does derealization go away?

[lilnewk]

im a 20 yr old female and iv had derealization for 4 months now. it has not gone away not once. i feel spaced out, but werid all the time like these are not my eyes im seeing out of . i have no idea why i got it (which makes me not understand how i got it)  i never thought i had anxiety either or was very stressed? its the worst feeling in the world and im just scared to death it will not go away. does it? what are things would help me recover? i would really appreciate anyones help!  for the first 3 months thought i was stuck and that i had to have hurt something in my body but iv had a mri, cat scan, spinal tap and tons of blood work that come back normal. i was so depressed and scared but now im just trying hard to beat this thing if its possble. my emotions are up and down all day long. one min im like ill be ok i have hope an the next im scared again and just want it to be done or think it wont go away. hope i get some answers, thank you.

[trstbrown]

I wish I had an answer. I really do. I have the same episodes all of the time, daily right now. Depersonalization and derealization. I don't have any tools to offer, I really wish I did. It's all I can do to hang on when it starts. It's like a slow emotional anesthetization that ends with me not really being here. I can't stop it, I can't control it. I've read it's anxiety based and I'm trying to see if I can see a pattern, something to give me some idea of when it will happen, even if I don't know why. I'm also bipolar and have BPD so my emotions aren't reliable anyway. But while I can't offer a cure, I can say you aren't alone.

[Cntbreal]

Hey hun. For sure your not alone. I have had it also for about four months and still going.. I know it will go away. Its just that we focus on out much more so it stays.. The only advice I really have is try to not let it scare you and do more familiar things to get your mind back to the normal state.

I know its easier said then done but it could help. Try to start doing more things and not let it keep you thinking of it while it is happening.

Are you on any meds?? And have you seem any therapist?? They may be able to help.. Researching things in the net while having anxiety is not good but in things case have you researched it on the net to see possible things to nice on from it??

I'm so sorry I couldn't give you more things to help as to the fact I believe it has to just take its course. And yes it will and could go away. Its just how long it will take. Hoopoe you start to feel better I'm here to chat if need be..

[trstbrown]

You may want to look into a doctor for anxiety or depression. Derealization stems usually from stress and anxiety, but they shouldn't be lasting as long as they have. See a psychologist or psychotherapist, maybe one of them can help you.  

[edgyboy]

It does go away. I have had it off and on over the years after stressfull events. Dont fight it because it will only get worse.

as uncomfortable as it is, derealization is harmless. DR/DP are the results of a stressed brain. I believe I sent you literature on this condition. That explains everything that is happening to you.

[Jmay1998]

I've had this for years if like this all dat. I'm starting to lose track of whats real and whats a dream. the only escape is death

[goldroom101]

I'm so sorry to hear of your symptoms; they are indeed very scary. I have had these and still do. I've had a very stressful few months (won't go into it but is was BAD) which culminated in me having what I now know was a severe panic attack.  I got very very bad depersonalization and derealization as a result. I was so freaked out and scared that the only thought that kept me going was that I'd kill myself.

However, you say that you're very scared all the time and worry about this constantly. This is what's stopping it going away. This is usually regarded as a symptom of another problem (anxiety, depresion ect) but can be so terrifying that the person starts to focus only on this and then it becomes the dominant issue. The best way to deal with it is to try and forget its there. Thinking about it only makes you MORE inward looking and thus MORE seperated from the world around you. Easier said than done. But that's what I've been doing and while I still have derealization the depersonalization has all but gone - I feel like myself again even if the world around me still feels fuzzy and far away.

Don't be scared, you can get over this if you change the way you let it influence you. Don't obsess over it and don't let it win. Get on and live your life like nothing is wrong and it'll go eventually. But if you have depression/anxiety you should make sure you go to your doctor. I'm 30 and never knew I was anxious until now. Get out of your bad thinking habits while you're young :)

[Paul_989]

Hi just want to say depersonalisation will go away!! Last April I was going through alot of stress and thought smoking pot would help me well it did not it made me 100 times worse I instantly got panic and anxiety attacks afterwards I was constantly lightheaded and felt like I was in a dream like state it was horrible I was so scared, just want to say you are going through the worse of it now and things can only get better just be string it's easier said than done believe me. I stopped going out places, I thought I was going insane I actually called a mentally insane hospital, but they would not let me admit my self, so I went to doctors and explained and they don't have a clue they just prescribed me with anxiety tablets, got tests done all came back normal then after a month of nightmare I thought **** it, I am going to get my life back so I stopped smoking and drinking, started eating all healthy foods, fruit, orange, apple juice and just water. I joined a gym and went near enough everyday doing cardio and weights, went to sauna 2 times a week which is really good for anxiety. Went swimming 3 times a week. When not at gym tried not to think about it 2 months past still had it but I was strong and dedicated and kept going after that it gradually got better noticing the difference 3 months later I was 100% back to normal also no anxiety at all, it has all gone. I appreciate life so much more now I am so sociable and a bonus I don't waste money on cigs and have a toned muscle body. I know you can get better, I had many times where I felt like giving up, 1 min later I felt I can beat it! Constant mixed emotions. Vitamins a good aswell, remember your going through the worse of it now, if I can do it anyone can trust me. If you need any info or support I will do what I can :-) takecare and remember you are not alone.

