depersonalization/derealization

[violents0ciety1]

ok so this weekend i realized i dont feel lightheaded, i have the depersonalization/derealization thing. (although i think im still a little lightheaded, the derealization is what im complaining about). i get this feeling a lot of the time and it can be scary. does anyone else have this? is it a common symptom of anxiety? is there a way to treat it and does it ever go away? i have an appointment with a psychatrist today and i can possibly go on meds starting today, but i would like to know a little more about this feeling from other people who had it first, since it is my worst symptom. thanks.

[chucklehound]

Hi, I used to get it alot and mine is loads better. It is very common with anxiety too. I just ignored it after years of being terrified of it and mine is alot better.

Take care

Chuckle

xxxx

[RunsFromBugs]

The best advice I have is to acknowledge how you feel, accept it, remind yourself that it will pass just like any other symptom and then go on with what you were doing. I know that's easier said than done but just keep reminding yourself that no matter how unreal it makes you feel, it is just your body and mind trying to deal with being stressed. It is not dangerous. Whether you panic about it or not, it will pass. You can't stop these thoughts or feelings from coming over you but you can, with time, learn to accept them and see them for the scary yet harmless sensations they are.

[ollie35]

Here is a chapter from my book on this feeling, I have posted it before I hope it helps.

Depersonalisation

In the process of writing this book I covered the feeling of detachment from oneself, otherwise known as depersonalisation: an emotional disorder in which there is loss of contact with your own personal reality accompanied by feelings of unreality and strangeness, also a sensation of ones environment looking or feeling ‘strange’ and unusual.

This one question kept coming up more and more as I was writing this book, so I decided to add an extra chapter on this annoying, yet harmless, symptom.

D.P., as I will refer to it, is a common and understandable offshoot of the anxiety condition. I can also tell you that it is in no way a mental illness. It is not serious or harmful in any way and has a totally logical explanation. It is temporary and, with patience and understanding, eventually passes like any other symptom.

The key to recovering from this feeling of detachment is to surrender to this strange feeling, to pay it no respect and realise it is just the product of an over-tired mind, fatigued by your constant worrying thoughts and the constant checking in to how you feel. This symptom relies on your fear of it to keep it alive.

When people are caught up in the worry cycle, they begin to think deeply and constantly. They study themselves from deep within, checking in and focusing on their symptoms. They may even wake in the morning only to continue this habit, “How do I feel this morning? “I wonder if I will be able to get through today”. What’s this new sensation I feel?” This may go on all day, exhausting their already tired mind further. This constant checking in and constant assessing of their symptoms then becomes a habit, but like all other habits this one can also be changed.

All this worry is bound to make your mind feel dull and unresponsive. Is it any wonder you have come to feel so distanced from your surroundings? Is it any wonder you find it so hard to concentrate? Some people, when studying for exams for hours on end, get to the point where they can no longer take information in, so they take a break and carry on the day after. For you, there are no breaks and no time outs.

As I have already mentioned earlier, your body has a safety mechanism that protects it from all this worry and slows the mind down to safeguard itself. It takes a step back from this onslaught, which can then produce your feelings of detachment and the world around you may become hazy or out of focus.

Once you understand this symptom as being caused by an over-tired mind, exhausted through worry, that you are not going mad and these feelings can’t harm you in any way, it makes sense. With the fear factor taken out of this symptom, it can start to hold less power over you and affect you less than it did before. Although still annoying, you now know why you feel these feelings. Once you learn to accept them and stop adding worrying thoughts to the mix, this is another symptom that you will be able to overcome in time. Taking a step back and giving up the worrying thoughts, gives your mind the chance to rest, rejuvenate and refresh.

When it happened to me, I recognised and understood what was causing it. I realised that I was checking in and worrying about it and I did fear this sensation, so I just stopped doing it. I also learnt to get busier and stop brooding on this and other symptoms. Being active gives you another focus. Having too much time on your hands can open the door to too much needless thinking. With less worry and fear of this harmless but upsetting symptom, I was eventually able to overcome it. It merely became a nuisance and because I knew the reason for its existence, it no longer held any power over me. When a worry or fear loses its importance, it loses its power and that is why it is essential to realise these symptoms are neither harmful nor serious. Gradually, without all the checking in and worrying, this symptom that so dominated my life began to diminish and eventually disap

[Children_of_God]

hey, this is my worst symptom too, i get it every day, some days worse than others, some times it's so unreal i can feel it, even with my eyes closed. it scares me cos there's nothing i can do about it, and i haven't found a coping mechanism for it yet. but if i do i wil let u kno, n please do the same for me. but no hun, u r deffinately not alone with this. take care, xxx.

[Margaret]

Paul

Thanks for that really helpful reply - understanding where all these symptoms come from helps so much in dealing with them - especially understanding that we are not going completely mad - even tho it is so frightening. Letting go of the panic is the hardest thng.

Margaret

[hawkeye]

I have just self-diagnosed my condition, as it were.
This is a huge gear-shift for me. As said before in a previous post, it is like looking through a glass window at yourself. My spin on it is that i'm on 'auto-pilot'. Its a scary feeling as in my younger years (I am 16 now) I had never considered such a complicated psychological 'disease' could affect me. Its like I've lost the old way of thinking and making my transition into this new way. Please someone say its just my age and that hormones play a part in this.

[bab]

ollie35

thank you so much for that as d.p is one of my worst syptoms and im always worried im mad or its serious

[PIP W]

Hi, I've been reading all the threads on this section and feel better (almost) knowing that I'm not going mad. I've had these episodes at least 3 times in the last 10 years. Usually starts with a minor illness and then escalates into a full blown anxiety/depressive state. Unfortunately over the last two months these feelings have returned.
I too feel light headed, and detached from reality. Feel like I can't focus my eyes on the 'real world', and I'm not part of my own body. This is the scary thing. Tension headaches and sinus problems also an issue.
I have also had ringing in my ears and inability to lie on my right side without feeling a swooning sensation which the doc seems to think is an inner ear imbalance. However, I'm flying to America soon and the anxiety about whether I'll feel okay for the journey is making me worse!

If I remember from the last espisode it does eventually wear off. I find that if possible try to surround yourself with positive people - not ones that make you dwell on your problems and talk too much about their own.

[mlondon]

I experience this too and it is one of the hardest symptoms to deal with but totally typical of anxiety. I am not sure why, but I got a big bout of it when my anxiety was getting better, so perhaps it is a positive thing!