Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 8172

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Re: CRAIG and everyone please read

Posted by Cass on July 2, 1999, at 22:23:43

In reply to CRAIG and everyone please read, posted by Rene' on July 2, 1999, at 21:11:17

> i posted a message on last months posts about a constant derealization/depersonalization feeling that i have constantly and have had for 1 year and 3 months. i am so tired all the time mentally and physically. for those of you that have never heard the term before, it is a feeling of unreality, like you are living in a waking dream. i would love some support and advice for dealing with this, along with some testimonials for those of you that experience this disorder, or forms of it. thank you very much, rene'

Rene',

I think I have experienced the same symptoms of derealization/depersonalization you describe. I am also tired all the time, but then again, I have a physical illness as well. Do people comment on your being distant? I have the sense of derealization. Yes . . . a dream-like feeling. It often happens when I have a bad memory. I become very distant and have great difficulty focusing. I become sort of vegetable-like. It's difficult to control. I went through a lot of abuse and neglect as a child. I do not have the feeling constantly, I have had it off and on since I was in my early teens. I'm not sure if this just goes a long with being fragmented. Do you think we are talking about the same thing? Please let me know.

Cass

 

Re: CRAIG and everyone please read

Posted by Rene' on July 2, 1999, at 23:46:00

In reply to Re: CRAIG and everyone please read, posted by Cass on July 2, 1999, at 22:23:43

hey, thanks so much for responding so quickly. how often do you get this feeling? It is as I said before constant and has been for a while now. I am almost positive that we are talking about the same feeling, because it is such a distinct feeling, that you would have had to had it to be able to understand what exactly it is that i am refering too. for me it is like my normal feelings of reality are altered, almost like i am high, but i am not. i have only done pot once in my life and this all started after two weeks after i had done it, and had a terrible panic attack during it none the less. if you do not mind me asking, what physical illness do you have, you mentioned it in your post. is it causing you distress as in anxiety or depression? i would love to find a cure for derealization, because it affects more people than you know, for a very long time. one guy that is a friend of mine had had it for 14 years, since he was 12. i pray to God every night that mine goes away soon. i don't ever want to get depressed about this feeling ever again. i have tried to accept it and move on, but sometimes it is hard, ya know? sorry for the long post, but it feels great to get all of this off of my chest. reply soon, i will check this board periodically. thanks again cass (what does that stand for?). Rene'


> > i posted a message on last months posts about a constant derealization/depersonalization feeling that i have constantly and have had for 1 year and 3 months. i am so tired all the time mentally and physically. for those of you that have never heard the term before, it is a feeling of unreality, like you are living in a waking dream. i would love some support and advice for dealing with this, along with some testimonials for those of you that experience this disorder, or forms of it. thank you very much, rene'
>
> Rene',
>
> I think I have experienced the same symptoms of derealization/depersonalization you describe. I am also tired all the time, but then again, I have a physical illness as well. Do people comment on your being distant? I have the sense of derealization. Yes . . . a dream-like feeling. It often happens when I have a bad memory. I become very distant and have great difficulty focusing. I become sort of vegetable-like. It's difficult to control. I went through a lot of abuse and neglect as a child. I do not have the feeling constantly, I have had it off and on since I was in my early teens. I'm not sure if this just goes a long with being fragmented. Do you think we are talking about the same thing? Please let me know.
>
> Cass

 

Depersonalization/Derealization

Posted by Craig on July 3, 1999, at 2:39:38

In reply to CRAIG and everyone please read, posted by Rene' on July 2, 1999, at 21:11:17

Hi Rene', I'd wondered where you'd disappeared to. (If you're looking for your post in last months archive, it was on June 5.) It sounds like these unreal feelings are consuming your life. As much as I wish it would go away for you (and me), it apparently is something that occurs and disappears on its own. If you've fought it as much as you can fight and it still won't go away, maybe it's time to make some peace with it. I know how much it can drive you crazy, but try not to focus on it. Thinking about it only makes things worse, at least for me. For those times when it's really bad, get home and go to bed. I'm not saying that you'll be all better when you wake up, but the intensity of the experience usually lessens. I remember driving one dark and foggy night this spring and that, combined with the depersonalization and derealization, really scared me. Everything looked even more unreal. Somehow I managed to get home, but I don't know how I did it.

I'm a little worried that if I tell you about my experiences, it will scare you more than help you. As you already know, most people have a hard time relating to these feelings since they've never felt this way. When I used to describe this to people, they said it sounded like I got to trip for free and wondered why it bothered me. Well, it bothered me because I never did drugs and after feeling this way for so long, I wondered why anybody would WANT to take drugs that made them feel this way. Drug trips usually last a limited period of time while depersonalization and derealization have a life of their own.