[LoganPentagon]

I know alot of years have passed since you commented on this but im going throught it too but mine has just started for like 3 weeks or something and i have the same symptons you had and i am really going to take your advice because it seems like it might work. Also i havent been able to remember anything like ANYTHING its like im just always in a dream like 24/7. I would have like 4 kinda good days but then it would all go to **** again. But oh well its been 4 years so you probably wont see this but.... thanks

[starfishdisco]

When I had this I used bachs herbal remedy spray which helped instantly.. Hope you get better soon x

[samster1974]

ive had dr for 18 yrs and have never felt it get easier. i used to get it for minutes in a day for a couple of years as a teenager, but one day i had it all day and it never went away. im working on getting my sleep as healthy as possible because i think it might be the biggest culprit behind all of us dr or dp sufferers! even as a young teen i remember never really getting good rest even after sleeping for 8 plus hours. some of us never get rem(rapid eye movement) sleep. if we dont get that our brains get extremely weak and confused( sounds like dr and dp doesent it)? im sure some of you remember how colorful and real everything used to feel? and im sure some of you remember only feeling symptoms close to dr or dp when you used to stay up partying, hanging out with friends, watching tv till the next day. dr and dp are symptoms not a disease! but im now starting to think that my sleep deprivation over years of not getting rem sleep caused my anxiety and dr, and not the other way around. the best way to describe dr  or dp is like being in a dreamlike state". we can sleep all we want, but if we dont get in to deep sleep you will feel like this all day(dr and dp). I just got my cpap and i hope this helps! i will fill you guys in on how its working for me if i end up getting my deep sleep. i thought i was sleeping and just felt tired all the time, but my sleep study showed that i was wrong! later,,

[samster1974]

oh i forgot to mention that it was a hint for all of you to get a sleep study! just because your eyes are closed and even have a dream or two, doesent mean that you are getting the sleep required for your brain to replenish and repair itself! i bet we are all low in adrenaline and have very weak adrenal glands as well...

[MusB]

Bryan here, 21 now, lived in a house full of smokers but i moved out. peer pressure into smoking a couple times, feel out of it all the time, like im in my own world, and people look at you like theres somethin wrong with you. ive had it for a year now, trying to keep busy but its hard.....same with you been to all tests but its a mental problem....maybe a family issue, drugs you had? but the cause aint important, exercise, eat right and keep busy.

[jermboy25]

I've had dp/dr since June this year. All began after a heavy night drinking and sniffing Charlie to awake the next day feeling depressed and seeing reality in a new dimension. Like most people the world wide web quickly produced a name for how i was feeling, and the classification instantly reassured me. Unfortunately it affected my work and I was forced to leave London and return to my home country of South Africa to live with my parents at the ripe old age of 25.

Since returning, my symptoms have subsided a little, through talking to friends and family and I think seeing a therapist is definitely on the cards. The derealization aspect really annoys me, as I get a kind of tunnel vision when talking to people and it can interfere with my logical thought processes. I have noticed that doing exercise i.e running, definitely relaxes you and makes DP/DR easier to cope with. Thankfully this little setback hasn't affected me intellectually, although moments of intense brain fog do. I guess the key is to eliminate stress by eating right, exercising, socializing, and reading which gets the synapses firing and has caused some people to immediately snap out of it.

I haven't experienced resensitization yet, but holding onto that dream makes this dream more manageable.
Keep the faith.

[woy]

I've had it for 14 years non stop, and at this point I can't tell you 'it will go away' like others. It went away only a few times during those 14 years, and only for a few seconds. I know it 'can' go away, I just wish I knew how, I know I will find a way - but I think when you ask if it goes away, you're thinking in terms of the following weeks, and I can't tell you for sure that it will. Don't let it make you panic, but do take it seriously if you can. Talk to psychiatrists you trust, read books that can help you figure out your brain, talk to others who have it and see if there are ways that have found to manage it - such as not drinking coffee... Consider psychotherapy, as the causes of DR are deeper than consuming substances that might trigger it.

