Derealisation

[unlucky]

My psychiatrist has said he thinks I may be suffering from derealisation. Has anyone else been diagnosed with this and what was the treatment. My psych said it would probably go away by itself as it is caused by severe anxiety but I'm always in a state of severe anxiety.

 

[BP2]

I have never been diagnosed with it as such, as I always regarded it as a symptom of an underlying illness (depression / anxiety) or a side effect of medication.

I regularly experienced these disassociative feelings (whether they be depersonalisation or derealisation) when I was very very severely depressed (i.e. not able to function on any level) and in my case that also means highly anxious.

I have also had them whilst on medication but they then tended to be more fleeting feelings.

Mine would generally come in waves and pass in an hour or two etc. Typically at the same time of the day early evening.

Mine tended to resolve itself as the depression lifted when the meds finally kicked in.

I found them to be very unsettling experiences especially after/during my first breakdown.

You don't mention whether you are taking any meds?

 

[unlucky]

I am taking meds, I'm on 150mg chlorpromazine and 225mg venlaflaxine daily. The derealization stuff is mostly me hearing music and arguments in my head and just a general felling of 'not being there'. I've also got a 'ghost' lol. If I'm sitting down or lying on my bed I feel someone or something jumping up next to me. Now I'm not ruling out ghosts altogether but I think its in my head!!
I'm in a constant state of high anxiety and this just seems to be getting worse as time goes by. Its getting to be quite debilitating. Thanks for your reply xx

 

[*Sapphire*]

My psychiatrist has said he thinks I may be suffering from derealisation. Has anyone else been diagnosed with this and what was the treatment. My psych said it would probably go away by itself as it is caused by severe anxiety but I'm always in a state of severe anxiety.

If you are in a constant state of anxiety, it might be worth trying to alter your lifestyle. Derealisation can be caused by sleep deprivation and drug intoxication as well as drug de-toxification.

Perhaps making changes to what you eat and drink like cutting out caffeine and stimulants to help you sleep better.

Sometimes just making sure you get the basics right like sleeping/eating properly and avoiding alcohol and substances can really make a difference.

 

[unlucky]

Well it could certainly be sleep deprivation and I do drink a lot of diet coke which I've been trying to cut down. As for substance abuse, I smoked a joint when I was 14 and didn't like it and apart from that I've never done drugs so it can't be that. With alcohol my husband and I have a drink on a Saturday night but I'd class that as quite normal.
Thanks for your suggestions though.

 

[richardk]

I've had derealisation plenty of times and, as others say, it's usually a symptom of depression and/or a generalised anxiety state or panic.

In my case I wouldn't recognise familiar streets/buildings or my surroundings and everything felt surreal and dreamlike - a quite nasty sensation.

It does pass, though, when the underlying condition improves.

 

[unlucky]

Thanks Richard, yes its highly unpleasant. The problem is that I'm contantly stressed for no reason and have been for years, I don't feel I've been particularly more stressed over the last few months, if anything I've felt less stressed but I've still got these godawful symptoms

 

[*Sapphire*]

Well it could certainly be sleep deprivation and I do drink a lot of diet coke which I've been trying to cut down.

Thanks for your suggestions though.

No problem. I would suggest giving up the coke then if you can. I stopped drinking cola a month ago and I started sleeping much better. But I did get terrible withdrawal from it like headaches. Now if I drink it again it really hurts my stomach. If you pop a 2p piece in your coke you can see what it does to your stomach lining.

 

[richardk]

You have my sympathies - I used to get anxiety for no real reason, nowadays it's just the occasional panic attack (which is bad enough.)

With me it's more depression that comes and goes, and the odd bit of derealisation/mania. The mania is better.

 

[unlucky]

I've got the depression too, I swing between severe anxiety and severe depression with no real triggers I can put my finger on. I don't get much mania, maybe if I did I'd get more housework done!!

 

[richardk]

Well 15 or so years ago I was virtually agoraphobic with the panic attacks - none of the meds or drinking helped at all. At the time doctors said it would improve with age, and it has. I still get panicky symptoms at times, but nothing like I used to.

The depression comes and goes, though.

 

[coraline1664]

I don't have it so much now but have had periods of it, during bad anxiety attacks and also lack of sleep. I don't find it horrible, just different. I do find it horrible though if I have to go out or do something stressful. Then it can become a nightmare. It's as if I don't really know if I'm doing the things I do, everything is a bit like deja- vu, everything people say sounds strangely familar or as if there is something incredibly meaningful and important under the surface of everything said. Walking around streets like this feels bizarre.

 

[richardk]

As an example I went for a long walk the other night - a good few miles before sleeping. This is a routine I've tried to keep up as I find I usually get a better nights rest.

About a mile-and-a-half from home I suddenly felt weak and stopped - the buildings and streets looked weird - (and this is in a very familiar part of Edinburgh.)

It almost turned into a full-blown panic-attack - I had to really control my breathing and walk slowly home.

My mood was really low for the rest of the night and I felt out of sorts the next day. I relate this to my depression, but derealisation is pretty nasty and can easily set up feelings of panic which is self-perpetuating.

 

[Rosepoet]

I feel unreal

Hi i only heard about this term a few weeks ago. It kinda fits the way i feel though. I have felt like i am not really there like i am on edge of myself. I am walking up to shops today feeling odd. Have been under amazing mental stress so i think the mind reaches a point where it boot cope it floats off. Any tips to cope.th gotta keep going dos the kids

 

[Rosepoet]

When this nasty feeling comes i am gonna post and work through. I did it before and i am not going to let the bullies take my happiness with their mind games. I will learn from this i will move on. Some days i feel like i am not me anymore two years of mental hyper stress. Think i managed to keep small part of me sane. Today i wolf up feeling tired and spaced out. It was such a lovely day and thetrampoline came so had to get kids to help me put t up. We managed. And i law down on it in the sun and i dont know how we did it but we did. I do everything on auto pilot. Its a weird feeling. But i actually feel physical sickness at some times.