If you find that writing helps, keep posting to this board and maybe between the two of us we'll come up with some better ways of dealing with this.

> i posted a message on last months posts about a constant derealization/depersonalization feeling that i have constantly and have had for 1 year and 3 months. i am so tired all the time mentally and physically. for those of you that have never heard the term before, it is a feeling of unreality, like you are living in a waking dream. i would love some support and advice for dealing with this, along with some testimonials for those of you that experience this disorder, or forms of it. thank you very much, rene'

 

Re: CRAIG and everyone please read

Posted by Sharon on July 3, 1999, at 17:15:44

In reply to CRAIG and everyone please read, posted by Rene' on July 2, 1999, at 21:11:17

I can not believe it. I have exactly the same thing, and boy do I know what you are going through. I feel like I have smoked a joint, and it makes it very difficult to function doesn't it. sometimes I feel as if I am looking at the world underwater. I am so convinced that it is coming from something other than depression that I spend most of my time trying to find an illness that has this as a symptom. So far I have uncovered nothing. Is your thinking very fuzzy as well? As far as coping, I have no advice.

> i posted a message on last months posts about a constant derealization/depersonalization feeling that i have constantly and have had for 1 year and 3 months. i am so tired all the time mentally and physically. for those of you that have never heard the term before, it is a feeling of unreality, like you are living in a waking dream. i would love some support and advice for dealing with this, along with some testimonials for those of you that experience this disorder, or forms of it. thank you very much, rene'

 

Re: CRAIG and everyone please read

Posted by Cass on July 3, 1999, at 17:42:09

In reply to Re: CRAIG and everyone please read, posted by Rene' on July 2, 1999, at 23:46:00

> hey, thanks so much for responding so quickly. how often do you get this feeling? It is as I said before constant and has been for a while now. I am almost positive that we are talking about the same feeling, because it is such a distinct feeling, that you would have had to had it to be able to understand what exactly it is that i am refering too. for me it is like my normal feelings of reality are altered, almost like i am high, but i am not. i have only done pot once in my life and this all started after two weeks after i had done it, and had a terrible panic attack during it none the less. if you do not mind me asking, what physical illness do you have, you mentioned it in your post. is it causing you distress as in anxiety or depression? i would love to find a cure for derealization, because it affects more people than you know, for a very long time. one guy that is a friend of mine had had it for 14 years, since he was 12. i pray to God every night that mine goes away soon. i don't ever want to get depressed about this feeling ever again. i have tried to accept it and move on, but sometimes it is hard, ya know? sorry for the long post, but it feels great to get all of this off of my chest. reply soon, i will check this board periodically. thanks again cass (what does that stand for?). Rene'
>
>
Hi Rene',

I hope you are doing well. The illness I mentioned is Lupus (Systemic Lupus Erythematosis). I have had the disease since I was in my early teens, along with associated illnesses. Yes, it is depressing because it greatly limits my stamina and causes me a lot of pain; I have to do things little by little and use patience, which is not always easy. I don't know whether or not it is a coincidence that the onset of depression, including feelings of derealizition began around that same time. ( I suppose I am using the term "derealization" loosely, since I don't know whether or not my doctors ever made that diagnosis. I have always found my doctors to be rather closed-mouthed.) My childhood was complicated because of the neglect and abuse. Consequently, nothing was ever diagnosed or treated until I was an adult and could pursue treatment on my own. To answer another of your questions, I have episodes of derealization daily, and I find it extremely embarrassing. I have actually made exuses about prescription drugs causing the symptoms. Even drug abuse seems less stigmatizing and more socially acceptable than the mental issue. Your post has been helpful to me because I am now thinking about this issue in more constructive ways. But I suppose I have as many questions as you do. For instance, was there abuse in your past as well? Does anything in particualar seem to trigger these episodes? Do other people notice them? Please let me know. I hope you have a great 4th of July!

Cass
P.S. Cass is a pseudonym.

