Depersonlation,Derealization, Feeling of unreality

[Chant]

Hi everyone,
I have been wondering if anyone has the above problems and if anyone has gotten over it? I mean what can be done about it? Once it starts I get shaky and stuff and it seems like thats what causes the panic attack. Anybody have any answers or suggestions or advice?
Thanks, Chant:D

[kenboon]

Hiya
Its very common with this disorder to feel that way and i know first hand just how horrible it is as will many others on here. Heres a bit about why it occurs taken from the symptoms page. It may help you understand and hopefully reasure you that its not harmful .

Depersonalization, Derealization, Feeling of unreality

What you feel:

Now for the Brain – the limbic system in the brain instigates this whole response and is responsible too for our emotions and behaviour One of the body symptoms that people hate most is the one when you feel all foggy, surreal, woozy or spacey. You may either feel that you are not real or that the earth is not real and you’re a time warp away. These are often the hardest symptoms to understand and its very common to deduce that you must be going mad which makes you panic even more. This is completely untrue and you are very safe. You feel like you are not a part of what is going on, or that you feel like you are in a dream state or ‘out of touch with things’. Also, things around you may seem like they are shimmering, foggy, hazy or too bright.
What causes this:

As we learned in Understanding, the body and mind are tightly integrated. What affects one affects the other. This symptom is another example of how an over stimulated nervous system can cause us to experience odd and impaired feelings, emotions and perceptions. Much like how a psychoactive or recreational drug can alter one’s mental state, an over active nervous system can affect certain body chemistries thereby producing mind altering effects. The feeling of unreality or disassociation is one type of altered mental state that high levels of stress biology can produce. It is not completely understood what goes here but it is generally thought that the limbic system in the brain decides there is too much going on and goes into a self protection mode and shuts out excess stimuli. As the adrenaline levels decrease and you calm down it clears. This can be several hours days or weeks.


All the best

Ken

[kenboon]

Just to add. You could try some light excercise to try and burn of the addrenalin abit, even if its only a brisk walk. I can not tell you how much it helps to control the symptoms. It wont happen over night, but persist with it and you will find it helps alot in so many ways.

All the best

Ken

[Chant]

Thanks so much Ken. You helped me alot! I'm doing arobics and I guess I will continue. Nice to know someone knows how I feel!

[Mistie_In_Oz]

Hi Chant,
Good advice there from Ken. I have found walking, or even doing housework, vaccuming anything to use up the adreneline really does help. I know how you feel, I get this too.

[kenboon]

It takes time, it wont happen overnight but with persistance you can beat it.
I'm now back at work full time and 95% there and when i get certain symptoms i can now deal with them alot better.
You'll get there :)

All the best

Ken