As the years will pass, it could affect your life in more subtle yet profound ways than feeling like you're in a dream - it's affected me at all levels: inability to plan, to socialize like others, to be understood by relatives, it's affected me professionally, etc. But the worst is, my brain is getting accustomed to being 'detached' and becomes less effective at processing information - like a muscle that doesn't work out and become week. When I just got it, I thought it could not possibly last more than a few days, then a few weeks... it's been 14 years... Take this seriously for your own sake, and know that it's manageable so you can treat yourself right... I wish you the best of luck :)

[freakazepam]

Perdon my bad English.

I had the same problem 5/6 months ago(probably from MJ). Then I started taking Bromazepam 3mg once a day and it helped me wake up. Most psychiatrists prescribe Clonazepam for depersonalization/derealization, but Bromazepam seemed to work for me.

I also did some reading on "logical fallacies" and adopted the thinking patterns. Now I try not to misinterpret simple events of life based on the list provided by wikipedia. Sounds crazy, but I had to try something.

Best of luck !

[rosech494]

thx for this i really feel good  thx thx

[rosech494]

thx for this dear  i really feel much good . i look every where to found someone like you to help me . i soory my english not good

[freddie498]

Derealisation

Introduction
I am a self-diagnosed suffer of derealisation which I have had for just over 3 months now. When I first realized that I had this disorder the first thing I did was search in internet for information and advice. I was very distressed to see that there is hardly any content whatsoever on the internet about derealisation. The reason I’m writing this is because I want to share my personal experience and strategies I use to try and counter derealisation.
Derealisation is a state of mind in which people can feel distant or detached from the surrounding world. Sometimes during a period of high anxiety or stress the symptoms can become more pronounced. The symptoms closely relate to the high that is obtained as a result of cannabis consumption. Dizziness, high anxiety, and feeling of detachment are the most common symptoms.
(Personal experience) I can feel like I’m going through the motions of life but not actually living life, it’s as if I have one foot in this world and the other foot in another. To describe it as dreamlike would be going too far, I still have full control over all of my actions but sometimes I do have to question if I have actually done things or if I’m just imagining it. Memories from the past can seem distorted and unreal; when I look at photos of past times I sometimes have to really think hard in order to remember them clearly. Another part of my life Derealisation has affected is my attention span, even in topics I find interesting I struggle to apply myself to. It’s always there; it’s as if I’ve become numb to everything. Day after day passes and I struggle to even recall the events that happened. It sounds stupid and most people I’ve spoken to don’t really understand. It’s one of those things that are really hard to put in words. I’ve done a significant amount of research into derealisation disorder and it seems to be fairly common. But from a medical perspective there seems to have been very little research done into it. The only way I have found to counter derealisation is to try and forget it’s there, this is extremely hard to do but it is possible. I find that if I apply myself to activities that I enjoy then I can sometimes forget that it’s even there. I find that if I constantly think about derealisation then the symptoms become worst that’s why it’s best to try and block it out.
(Things not to do) Anyone who derealisation or any mental disorder should definitely avoid all mind altering substances. Cannabis especially will dramatically enhance the symptoms of derealisation to a seriously unpleasant level.
(Countering derealisation) There is no medical cure for derealisation; no pills will make it go away. The only way to confront derealisation lies within you. The best thing to do it always keep your mind occupied because if you’re always thinking about something else then you won’t be thinking about derealisation. Watch films and participate in sports or any other recreational activities that you enjoy. Keeping your mind active and doing things you enjoy will stimulate your brain to naturally release dopamine which will ultimately lead to a better state of mind and a more positive outlook on life. Sleep is also very important, I find if I haven’t slept well the night before that the symptoms become a lot more apparent.  

Social interaction is another key feature in overcoming derealisation, talking to people not only stimulates the mind but it is also very reassuring. I recall feeling very isolated from the world in the first few weeks of having derealisation. I felt changed and became paranoid that my friends wouldn’t like me anymore; it was as if I was trapped in a world of my own. Of course this was a total misconception. But that aside talking to people did really help me overcome the feeling of loneliness.
During stressful times the symptoms of derealisation can often become a lot more noticeable. I have found that when I have something of my mind which is worrying me I can become very anxious and feel even more distant than normal. Anxiety can cause sleep deprivation. When combined sleep deprivation and anxiety can lead to very intense derealisation which is extremely unpleasant. I have found that taking each day at a time and dealing with problems and they occur helps, because that way I avoid long term worrying.
(Dealing with intense derealisation) There isn’t actually a correct medical terminology for when severe derealisation occurs, but for writing purposes I’m going to call it a derealisation attack. When a derealisation attack occurs I feel extremely distant, my vision becomes very trippy. From personal experience I believe that the symptoms that occur during a derealisation attack closely relate to the high that is obtained a result of cannabis consumption. Derealisation attacks can be triggered by a number of things, taking mind altering substances, high levels of stress/anxiety, or sometimes they can just occur randomly. When suffering a derealisation attack I find the best thing to do it take deep breaths and close your eyes. Closing your eyes takes away the visual aspect of derealisation. I then think about something totally random in order to try and distract my thought process. Usually I find this technique works.