 

Re: CRAIG and everyone please read

Posted by Rene' on July 4, 1999, at 0:53:43

In reply to Re: CRAIG and everyone please read, posted by Ree on July 4, 1999, at 0:45:49

hey cass and sharon, i love that i have found people that understand what it is that i am feeling and can sympathize to what an extremely horrible experience this is. to answer a few questions. my derealization is constant, unless i am asleep and has been for 1 year and 3 months. i have not had a history of abuse in my family but my EX-boyfriend of 4 years mentally and emotionally abused me for most of the time and hit me towards the end of the relationship, that is when i ended it. i have a little bit of a hard time focusing on what i am doing, but i just graduated from college, so for the last year, i have had to reteach myself how to focus and concentrate on what is going on around me, especially in my lectures. i have pretty much learned to have very strong faith in God and believe that this will go away, but there are still days that i feel there is no hope and want to lay in bed until the next day comes. okay a few questions for ya'll. how old are you guys? i am 22 and live in dallas. i would love to talk to you guys if you live in the area, i have so desperatly wanted for the past couple of months to find some friends that understand what is going on. how long have you all had this "feeling"? me, 1.3 years. are you all taking any medications? me, celexa 30mg/day. reply soon, i will check the thread tomorrow, july 4th. thanks again you guys. Rene'

 

Re: CRAIG and everyone please read

Posted by Sharon on July 5, 1999, at 9:31:02

In reply to Re: CRAIG and everyone please read, posted by Rene' on July 4, 1999, at 0:53:43

Hey Renee,

I am 36 years old, and the fogginess started about 5 years ago. I can not take medication as it makes the fog much worse. That is the reason I think it may come from some kind of illness. Not only that but little things have also changed, such as my hair is vey dry and has thinned quite a lot in the last year, and my skin has lost its sheen and luster. I also retain a lot of fluid. I am admittedly very depressed, but who wouldn't be if they had to experience this everyday of their lives. I have gone back to school and am currently working on a programming degree, and I can say that that has been a bit of a struggle. If I had done this 5 years ago, I think I could have done it with much fewer problems. It also helps me to know that I am not the only one who experiences this, and it is also very embarrassing for me. Other people do notice, and I have been accused of doing drugs and the like. This does nothing for my self-esteem. It has also strengthened my faith, and I know that I could not get through one day without divine strength to draw on.


> hey cass and sharon, i love that i have found people that understand what it is that i am feeling and can sympathize to what an extremely horrible experience this is. to answer a few questions. my derealization is constant, unless i am asleep and has been for 1 year and 3 months. i have not had a history of abuse in my family but my EX-boyfriend of 4 years mentally and emotionally abused me for most of the time and hit me towards the end of the relationship, that is when i ended it. i have a little bit of a hard time focusing on what i am doing, but i just graduated from college, so for the last year, i have had to reteach myself how to focus and concentrate on what is going on around me, especially in my lectures. i have pretty much learned to have very strong faith in God and believe that this will go away, but there are still days that i feel there is no hope and want to lay in bed until the next day comes. okay a few questions for ya'll. how old are you guys? i am 22 and live in dallas. i would love to talk to you guys if you live in the area, i have so desperatly wanted for the past couple of months to find some friends that understand what is going on. how long have you all had this "feeling"? me, 1.3 years. are you all taking any medications? me, celexa 30mg/day. reply soon, i will check the thread tomorrow, july 4th. thanks again you guys. Rene'

 

Re: CRAIG and everyone please read

Posted by Judy on July 5, 1999, at 10:15:20

In reply to Re: CRAIG and everyone please read, posted by Sharon on July 5, 1999, at 9:31:02

Sharon,

I hope you've had your thyroid tested. The thinning hair and change in skin texture sound suspiciously like hypothyroid symptoms. That little gland can wreak havoc with your entire body when it goes awry!

Judy

---------------------

> Hey Renee,
>
> I am 36 years old, and the fogginess started about 5 years ago. I can not take medication as it makes the fog much worse. That is the reason I think it may come from some kind of illness. Not only that but little things have also changed, such as my hair is vey dry and has thinned quite a lot in the last year, and my skin has lost its sheen and luster. I also retain a lot of fluid. I am admittedly very depressed, but who wouldn't be if they had to experience this everyday of their lives. I have gone back to school and am currently working on a programming degree, and I can say that that has been a bit of a struggle. If I had done this 5 years ago, I think I could have done it with much fewer problems. It also helps me to know that I am not the only one who experiences this, and it is also very embarrassing for me. Other people do notice, and I have been accused of doing drugs and the like. This does nothing for my self-esteem. It has also strengthened my faith, and I know that I could not get through one day without divine strength to draw on.
>
>
>
>
> > hey cass and sharon, i love that i have found people that understand what it is that i am feeling and can sympathize to what an extremely horrible experience this is. to answer a few questions. my derealization is constant, unless i am asleep and has been for 1 year and 3 months. i have not had a history of abuse in my family but my EX-boyfriend of 4 years mentally and emotionally abused me for most of the time and hit me towards the end of the relationship, that is when i ended it. i have a little bit of a hard time focusing on what i am doing, but i just graduated from college, so for the last year, i have had to reteach myself how to focus and concentrate on what is going on around me, especially in my lectures. i have pretty much learned to have very strong faith in God and believe that this will go away, but there are still days that i feel there is no hope and want to lay in bed until the next day comes. okay a few questions for ya'll. how old are you guys? i am 22 and live in dallas. i would love to talk to you guys if you live in the area, i have so desperatly wanted for the past couple of months to find some friends that understand what is going on. how long have you all had this "feeling"? me, 1.3 years. are you all taking any medications? me, celexa 30mg/day. reply soon, i will check the thread tomorrow, july 4th. thanks again you guys. Rene'

