressure AND other factors that may seem insignificant, or that you thought you had handled/dealt with at the time and have long since passed.
The first AD I was given was Seroxat (paroxetine), but it isn't commonly perscribed these days, but it worked so well and so quickly the first two occassions I took it (third time unlucky though and I'm on mirtazepine now). The start up side effects weren't pleasant BUT I was in such an terrible state that they were nothing compared to what I was experiencing. I had no knowledge or understanding of DP or DR back then and I truly thought I would be hospitalised, in fact I'd have welcomed it if someone could have told me what was wrong with me, you have the benefit of existing knowledge and a level of understanding which I hope will help you.
One very important piece of advice I will give you, and it may sound silly, but if you are given meds tomorrow, DON'T read the side effects and DON'T go looking for comparisons/testimonies on the internet. Take every day, every hour as it comes. Any side effects you get WILL pass with time and you may not get any, but if you go looking for them, instead of accepting how YOU feel, you can convince yourself you're suffering with a particular side effect and this can delay you're recovery. When you suffer with DP, DR or obsessing you're susceptible to suggestion. Don't worry about what others are experiencing, just focus on yourself.
I truly wish you the best of luck, I really, really do. I've been in your shoes and I know how you're feeling, if I could share the magic solution with you, I would.
agree 100% thanks, but it is anxiety and i have accepted it just want it to F off , thanks guy s
THATS THE SPIRIT!
Focus on that. KNOW AND REALIZE that the anxiety is causing the symptoms, and none else. That helped me a lot, and will probably help you.
That's the only advice I can give since my anxiety never gave me that symptoms.
Best of luck man
Ah i know lauz, its truely horrible:( i hope your okay and thanks alot for the message its nice to know people care and will support you :)
i went to the doctors today and he bang on straight away gave me sertraline 25mg a day, im shitting myself, and at the moment have seratline side effects typed up, i feel so clueless and emotionless and i dont know how i feel about it :(...
Im scared it may make me feel so much worse, the one thing im shi*scared of is that it may make me suicidal or have loads of thoughts about it or intentions, of course ive had thoughts about it loads, but im scared that this pill may make me act upon it? i dont know im just scared and not sure whethere to take them, this is for my derealization/depersonalization and anixety xxxx
Thankyou
Hi Conorm
I very much relate to all that you are saying as I suffered the same things as you when I was your age. You're 16 right? That does seem very young to start taking meds but I'm sure your GP will monitor your situation carefully...best of luck with that.
I had never heard of visual snow until I saw your comment...think I have had this for years without paying it too much attention until now! Mine is like black lines that float across my eyes, like annoying insects scrawling around my field of vision.
Derealization/depersonalization is like living in a permanent fog but you have to stay grounded and in touch with reality...from what I read it seems like you are doing just that and I'm sure things will get better for you:)
Hello as u may know ive been suffering from derealization and depersonalziation now for about 3 1/2 months, and i have not had a 1 day break from it, as ive had days were ive handled it better, or days/hours were im a complete wreck and scared. i have had an assessment for CBT and should be getting my first proper session in march (i know typical) and have not had/been on any medication, except valium which was prescirbed but didnt want to touch it as i had it 1nce before and didnt really help.
What i want to know is with derealization do you have a kind of obsession with eyes? i have the normal VS ( visual snow ) but i mean as if what is in front of your eyes isnt real, and its so wierd how you look through them and see everything around you and it just doesnt seem real as if its a painted picture not reality and it feels it all just in your head, ive had this one for the last 2 days and whenever i start to adjust with the previous ( i dont know myself, who i am or my family) it throws this one at me, its horrible and hard to explain, but how you see through your eyes it feels so virtual, anyway a little reasurrance would help a lot!!! thanks xx
Hi
Can I ask something? Was it your GP who diagnosed you with derealization/depersonalistion or a psychiatrist?
By the way, I've been on sertraline 50mg for a year. Started on 25mg for a week or maybe two, can't remember. Just the usual SSRI initial side effects, slight nausea and some insomnia for me, nothing too drastic.
Haz.
Hi Conor - only you can decide wether or not to take them, and if you do, and they do have unpleasant side effects you can also decide to stop taking them.
From what I understand 25mg is a low dose and you usually build up so you may not experience any side effects at all.
