I suffer with anxiety how do you cope and cure depersonalisation?

Question

Depersonalisation is a term describing feeling not real...as if I am not the person saying what I am saying. Sounds very odd to describe if you have not suffered from it but its a side effect of anxiety/depression. How do I get rid of this annoying symptom? Serious answers please otherwise I will report any unhelpful comments as I am struggling quite a lot here.

Answer 1

Hey :) I've not really got a very helpful answer, but I just wanted to point you in the direction of http://www.crazyboards.org/forums/ its a forum for people with mental illness, and they have some great members who are good at answering these sorts of questions. A lot of people who suffer from PTSD get feelings of depresonalisation, but I'm not sure what you can do to get rid of it - I've never tried fighting it - I kind of enjoy it, its like a respite from all the other stuff. If you aren't seeing your doctor, you really should, as there are things available to help you :) Sorry I couldn't be of more use, just wanted to offer what advice I could and say that I understand what you are feeling. You aren't alone. Sending you lots of hugs x

Answer 2

Hi..the good news is that you're not suffering mental illness in that what u suffer is a neurosis not a pyscosis..

I also suffer the same....panic attacks,anxiety,depersonalisation,compulsions..they're all connected,v frightening and impossible to describe to people who are lucky enough to never have had them.

In ordinary terms the reason why people with anxiety suffer depersonalisation is that their brain needs a rest from the stress and anxiety.

Its a horrible feeling,I always describe it as not being really there,like Im in a bubble or watching people through glass.
Its frightening and lonely and theres almost a sense of deja vu about it,I find myself asking 'am i really here'?

Sometimes peoples talk and laughter seems to be very loud when its happening or else much duller as are lights.
i suffer MUCH MORE AT NIGHT or AS SOON AS IT GETS DARK.I dont know why.

I take seroxat,which help,doc prescribed them.Exercise can help,as can walking with plenty of fresh air.Though its hard to face these things when u feel like that I know.

Anxiety is the root so u must treat anxiety,see a CLINICAL PYSCOLOGIST not a counsellor.the clinical pyscologist can do cognitive therapy with u which helps u identify and control your own moods.Its important to stay busy IF at all possible.
Tell your doctor and ask to be referred to clinical pyscologist.
Ask about short-term medication if you're not against that personally.
Seroxat did help me over worst of symptoms but by no means made hem disappear and seroxat have side-effects..sweating,and can cause probs sexually!..ie for a man more difficulty in getting erect,similar reduction in libido for women.
Personally I found taking them and doing cognitive therapy helped.
Feel free to message me and good luck,you're not alone in this condition

Answer 3

I've had those feelings too and understand what you're saying; you're right, it can be annoying and also a little frightening. I don't know if you're in therapy or not or even considering it, but typically the treatment for depersonalization follows the same guidelines as treatment for PTSD and dissociative disorders. The treatment that I went through was congitive therapy which is pretty much emotional problem solving, and this was very helpful. What's helpful is to learn what is triggering these episodes and working on ways to identify those triggers before it causes this reaction.

I've heard that hypnosis and EMDR therapy can be helpful and medications can be helpful with some people although they didn't help with me. Relaxation techniques can be a good way to treat this also, but typically there are several treatment techniques going on in therapy. Like with me I had mostly the cognitive therapy but also some hypnosis and EMDR.

There's a book called Treating PTSD by David W. Foy that you might find helpful. This is the link to it on Amazon so that you can take a look if you want.
http://www.amazon.com/Treating-PTSD-Cognitive-Behavioral-David-Foy/dp/0898622204

I'm sorry that things are so hard for you right now and I really feel for you. You might want to call your local hospital or mental health center and ask if they have any support groups or group therapy sessions for people with PTSD or other anxiety disorders because I've heard that these can be helpful too.

I wish you all the best in your recovery. :)

Answer 4

Hi, I also used to get those. I find that I have to eat or I am vulnerable to it or sometimes if I have too much alcohol one night, the next day I'm also very vulnerable. It took me years to figure out what I had, and at first we thought it was Agoraphobia. So, I went to a help group about that, and I realized that wasn't what i had. After reading about it, I realized it was anxiety. From time to time I will still feel that way, but, I use breathing techniques. I find relaxing is very important as I can be pretty high strung. It is not fun, I know and I feel for you. Try listening to some soft music or use breathing techniques. Just anything to help you calm down. Good luck!

Answer 5

Hi, I used to get depersonalised...it's really not nice. I always use to describe it as a feeling that I wasn't really here. Once it went on for a couple of days.

You're right, it is due to anxiety but quite severe anxiety. It's your mind's way of helping you to take time out.

You need to be practising relaxation techniques on a daily basis. Get a cd, preferably one that talks you through the relaxation process. Go to a quiet room, lie down if you can, low lights and make sure no one will disturb you for 30 minutes.