 

Any Professionals?Derealization/Depersonalizatio

Posted by Cass on July 5, 1999, at 14:57:31

In reply to Re: CRAIG and everyone please read, posted by Cass on July 3, 1999, at 17:42:09

> > hey, thanks so much for responding so quickly. how often do you get this feeling? It is as I said before constant and has been for a while now. I am almost positive that we are talking about the same feeling, because it is such a distinct feeling, that you would have had to had it to be able to understand what exactly it is that i am refering too. for me it is like my normal feelings of reality are altered, almost like i am high, but i am not. i have only done pot once in my life and this all started after two weeks after i had done it, and had a terrible panic attack during it none the less. if you do not mind me asking, what physical illness do you have, you mentioned it in your post. is it causing you distress as in anxiety or depression? i would love to find a cure for derealization, because it affects more people than you know, for a very long time. one guy that is a friend of mine had had it for 14 years, since he was 12. i pray to God every night that mine goes away soon. i don't ever want to get depressed about this feeling ever again. i have tried to accept it and move on, but sometimes it is hard, ya know? sorry for the long post, but it feels great to get all of this off of my chest. reply soon, i will check this board periodically. thanks again cass (what does that stand for?). Rene'
> >
> >
> Hi Rene',
>
> I hope you are doing well. The illness I mentioned is Lupus (Systemic Lupus Erythematosis). I have had the disease since I was in my early teens, along with associated illnesses. Yes, it is depressing because it greatly limits my stamina and causes me a lot of pain; I have to do things little by little and use patience, which is not always easy. I don't know whether or not it is a coincidence that the onset of depression, including feelings of derealizition began around that same time. ( I suppose I am using the term "derealization" loosely, since I don't know whether or not my doctors ever made that diagnosis. I have always found my doctors to be rather closed-mouthed.) My childhood was complicated because of the neglect and abuse. Consequently, nothing was ever diagnosed or treated until I was an adult and could pursue treatment on my own. To answer another of your questions, I have episodes of derealization daily, and I find it extremely embarrassing. I have actually made exuses about prescription drugs causing the symptoms. Even drug abuse seems less stigmatizing and more socially acceptable than the mental issue. Your post has been helpful to me because I am now thinking about this issue in more constructive ways. But I suppose I have as many questions as you do. For instance, was there abuse in your past as well? Does anything in particualar seem to trigger these episodes? Do other people notice them? Please let me know. I hope you have a great 4th of July!
>
> Cass
> P.S. Cass is a pseudonym.

Would any professionals like to comment on this ongoing thread? Any feedback is welcome.

Cass

 

Re: Any Professionals?Derealization/Depersonalizatio

Posted by Levi on July 7, 1999, at 2:15:37

In reply to Any Professionals?Derealization/Depersonalizatio , posted by Cass on July 5, 1999, at 14:57:31

Depresonalization/derealization are cosidered both symptoms and a disease entity in their own right. As symptoms, they may be seen in a variey of psychiatric/neuroligical disorders, including epilepsy, depression, panic diorder(many persons who have panic attacks have a feeling of depersonalization/derealization during the attack), schizophrenia, dissocaitive identity diorder(multiple personality), etc. There also exists an entity called Depersonalization Disorder whose sole criteria are depersonalization/derealization. The symptoms can also be elicited while using various substances-i.e. weed, acid-and I have seen a number of people who have "developed" these symptoms after using drugs and continue to have these awful symptoms long after the drugs have cleared. Clonazepam and SSRIs seem to really help.

