Existential Thoughts.. Need Advice

[edpen24]

Hello, my name is Edgar and I've been experiencing dp for about two months. Initially like many people from this forum I began to questioning if my reality was just a dream (derealization). I felt like my eyes where mere projectors and I was living in a movie. I was able to continue my life and eventually I was able to wake up from that state of mind I was in. Now I have began obsessing over existential thoughts. My mind literally questions everything it comes in contact with. Is as if my brain is constantly trying to decode life and its meaning rather than just accepting and living i. It question reality, space , time, humanity, laws of physics and even my own consciousness and my identity. Who are we , why are we the way we are, how and why we have consciousness (BIG ONE), what is consciousness, i question my own identity, why are the laws of psychics the way that they are (ANOTHER BIG ONE),and why is the universe the way that it is. In short words my brain is constantly going on a loop of existential questions. Instead of just living and accepting how everything is, my mind keeps trying to decode what is life, , why is everything the way that it is and questions the laws that life revolves around. These are questions that make the world seem weird, strange and almost unreal. In the middle of having these existential thoughts ive come to the conclusion that life is far from normal but something extraordinary, bizarre nd quiet abnormal. I don't want to think like this anymore and I just want to accept life how I used too, 2 months ago. A human mind is not meant to be questioning all of this all the time in such a deep level as I believe these are things that the human mind can't begin to comprehend. I've began to loose joy in life, because instead of accepting and enjoying the beauty of life and who i am I'm just questioning everything. Every morning when I wake up reality seems more and more strange to the point that I feel I will soon have a mental brake down. I. Want to stop questioning everything and just live , enjoy and accept life like I used too 2 months ago. If anyone out there can relate to what I'm going through please let me know. And please any advice on how to stop my mind from this loop . Its really ruining my life. Everything is beginning to look and feel very strange . I just want to live without thinking about the entropy of life. It is very overwhelming. Any word of advice would really help, thank you.

[Floods]

I think this is really common in the aftermath of DP/DR.

The reason, I think, is because of super-acute anxiety which fuelled the DPDR is still there. If your experience was anything like mine, the DPDR was terrifying, and I would spend every minute I could focusing on it, testing reality, trying to feel "normal". I think when the DP fades that anxiety over reality remains for a while.

I had strong DPDR for about 3 months, before it started to fade - those existential questions remained for a while after, although they began to lessen in intensity (although even now 6 months after, I still have moments where the nature of consciousness or infinity terrify me, but they pass very quickly)

So yeah, DPDR is the product of anxiety, and during DPDR that anxiety becomes obsessive, so those patterns remain for a while. Whatever worked for you in reducing the DPDR and anxiety more generally, apply that same approach to these existential questions. Know that you won't always fear those questions, know that reality will come back, know that everything will be okay (I appreciate this is very, VERY difficult at times!). Don't be afraid to tell a doctor etc - medication for anxiety is something to try.

Life will come back to you, I promise, once your anxiety is dealt with (I am in the process of doing this myself; I'm not so obsessed with existential stuff anymore, just incredibly "inward looking" and have different obsessive thoughts. Only this time, I know it's anxiety and I can deal with it knowing it will get better).

Good luck with everything - this will pass!

[BrokenAge]

I've dealt with it on and off for almost 2 years. I'm 16 and I'm telling you the best way to deal with it is to realize that you're safe and not going crazy. Everything is real and you're fine. Distract yourself in anyway possible. Last summer I rarely experienced it. Overtime it fades and I promise it'll get better.

[lisa0406]

I am so sorry you are going through this. I am suffering from this typical aftermath of DR/DP for almost two years now. It lessens after a while even though with me it never really went away. I realised that even my parents and friends are rationally speaking only foreign people, I questioned my identity. I can't even watch a ****ing movie without thinking this is a movie and how it is made and how humanity is so strange and all.
I had to quit my University bc of it, I cannot study philosophy like that :(
I have to say it completely threw me out of this normal conscious bubble that I had before I dunno - I am severly depressed bc of it. I really hope you find a way out. I know how u feel :(

[Jenijar]

I know how you feel constantly questioning everything, I analyse everything until it loses meaning, and it makes life seem so strange which scares me, I just want to go back to when life felt normal and I took life at face value

[CArl_34_m_UK]

It's amazing how alike our human brains are that causes this deep level of thinking.

I started a thread which I'm suffering with right now. It's crippling and no way to live!

My main problem is that nothing I question is actually 'false' so I'm stuck in a paradox of looking for answers that are not there, so really my mind will never be at peace with this. It's the most horrible thing I've ever experienced.

I'm constantly questioning how every single second of the day is continually disappearing in to the past.. like even typing this has now become past. It's freaking me out 24x7 and like you.. I just want to live how I did before. Care free and not troubled by things that cannot be changed

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=182600

[mrose]

Hey edpen24,

I was wondering how you are doing now?
I'm going through the exact same thing right now.
My obsessions started around 5 months ago and are most likely due to a period of severe stress (self induced by thoughts).

Whilst I've had more topics I could obsess over the last months. This existential anxiety seems to be the main one as it keeps returning.

Would really like to know how you are getting on these days!