With regards to the suicidal thing - they HAVE to put that because some people feel worse before they feel better, but remember there is a distinct difference between a thought and an action and if you do take them and experience feeling suicidal, DON'T be on your own and contact you doctor straight away.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do, but try not to consult Dr Google.
---------- Post added at 16:50 ---------- Previous post was at 16:47 ----------
Hi
Can I ask something? Was it your GP who diagnosed you with derealization/depersonalistion or a psychiatrist?
By the way, I've been on sertraline 50mg for a year. Started on 25mg for a week or maybe two, can't remember. Just the usual SSRI initial side effects, slight nausea and some insomnia for me, nothing too drastic.
Haz.
Hi Haz, you've been on several meds in the past haven't you? How are you finding sertraline compared with others?
Ill try not to consult him haha, No haz i pretty much diagonozed my self to him and said to him what i got, its obvious its derealization and depersonalization which stimulated from my ear virus that made my tinnitus worse giving me anxiety, does the side effects only last a short period of time>
The side effects vary from person to person but the most common ones seem to be nausea and insomnia. Personally, these were relatively mild for me and Yes, they subside as your body gets used to the Sertraline.
25mg is a low dose and you might not get ANY side effects at all, not everyone does and if they do they are usually mild. I take mine in the morning with breakfast.
You really shouldn't self-diagnose yourself you know.
And stay off google, you'll only make yourself worse. Just take your pills and try to forget about it and go about your daily routine.
Good Luck.
---------- Post added at 17:05 ---------- Previous post was at 17:03 ----------
@ Lauz-Lea. Yes, I have been on many different meds over the years and Sertraline compares reasonably favourably. Paroxetine probably helped me the most but unfortunately stopped working after 14 years. Everyone's different though, what works for some doesn't work for others. :)
Thanks matey... i will its just scary, and i had to self diagnose or i wouldnt known what it is, its defo this, and somes gps dont have a MD so may not know..x
I have to disagree with Haz - derealization a symptom of panic attacks. You don't diagnose derealization. You get diagnosed with panic disorder, of which derealization is a common symptom alongside twitching and palpitations etc.
If you're finding it a problem but you do not suffer from any kind of anxiety disorder, then that's a different matter, but you are entitled to every symptom of anxiety if you suffer from it and don't need to treat each symptom as an illness.
You really need to deal with the original anxiety problem and stop worrying about this symptom.
There is no point trying to suss it out! You can't suss it! It's YOUR FEAR that keeps it going.
And the doctors do know. Don't turn to google!
I have to disagree with Haz - derealization a symptom of panic attacks. You don't diagnose derealization. You get diagnosed with panic disorder, of which derealization is a common symptom alongside twitching and palpitations etc.
If you're finding it a problem but you do not suffer from any kind of anxiety disorder, then that's a different matter, but you are entitled to every symptom of anxiety if you suffer from it and don't need to treat each symptom as an illness.
You really need to deal with the original anxiety problem and stop worrying about this symptom.
There is no point trying to suss it out! You can't suss it! It's YOUR FEAR that keeps it going.
And the doctors do know. Don't turn to google!
I'm confused:confused:
Sorry - I'm just saying a doctor wouldn't diagnose someone with just derealization as it is a symptom of overall panic disorder, but the doctor should have diagnosed hum with anxiety. I start writing and can't stop :blush:
Ah right! I wasn't sure which part of my post you meant, as I also said "Don't self-diagnose or google!. :)
I have derealization, dizziness, and my heart sometimes beats funny. It all started after my wife died of cancer back in 2010. I was her main support person for five years, so it stressed me out to say the least.
I visited my GP a few times, and also went to a ENT doctor. They both said I was fine, so I guess it's just anxiety and panic from watching my wife die. I work in construction, and physical work always makes me feel better. It's probably not the actual physical motions that help, but rather my mind being occupied with work, and no time to obsess.
But yeah, some of my evenings are like a house of horrors. My heart skips beats, I'm dizzy, and I fear going to sleep because I feel like I'm going to die if I do.
I also feel like winter has something to do with it because last summer I was totally fine. Then in late fall/early winter I felt it all start creeping back in.
Douglas mate, so sorry to hear about your wife, hard times that is hope you stuck through it <3...
Its defo a part to play how you feel, sleeping and feel ull die i have that so much, phsyical work is very good i found too mate...
yeh i get that funny heart beating very fast
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