 

Re: CRAIG and everyone please read - Unreality

Posted by Carolyn T on July 20, 1999, at 19:16:48

In reply to CRAIG and everyone please read, posted by Rene' on July 2, 1999, at 21:11:17

To craig,

I relate to what you are saying about feelings of unreality. I know all too well what you are describing. For me when those feelings are present I feel it is as if everyone and everything in the entire world is operating & functioning in the world I used to know and try as hard as I can to become apart of that world that I used to function in, I just can't. It is as if I am looking into a window and everyone else is there by I am isolated & can not become main streamed with them. It is as if nothing is real.
Is that how you feel? I am new to this bulletin board and was browsing and hope you receive this message. Take care and please reply!!!


i posted a message on last months posts about a constant derealization/depersonalization feeling that i have constantly and have had for 1 year and 3 months. i am so tired all the time mentally and physically. for those of you that have never heard the term before, it is a feeling of unreality, like you are living in a waking dream. i would love some support and advice for dealing with this, along with some testimonials for those of you that experience this disorder, or forms of it. thank you very much, rene'

 

Re: CRAIG and everyone please read - Unreality

Posted by Theresa on November 17, 1999, at 10:37:58

In reply to Re: CRAIG and everyone please read - Unreality, posted by Carolyn T on July 20, 1999, at 19:16:48

> To craig,
>
> I relate to what you are saying about feelings of unreality. I know all too well what you are describing. For me when those feelings are present I feel it is as if everyone and everything in the entire world is operating & functioning in the world I used to know and try as hard as I can to become apart of that world that I used to function in, I just can't. It is as if I am looking into a window and everyone else is there by I am isolated & can not become main streamed with them. It is as if nothing is real.
> Is that how you feel? I am new to this bulletin board and was browsing and hope you receive this message. Take care and please reply!!!
>
>
>
>
> i posted a message on last months posts about a constant derealization/depersonalization feeling that i have constantly and have had for 1 year and 3 months. i am so tired all the time mentally and physically. for those of you that have never heard the term before, it is a feeling of unreality, like you are living in a waking dream. i would love some support and advice for dealing with this, along with some testimonials for those of you that experience this disorder, or forms of it. thank you very much, rene'
I have been living the same nightmare that some of you have described. Almost 3 years ago, like an idiot, I decided I would try to lose some weight by taking a relatives diet pills- big mistake! It ended 3 days later in an extreme panic attack on the highway- and a week or two later a constant state of derealization.
I have complained of the symptoms to general practitioners, pshychiatrists, pshycologists, counselors, and the like. No one has the answer. I feel as if I view life through a telescope- everything is distant and foggy and feel as if my vision is limited. My sense of hearing also seems to be affected a little. My memory has gotten worse and my sense of time has been lost.
I presently take Prozac (30mg daily) It has decreased my panic attacks to nearly none- but not much seems to help the derealization. I have been in therapy off and on since this occured but it doesn't affect the feelings either. Some of you said that other people notice that you may act weird. No one thinks I act any differently than when I wasn't complaining of this. They often think that I am "better"- unless I bring the subject up. It is very depressing to think about- I have stood in my bathroom at night crying and begging
God to cure me of this problem-( I know I'm really cheering y'all up!) But I refuse to give up hope- even though life doesn't seem real- I am going to live as if it did. I hope y'all can find some relief from your symptoms- I will pray for you.

 

Re: CRAIG and everyone please read - Unreality

Posted by Craig on November 18, 1999, at 1:34:16

In reply to Re: CRAIG and everyone please read - Unreality, posted by Theresa on November 17, 1999, at 10:37:58

On the subject of depersonalization and derealization, I was wondering if others have noticed that certain situations seem to make these feelings more intense. For example, if I'm in a store with bright lights, it's worse. I was walking around Target and Best Buy tonight and the bright fluorescent lights made me feel even more removed from the other shoppers. I can see everyone walking around, but I just don't feel part of what they're doing even though I'm doing pretty much the same thing that they are. It is a surreal experience. I also notice that my eyes seem to lock in a kind of stare and I have to tell myself to blink. Nobody notices that anything is wrong with me, so it isn't anything obvious to anyone but me. It is intense to me and if I think about it too much, I fall out of myself even more. Then I start to dissociate. It seems like other people in this thread either don't dissociate or maybe they don't know they're dissociating. Does anyone else feel themselves falling into a trance state? I've always been this way, so there is not a specific incident that I trace this to. I have driven around the city I've always lived in and gotten the feeling that I'm lost while in familiar surroundings. That's hard to describe. I can be very logical and say I couldn't possibly be lost, but the feeling persists. Thinking about all this now isn't helping me any. I'm staring at my keyboard as I type and my hands seem to be far away from me. The keys are moving and I know I have to be the one typing, but my hands seem disconnected from me. It is a very odd feeling. I don't feel "together" but I know that I must be. Well, it's time to stop thinking about all this. I wish I could be more helpful to you all, but I guess I have to figure out myself what to do.---Craig (by the way, there's another Craig who has begun posting to this board. My posts usually center around the same topic as this, so I hope people aren't getting confused.)

 

Re: CRAIG and everyone please read

Posted by Deanna on April 4, 2000, at 0:24:48

In reply to CRAIG and everyone please read, posted by Rene' on July 2, 1999, at 21:11:17

> i posted a message on last months posts about a constant derealization/depersonalization feeling that i have constantly and have had for 1 year and 3 months. i am so tired all the time mentally and physically. for those of you that have never heard the term before, it is a feeling of unreality, like you are living in a waking dream. i would love some support and advice for dealing with this, along with some testimonials for those of you that experience this disorder, or forms of it. thank you very much, rene'

Rene,

Hi im a 17 yr. old female who has had (what i believe i have) derealization for the past 7 yrs. at first it would only come every great once in a while but, then it started to plague me every day. Now i feel DR every day of my life. Like
right now i feel it. Its so uncomfortable. I always lived on the fantasy of it going away but, I know it never will (at least copmletley).
I have come to live with it and and try to distract my mind by doing things with my friends,
That way I can't think about DR unless it desides to pop in my mind all the sudden. You can help your self stay grounded by keeping all of your 5 senses alert...... that seems to help or go outside and feel the wind up against your skin.
Please contact me for more support at
daizy_luna@hotmail.com

 

Re: CRAIG and everyone please read - Unreality

Posted by Doug on April 12, 2000, at 16:47:12

In reply to Re: CRAIG and everyone please read - Unreality, posted by Craig on November 18, 1999, at 1:34:16

People,
I had this exact same problem when I was 16.
I am now 41 years old and its strange to remember
how much trouble I had coping with it. For,
instance, when I would be in a large department
store, I would have trouble focusing my mind
on a particlar item on the shelf (I'm not taking
about visual focus, but mentally isolating a
specific item which I was looking for). What
was so troubling is that the change occured
almost overnight and linked (I think) to the use
of pot (panic reaction). I felt that I had
suddenly developed a barrier in my visual
preception of the world, which took one or
two years to shake off. When it would bother
me, I found that reading would take my mind
off of it. It eventually either went away or
my mind adapted and overcame it. I think that
it was the later, but I'm not sure and I don't
know if I could tell the difference. I think
that the key to overcomming it is to accept it
and deal with it, but don't expect it to go
away. When you truly come to grips with it
then it will gradually cease to be a problem
and you will forget you ever had it (well almost).

 

Re: CRAIG and everyone please read - Unreality

Posted by Marie D on August 29, 2000, at 13:45:08

In reply to Re: CRAIG and everyone please read - Unreality, posted by Doug on April 12, 2000, at 16:47:12

> I have suffered from panic attacks for the last couple of years but even worse is the derealization which goes along with them. Like sharon I also have searched for a medical condition with these symptoms and have developed a form of hyprocondia as a result!!! Having read this page I am slightly reassured that I am not going mad. Can anyone identify with the feeling of looking at family members, including my husband and feeling like they all exist in a different world and they are like strangers to me? It is very hard to describe but frightening. At my worst I also have awful ringing in my ears.
>
> People,
> I had this exact same problem when I was 16.
> I am now 41 years old and its strange to remember
> how much trouble I had coping with it. For,
> instance, when I would be in a large department
> store, I would have trouble focusing my mind
> on a particlar item on the shelf (I'm not taking
> about visual focus, but mentally isolating a
> specific item which I was looking for). What
> was so troubling is that the change occured
> almost overnight and linked (I think) to the use
> of pot (panic reaction). I felt that I had
> suddenly developed a barrier in my visual
> preception of the world, which took one or
> two years to shake off. When it would bother
> me, I found that reading would take my mind
> off of it. It eventually either went away or
> my mind adapted and overcame it. I think that
> it was the later, but I'm not sure and I don't
> know if I could tell the difference. I think
> that the key to overcomming it is to accept it
> and deal with it, but don't expect it to go
> away. When you truly come to grips with it
> then it will gradually cease to be a problem
> and you will forget you ever had it (well almost).

 

Re: CRAIG and everyone please read - Unreality » Marie D

Posted by Craig on August 30, 2000, at 2:13:20

In reply to Re: CRAIG and everyone please read - Unreality, posted by Marie D on August 29, 2000, at 13:45:08

You've probably already read the archives on this subject, so I don't know what else to add. Besides these, there have been a couple of even older threads on depersonalization/derealization/dissociation. Can I help you with anything else?