Let the bed take the weight of your body. Take 3 deep breaths slowly inhaling in, hold for 5 seconds, then out.

Be aware of each body part and where it does, or does not come into contact with the bed. Go through your whole body, slowly in this way. Then put cd on.

When you are going about your day, slow things right down. Whatever job it is you're doing at the time, try not to focus on getting to the end of it, just focus on what you are doing at that moment. Throughout the day, keep saying to yourself, 'Walk slowly and calmly through the day.

Now choose the one thing that is really getting to you, causing you to worry, and ask yourself these questions :

1. What are my thoughts about this...jot it down if you like,

2. What are my feelings about this? (Try not to confuse thoughts and feelings...they're very different.

3. Write down what evidence there is, real facts to prove that this thinking is TRUE or CORRECT? Could there be alternatives?
Be really honest and think hard.

4. Write down also the evidence AGAINST what you are thinking. Again try to be really honest.

Doing this can help to get huge worries into a better perspective and help to reduce your anxiety.

I hope this helps a little.

Best wishes.

Answer 6

I have 4 years of deep depression and the last 2 years of anxiaty and 2 years of panick attacks, I guess thats my next depersonalization i never hear that.
as you read I guess thats the way it is , first depression, then anxiaity then panick attacks etc.
how do I cope with it, I do a lot of things I wish to do more but husband doesn't let me.
- I go to church - not only going but I read bible and study bible try to understand about why God this why God that, its very nice to meet such awasome God, i try to remenber all good things i learnt in the past about GOD cause I used to have a beautifull life when i just convert to christian more than 10 years ago.
When I was teen I used to have small depressions, cause bf and cause friends, always feel like they were taking advantge of me.
One very good thing I did and I m so glad I did that its some kind of therapy :
- sit down and start from 5 years old, do a list of good things and bad things that were remarkable in your life extreme goods and bads, ( as much younger you can remenber ) 1, 2, 3 years old,
the bad ones forgive others or forgive your self, the good ones put in a list as a strong things on your character, or some rewards you had , remind your self and feel good about.
then another day go trogouth your ages 5 - 8 years old same thing , next day 8-12 years old, etc until the age you are now.
at the end of each session you may feel you cannot forgive certain people you may struggle with it , receive forgiveness from GOd that He has forgive you all, and He has forgive us all, then read the good things and enjoy them, all those good things are YOU NOW, and where do you want to project your self for your future? there you go, you will know the answer, now you know your self much more.
I did this when I was 20 and I feel so ligth, so good, it was like start a new life , all white, all new, but i mess up between 23- 29 years old, I m losing my self, I allow people hurt me i guess, i dont know exactly what happen I feel lost, and having to many panick attacks , i have no problem from childhood, but I have present problems at the same time I think I can make it i will go trougth and i will be ok, is just a time.
January 2006 my husband took me to a place for medication ( for my depression panick etc ) i took them for almost 3 months probably, i feel really bad, they never work for me , i felt i was getting some kind of denial thing, and not confronting the real thing, so I stop taking them all my surrounding was getting better too, so I was ok for almost one year didn't have much those old events. I m having panicks again cause the present problems, I hope not need medecine again.
anyways I hope that help you a liltle bit

Answer 7

I clicked on this question with great hope and was sorely disappointed. I take it you have never suffered from it? Edit:- but is it an idea thats just sprung to your mind, or have you found the way to "dehypnotise" yourself and become 100% personally cured. You havn't stated a cure you've just given an idea as to its cause. Hypnotising yourself may be a small part of it, but I think it is more complex than that. Personally i got mine from faulty yoga exercises and a bit of weed. These do something to change your brains structure permanently.

Answer 8

It happens when you withdraw from the world so much your attempts to reach out seem odd to you, as you are not used to doing it.

Best thing to do is to slowly get used to interaction until it no longer seems weird. One in four people have or have had depression so I'm sure many more than you think have experienced it. Its complex and effects everyone in diffferent ways but whatever area of life its affecting you in try to keep interacting and the anxiety will wear off sooner or later.
It worked for me that way

Good Luck

Answer 9

Cognitive behavoural therapy is very useful for this. It doesn't exactly stop the feeling but CBT gives you coping mechanisms to help. It's a very annoying feeling and a bit disconcerting. Trouble is meds can make the feeling worse while lifting the anxiety, in my case that is.

Answer 10

There are multiple kinds of disorders that deal with anxiety. Although most can manifest in similar ways, these disorders generally occur due to different events in your life. Natural home remedies for anxiety https://tr.im/fkcFK
Generalized anxiety disorder includes persistent and unnecessary worries about everyday, common events or activities, which can disrupt concentration and lead to other issues, such as depression.