[jlrich]

I've had derealization for the last 7 years.  Mine comes from a benzo withdrawal.  In the beginning the dr was as bad as it gets.  I was like a walking statue and when I was left by myself time would freeze and I would just stand there unable to even initiate thought.  Unfortunately I was in one of the worst xanax withdrawals in the history of the drug so what thoughts did occur to me were completely psychotic and hideously deranged.  I was frozen with no space or time.  It was a dark, colorless, two dimensional vacuum where nothing registered, had an identity, or even occured to my mind as shapes/forms.  
Now after doing 7 years of time mostly by myself (as you cannot relate to others enough or even to your own humanity) the layers of derealization have slowly fallen away and I am left with what I believe is something akin to the last layer.  I am now having windows of reality and can see through it here and there throughout the day.  Colors bloom and swell and as things pop out of the dr I find myself doing double takes to understand what it is I'm seeing.  I'll see myself in the mirror sometimes and it starts to register again after all these years.
Maybe my case is a little extreme for this blog, but it is what it is.  For me dr is like quicksand when it's really bad.  The more you think when you're like this the more you're going to sink into it.  When I see this happening I just give up everything and let go.  I stay on the surface of it.
  
When you're normal the things around you register when you look at them and so they have an identity.  This goes for everything from objects, to experiences, to events.  When dr strikes you must realize this and not allow yourself to begin thinking in terms of the nonregistered reality without
regard to these identities.  If you do you're going to make a mess of things and sink deeper into it.
Usually I'll use spirituality in order to give up everything I'm thinking and then get involved with what's right in front of me and just starting doing and thinking tactile things.  Also when the dr is lightest I'll write down thoughts I believe will help me find my way back when it gets bad.  Such as descriptive thoughts associated with the normal mindframe.
Thanks,
Jay
  
  

[cheyyyboo]

I have been suffering from derealization for about 3 years now.. i too think that it will never go away. However, sometimes i can get myself to snap out of it for long, or short periods of time, it's quite random. at first, it i ever got upset about anything, or cry, it seemed to make everything feel real for a while afterwards. however, i wanted to find a way to snap out of it that wasn't so negative and harsh. i found things to keep me focused. i started drawing, playing music,working out more and writing a lot. I did all of these things years ago but seemed to lose interest in them as time passed. when I tried them again, i enjoyed it a lot, and i now use them to help. they don't always work, but sometimes while i'm doing these activities, i'll feel as if i come back to reality. So, maybe do something you used to enjoy, or do some research on new activities that you may be interested in will help. You're not alone, i'm only 16 and have been going through this for a very long time.

[ivaninter]

This is the worst feeling ever.I try not to think about derealization,but every minute i think about that,i think that i have brain tumor or something like that.I cant be normal again.im so freaked out.

[ivaninter]

and i feel like im in a dream and everything look strange.my friends everyone and everything. help mee

[Bonitos]

What an incredible stories and thx for the tips. I have it now 4 3 years and I feel paralyzed and it depresses me intensively. I feel frozen and every action I take it feels like it's not me. I had it after a psychose and I never came back like I tell my shrinks, family & friends. I feel very alone experiencing it. It feels like hell. I am 46. I wish you all strength.

[perite]

Hello!! Me fighting against DR/DP too! This is a horrible condition, but we´re not sick. I am so glad we´re a "community" , the best thing is not to feel alone, at least, i dont believe we´re crazy. **** DP/DR!!

My best answer for a cure is to love someone, when u love, u forget and u live happier, so LOVE and at every horrible moment, remember u can be in an island with sunny days drinking a mojito if you wanted :) cheers!

[lylamalina]

Hi, Ive been reading through all the comments and most of them are what Ive experienced for ALMOST 9 MONTHS! I just have to say it's very bad. With all the heart racing, light-headed, thought you're gonna die, muscle cramps etc. I can't stand it. My mind keeps saying i'm going to have heart attack. c***! I went for medical check ups. Everything is just under control. My blood pressure, my blood test..all are normal. Then I googled to find out what is wrong with me. I self-diagnosed myself as having anxiety/panic attack. I can't believe this is happening to me. I had a good life prior to this. I miss it so much that I want my life back. If only I can cry out loud telling you guys about this, that will be so much better. Ive tried seeing psychologist but it didn't help.

Few days ago, I found an article about this thing. have u guys came acroos panicyl? It seems good to give it a shot. I just anyone's suggestion about this. is it recommended? because seriously, I just wanna get rid of this stupid thing off me!