 

Re: CRAIG and everyone please read - Unreality

Posted by Marie D on August 31, 2000, at 5:49:14

In reply to Re: CRAIG and everyone please read - Unreality » Marie D, posted by Craig on August 30, 2000, at 2:13:20

> Thankyou for your very quick reply Craig.

Yes, I have read the archives and they were helpful.
Just knowing that there are other people out there experiencing the same thing, is an enormous help in itself.
In one month I may experience about 10 days of this feeling. Is it usual to "float" in and out of it like this for no apparant reason? I will check this page periodically to see if anyone comes up with any ideas to alleviate the symptoms.

Thankyou so much

 

Re: CRAIG and everyone please read - Unreality

Posted by Nina Anderson on January 28, 2001, at 21:34:09

In reply to Re: CRAIG and everyone please read - Unreality, posted by Marie D on August 31, 2000, at 5:49:14

hi everyone. I am 19 and have had this feeling for 3 years I am so excited to know that I am not alone. I always thought I was for no one ever understood what I was going through. I relate to all of you and pray to God every day that this will go away. I will now also pray for you all. If anyone has an answer please let me know. I will check back here alot to see if anyone has got an answer. Thank You so much
> > Thankyou for your very quick reply Craig.
>
> Yes, I have read the archives and they were helpful.
> Just knowing that there are other people out there experiencing the same thing, is an enormous help in itself.
> In one month I may experience about 10 days of this feeling. Is it usual to "float" in and out of it like this for no apparant reason? I will check this page periodically to see if anyone comes up with any ideas to alleviate the symptoms.
>
> Thankyou so much

 

Re: CRAIG and everyone please read - Unreality

Posted by Lila on February 5, 2001, at 15:51:48

In reply to Re: CRAIG and everyone please read - Unreality, posted by Nina Anderson on January 28, 2001, at 21:34:09

> hi everyone. I am 19 and have had this feeling for 3 years I am so excited to know that I am not alone. I always thought I was for no one ever understood what I was going through. I relate to all of you and pray to God every day that this will go away. I will now also pray for you all. If anyone has an answer please let me know. I will check back here alot to see if anyone has got an answer. Thank You so much
> > > Thankyou for your very quick reply Craig.
> >
> > Yes, I have read the archives and they were helpful.
> > Just knowing that there are other people out there experiencing the same thing, is an enormous help in itself.
> > In one month I may experience about 10 days of this feeling. Is it usual to "float" in and out of it like this for no apparant reason? I will check this page periodically to see if anyone comes up with any ideas to alleviate the symptoms.
> >
> > Thankyou so much

I had major problems with this, and Depakote took it away pretty much completely. Depakote is an anticonvulsant that is used for epilepsy, mood stabilization, and migraines. Try it out with a psychiatrist or a neurologist. It worked amazingly well for me, and it was so great and such a relief to have it go away. It is awful! Try out a low dosage and see what happens...maybe it will work for someone else.

 

Re: CRAIG and everyone please read - Unreality

Posted by Craig on February 6, 2001, at 0:58:54

In reply to Re: CRAIG and everyone please read - Unreality, posted by Lila on February 5, 2001, at 15:51:48

Sorry to say, but I took Depakote for 6 months and all it did was make me gain a lot of weight.

***********************************
> I had major problems with this, and Depakote took it away pretty much completely. Depakote is an anticonvulsant that is used for epilepsy, mood stabilization, and migraines. Try it out with a psychiatrist or a neurologist. It worked amazingly well for me, and it was so great and such a relief to have it go away. It is awful! Try out a low dosage and see what happens...maybe it will work for someone else.

 

Re: CRAIG and everyone please read - Unreality

Posted by Jammie on March 30, 2001, at 11:04:18

In reply to Re: CRAIG and everyone please read - Unreality, posted by Craig on February 6, 2001, at 0:58:54

> Sorry to say, but I took Depakote for 6 months and all it did was make me gain a lot of weight.
>
> ***********************************
> > I had major problems with this, and Depakote took it away pretty much completely. Depakote is an anticonvulsant that is used for epilepsy, mood stabilization, and migraines. Try it out with a psychiatrist or a neurologist. It worked amazingly well for me, and it was so great and such a relief to have it go away. It is awful! Try out a low dosage and see what happens...maybe it will work for someone else.


Hi sufferers! I have some good news. I spent my life with such things as dis-association, unreality, and panic and anxiety attacks. I also spent my life with up to 16 amalgam (mercury) fillings in my mouth. As I was getting older I was having fillings replaced with fresh new silver. And coincidently started having constant fear and anxiety. It took a year and a half, trying mental meds etc. before The Lord led me to the answer! I Had Mercury poisoning! I had all my amalgams removed asap. With each Appt the symptoms get worse for a few days before they get better. It has been a few weeks and I am still going through Chelation to get the mercury out of the brain. I am doing so great! At my new Biological dentist I have read dozens of testimonials--all very similar--sounds too simple don't it.
Mercury Poisoning is why the Hatters went Madd in the 1800's. Look it up! Get the Mercury out of the mouth. It is classified as Hazardous waste!
Please consider it. Good Luck and God Bless!

 

Re: CRAIG and everyone please read » Cass

Posted by furryz on July 24, 2003, at 10:26:40

In reply to Re: CRAIG and everyone please read, posted by Cass on July 3, 1999, at 17:42:09

i'm glad to know that so mny people share this feeling. I am 17 and have been having these feelings for a few months now as well as severe anxiety/panic attacks and depression. My psychiatrist said that the depersonalization/derealization was a symptom of my panic disorder. Even though it occures nearly 24 hours a day, it still is connected to my panic attacks wich i only get about once a day. I have been taking lexapro (antidepressant) for panic disorder for about 3 weeks now and so far i have oonly gotten worse. according to my psychiatrist that is normal and i will probably feel much better in about 3 more weeks. If any of you are experiencing panic attacks as well, the symptoms of depersonalization/derealization are almost certainly connected. Either way i would suggest to ask a psychiatrist about SSRI's (selective seretonin reuptake inhibitors) as they seem to have a good track record with this type of thing. I hope that this helps.

 

Re: CRAIG and everyone please read » furryz

Posted by natas4u on July 25, 2003, at 16:33:43

In reply to Re: CRAIG and everyone please read » Cass, posted by furryz on July 24, 2003, at 10:26:40

It is great to find people that share the same feeling. I was begening to think it was my imagination. My derealization is permanent, although if I panic or I concentrate I can make it disapear for a split second. I always thought that I had the special hability to sea the world in a more intense way. Recently I realised that those split seconds of intensity are what normal people sense all the time, not me being a magic elve with mental powers. No body notices this in my conduct unless I tell them. It's just on all the time and I really can't imagine life with out it, although I am determined to beat it now that I now it. I guess that is why I cope pretty good. I also have a story of violence in my child hood and actually I think it is quite simple to relate to panic atacks that are at the same time induced by traumatick experiences, although I am no expert. I am quite sure derealization is a way of the body to cope with panic atacks, it makes the exterior imput have less impact in your system, reducing whatever makes you be afraid. Problem is it's a general shut down, for what other type of feelings will also be lighter. I guess the more permanent , in time and intensity, the panic feeling is in the unconsciouss the more your body has to make use of the numbing effect of the exterior world (and the interior). Have it as an example: You are in a jungle and all of a suden you encounter a lion. You know he is hungry and you look deliciouss. First you will panic, but if that is the only thing you do it will eat you for supper, because instead if climbing to a tree you will freeze in horror. What you need is control of your emotions in order to escape, for what they have to be less intense. Be lucid enough to climb a tree (this is the awarness that keeps people from noticing us all the time), but not feel enough to be in panic again (derealization). I know my unconciouss has a lion waiting for me when I stop being numb (that fstidious capability of the mind to be scared of things that are no longer there) I've seen it when I get panick attacks. Believe it or not I'm provocking them to convince the part of me that thinks I am still going to get beat that there is no longer nothing to be afraid of. It is this state of permanent alert that lays beneath the aparent calm that has me so tired and might even get me confused with lack of stamina or a little depressive. I am not sure about this but anti-depressives ussualy act upon the quantity of Serotonine in your brain, they make you have more. For what I have read serotonine makes you more active and I am quite sure that is what people like me don't need. So I can relate to being less capable of realizating my self when taking anti-depressives. I think there is way to little studies of this type of disorder and I think it is a mistake., as i think fear and conscience of death is very widly extended in trauma victims. Sorry for extending my self, but I have really thought a lot about this and I really felt very lonely. Needed to know the existence of people like you. Today is a happy day

 

Re: CRAIG and everyone please read

Posted by furryz on July 25, 2003, at 19:55:04

In reply to Re: CRAIG and everyone please read » furryz, posted by natas4u on July 25, 2003, at 16:33:43

although more seratonin does make you more active, it is not in the way that you would think. My mind always races which is part of my problem, so the last thing i need is to make me more mentally energetic. The first two weeks on SSRIs you do feel more anxious and most symptoms will become worse, but then you should return to normal after between 3 and 6 weeks. Usually after 6 weeks you feel much better. Still, the feelings will probably never completely dissapate. All the drug does is help you to deal with your problems


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