Depersonalization and derealization

[stimpy]

My friend Dave the CPN tells me that de-personalization and De-realization are very common.

People often describe it as a feeling unreal, disembodied, strange,
weird, foreign, seeing in two dimensions or even witnessing things as a 3rd person as if your own actions are in a film or on a TV programme with vivid colours or sounds.

People also say they feel as if they are cut off or distant from the immediate surroundings, objects appear to be unsolid, or they feel light headed.

He tells me it is nothing to worry about, it is all part of your anxiety and it's completely harmless. But I would advice that you don't try and cross a busy roads if you are feeling "weird".

Dave tells me that it is caused by too much oxygen in the blood stream and the best way to cope with it is to slow down your breathing and not to dwell on it.
Once your anxiety levels drop this feeling of De-personalization or De-realization will disappear.

I hope this makes sense.

I suffer with de-personalization and De-realization terribly, mainly when faced with traffic, either walking passed it and crossing roads or I have been out for the day.
I was told the best thing to do is stamp your feet or touch the ground, so that you can feel something solid.


Love, light and Best wishes
Liz xxx

[] Panic Monster & Scatty Eccentric

[NOFEAR]

What about people have depersonalization and derealization even when they do not have anxiety ???
The more I think about depersonalization and the more I worry about it the worce it gets so there certainly is a strong cognitive element involved in derealization/depersonalization.
As I understand it one should try to have a normal inner dialogue and not think about unrealness and spaciness.

I have derealization even when I have no panic or anxiety which I find a bit strange. It certainly seems more hard-wired in the mind than panic and anxiety feelings.

Derealization and depersonalization may be a primitive defense mechanism, like we constantly feel we are being attacked by snakes or something, certainly something very primal is involved here.

I guess when the fight or flight mode of feeling and thinking has broken down the derealization takes over.

So how does one calm down the primitive brain again ???

The new benzodiazepin anti-anxiety drugs will work on the amygdala (the emotional brain) and may be of use to us.

Let us stop the panic

[stimpy]

Ah, now according to my friend Dave, he tells me that people can suffer with the De-personalization thing even when they are not anxious. He tells me it is the sub-concious telling you that you are stressed out, even when you don't physically feel stressed out.

Love, light and Best wishes
Liz xxx

[] Panic Monster & Scatty Eccentric

[diana]

Good post Liz, very interesting stuff.

Good to know not only those of us who suffer with this disorder, have these symptoms. Not literally good, but atleast makes one feel not so indifferent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here`s to hoping everyone is having a anxiety/panic free day .

Take care all,

Diana xxx