Derealization and other symptoms that are scaring me

[bewilderedkettle]

I think I've been suffering with pretty bad derealization constantly for the past month of so. I've gone on pills, come off pills, and I'm currently on diazepam for help with tremors I developed. It feels like nothing is real, it feels like I'm not the person in my memories, it feels like I don't know my family. I'm really worried that I'm on my way to totally losing my mind. And, the scariest thing I've been having, is that I don't think I'm any longer afraid of death... I think. It feels like living as I am now with what might be derealization, and just being dead, aren't that different at all. I've had panic attacks in the past where I've been worried I'd stop fearing it... Now the panic isn't as strong and I'm concerned I might be on my way there. What can I do?

[bewilderedkettle]

I haven't really been having panic attacks, either. It's just the times when I notice that nothing seems real, and I start getting a bit uncomfortable. Other than that, I don't know. Am I just really worried about going mad? Is it something else?

[Catkins]

To be honest I'm no expert on this, but I do know that it can be a symptom of anxiety and in the past I've whole days where nothing has seemed real. There are quite a few threads on here which might help you find more answers than I can provide.

[GadGirl]

Hello long time derelization sufferer here soon to be 6 years of it. The only advice I can really advice is try and not focus on it, accept it is there and let yourself know that it is a protective mechanism your brain does when you it feels severely overwhelmed. It can’t hurt you. Yes is frightening sometimes. But try and live as normal as you can with it. Try and sleep well, eat well and look at maybe getting some therapy.

[ponybro123]

I've dealt with this on and off for many many years. The best piece of advice I can give you is to make a game out of it, pretend you're high and that you're enjoying yourself. That one seemed to help me a lot and eventually the DP and DR would pass. Sometimes it took months, sometimes it took weeks, sometimes days. What I do know is the chances that this is permanent or something is extremely low and I don't know of anybody who had it last their entire life.

[NoraB]

I think I've been suffering with pretty bad derealization constantly for the past month of so. I've gone on pills, come off pills, and I'm currently on diazepam for help with tremors I developed. It feels like nothing is real, it feels like I'm not the person in my memories, it feels like I don't know my family. I'm really worried that I'm on my way to totally losing my mind. And, the scariest thing I've been having, is that I don't think I'm any longer afraid of death... I think. It feels like living as I am now with what might be derealization, and just being dead, aren't that different at all. I've had panic attacks in the past where I've been worried I'd stop fearing it... Now the panic isn't as strong and I'm concerned I might be on my way there. What can I do?

Mine comes and goes with anxiety. Phases can be as brief as a few minutes. My longest phases tend to go hand in hand with depression.

Derealization, like everything else in life - is transitory.

Being autistic means that I naturally feel disconnected to other people, and the world in general, but DP means that I feel disconnected from myself, and my world, and I go from feeling too much to feeling nothing at all. Then there's the looking in the mirror and not recognising myself, thing...

I've concluded that occasionally my brain needs to 'slip out of gear' maybe as some kind of coping mechanism? At the time of my worst phase of DP, my reality was killing me. My brain shut down and I think it was necessary.. a bit like when a computer has too many tabs open and it freezes up? A re-start is the only way, and in 'safe mode'.

I've come to see this as I do my panic attacks, as in, they won't harm me. It's just my body trying to help me..

What you could do is to think differently about the situation like I have?

[Scissel]

I've dealt with this on and off for many many years. The best piece of advice I can give you is to make a game out of it, pretend you're high and that you're enjoying yourself. That one seemed to help me a lot and eventually the DP and DR would pass. Sometimes it took months, sometimes it took weeks, sometimes days. What I do know is the chances that this is permanent or something is extremely low and I don't know of anybody who had it last their entire life.The truth is, I never went through this much derelization when I was high as a kite?!

[Scissel]

...Being autistic means that I naturally feel disconnected to other people, and the world in general, but DP means that I feel disconnected from myself, and my world, and I go from feeling too much to feeling nothing at all. Then there's the looking in the mirror and not recognizing myself, thing...OMG ... this sounds like me and I've never been diagnosed with Autism. Its been discussed but I'm a TBI [traumatic brain injury] - and as a result - I have Chiari brain malformation. So they said it would be hard to diagnose me as I already have cognitive deficits from that. Of course, what we have is hard to treat with medication, and therapy can only do so much for some things that are not reversible. My doctors have always said not to surgery and (luckily) I've not needed a shunt

[Scissel]

... a bit like when a computer has too many tabs open and it freezes up? A re-start is the only way, and in 'safe mode'.I wish I had the F8 button to wake up (boot up) in safe mode :winks: