Worst Derealisation Ever

[ScheifferB]

Calling out for help from you guys, for the last 3 mornings I've woken up feeling terrible.

It Started Thursday morning, (12/12/13) I awoke from a very vivid dream and just felt that the dream was more realistic than my actual reality, I had this strange alien feeling in the pit of my belly, I looked out my window and feel disorientated, then all of a sudden went into frozen fear.. I had that 'cold flush' feeling come over me, I kept saying "oh my god, I'm trapped.. I'm stuck in a dream state and I'm not going to get out" through out the day I slowly came back down to earth, but I've been feeling very strange since then.. like I sort of don't know myself, or that I've changed some how... I'm assuming this is Derealisation?

I've been waking up about 8 AM and falling back to sleep around 3 PM, then waking up again at 10 PM and feeling massively disorientated, not knowing whether I've slept until the next morning or not. I've been working a lot of late night shifts since 11th November, I'm wondering is it because of my sleeping pattern? I usually go to bed about 7 AM most mornings, and wake up at 5 PM... I'm pondering on going back on medication, but I have a feeling meds will only cause further DR.

Please help :( I feel terrible and trapped in my own mind.

[ray52]

It sounds like your having anxiety / Panic attacks ScheifferB but im not a doc. A visit to them might help

[Mrs Anxious]

Definitely sounds like anxiety and panic, i describe it as falling asleep in the car (obviously as a passenger!) then waking up when ur nearly home but not realising where u are for a minute but with what ur talking about that disorientated feeling lasts for much longer which in turn causes the panic attack and the fight or flight more because ur not sure where u are so u have ur guard up if that makes sense? I have no idea if this is what depersonalisation is but I can tell you I've had it the same as you so I would defo recommend a trip back to docs, u may need meds and they can worsen symptoms while getting in ur system but this usually subsides after a month or so, good luck

[ankietyjoe]

I have been through bouts of this too. It's probably the worst I ever felt at these points.

It's entirely possible that your body clock is partially causing these feelings. Even if I have a lie on now I feel 'odd' throughout the day, and your brain is really designed to be awake during the day, not asleep. Can you get yourself back on a day shift?

Having been through it myself, I can just reassure you that lots of people feel this way and the only thing you can really do is let it pass, which it will. Nothing bad will happen, it'll just feel crappy for a while.