DEPERSONALIZATION?

[angeliz]

Need some help here. Can anyone give me some insight on Depersonalization symptoms or your story? I have been expierencing this detached, unreal, fake, floating, unconscious, numb, observant feeling for 2 weeks. Not sure what started it...but I monitor every thought, word I speak, body movement ect....and I cant stop! I feel like Im a zombie. Im forgetful, I feel dazed and confused most of the time. Im 44F. Suffer from depression/anxiety and PTSD. When I drive, I kinda panic thinking Im not focused and will wreck. That is one thing, I cant seem to FOCUS on anything cause I seem to be too busy monitoring my actions. When I speak, I have to search for words or they seem to come out all scrambled cause again, I seem to be watching everything I do or say.

[spongebobsmommy]

That is me for about the last 6mths! I just feel like Im always walking around in a daze! Or Duh brained like I call it or I just cant think straight! and that makes the Anxiety 10 times worse UGhhhhh!!!

[ento23]

I suffered from DP in 2000 when I was 20.  When the symptoms first began they were 24/7 for about 6 months then their frequency lessened until they completely went away in 2005-6.  When it started I had no idea what it was.  My doctor, chiropractor, and therapist at the time called it 'brain fog' but upon reflection it was DP.  It was the first of my anxiety disorders (excluding OCD). 

Anyways, at first I just fought it, feared it, and kept thinking "WTF is going on?"  Nobody had a cause nor an answer.  From what I understand, by reading posts on this forum, DP is a defense mechanism when your body becomes overloaded with stress.  So, when you feel anxious (which is triggered by stressors), you will experience depersonalization symptoms.

Since nobody really had any answers back when I was experiencing it, I just sort of lived with it.  First in fear but then I just had to accept it.  By seeing things as they were (this dream-like world in which I'm detached from my mind and body) the symptoms slowly began to diminish (both in intensity and frequency).  Unfortunately, in 2001 I began to have panic attacks. 

Anyways, I'm sure therapy, specifically some sort of CBT-type therapy and/or meds would help.  But from a general mindset approach, I would suggest that you just accept it.  The symptoms eventually will start to diminish.  I hope this helps.

-ento23

[Fight4Freedom]

You should read my personal story if you have time.
http://www.anxietyzone.com/index.php?topic=11098.0

But for now I can tell you from personal experience that, Depersonalization should be discussed with a doctor.  Im sorry to say there really isnt much to help DP other than sleep.  For me sleeping brought myself back to reality until my next anxiety attack which was never really far away. 

As far as symptoms go, there is only one I can give and it covers it all.
If it feels like your watching yourself from the back of your head and you dont know what your going to do next.

I had the same problem as you though, not being able to concentrate on anything but what im saying or thinking.  I controlled my own mind and still didnt know what I was doing.

I wish you the best of luck.  Sorry I couldnt give much of a tip on how to fix it.

[angeliz]

Im suffering from the racing thougths alot today and the last 3 days really. I just go around like in this "duh" state feeling. My mind just doesnt make sense. Going form this thought to that and sometimes no thoughts but I still feel like Im in a daze, fog. I feel tense inside and sometimes I even begin to shake. I can feel my throat getting tight like someone has their hands around my neck. I catch myslef not breathing. Holding my breath. I feel like my eyes jump from this spot to that spot.  Just no concentration and feeling like Im in this glass ball watching everything go on around me. I can respond to it, but it doesnt feel real.....make sense? Any meds help you guys? I hate this feeling!! I have alot of stressors right now...but I cant seem to get my thoughts to slow and to get this under control so I can feel' Relaxed" I try to close my eyes and relax and breath and its hard cause my mind just jumps around so much.

[apple]

I remember listening to a relaxation CD and after the first few words, I couldnt hear it and lost track cause my mind was on the billion other things.

I recomend talking to your doctor about these meds I found to help.  Everyone is different so one may work for one person and not the next...thats why there are different kinds in the same group.

Anxiolytics  (anti-anxiety)

•Benzodiazepines

Alprazolam (Xanax)
Chlordiazepoxide (Librium)
Clonazepam (Klonopin)
Chlorazepate (Tranxene)
Diazepam (valium)
Lorazepam (Ativan)
Oxazepam (Serax)

Antidepressants

SNRI  (both parts of brain)

Venlafaxine (Effexor)

•TCA’s  (Other part of brain)

Clomipramine (anafranil)
Desipramine (Norpamin)
Imipramine (Tofranil)
Nortripyline (Aventyl)


An important thing tho is make sure to get your doctor to refer you to a specialist who does CBT cognative behaviour therapy.  Once the meds are doing their thing, you can focus on the negative thought process and how to manage the anxiety that is brought on by your negative thoughts.  Meds only take care of the chemical issues, not the thought processes you have learned by trying to cope with your anxiety.

[tmicrowave]

i've been there too angeliz
sometimes i feel more foggy than other times
but weeks have went by when i was like that
just felt like a ghost 100 percent
i never know exactly how or why it went away
but best thing you can do is eat healthy and all of that stuff
since too wrongs wont make a right!
eating bad always causes me more anxiety
exercise always helps
sunlight helps, thats why i'm getting fed up with winter
but im thinking of buying some vitamin d
i've been taking fish oil suppliments and they seem to work well so i recommend those to you
goodluck!

[breynolds95746]

Yeah I get a similar feeling of just losing track of my thinking, then questioning what I'm doing and saying- definately doesnt help my OCD of going crazy. I sometimes feel out of it and then focus and then everything around me seems overwhelming.

[tigerpaw]

I would love to hear from you and how you are doing.....please update us....this symptom was the worst one for me to deal with......I hope this finds you doing better

[Mishielynn]

I feel really spacy, expecially during a lot of stress.
The worst part about it is when I first had these symptoms and didn't know what was going on.
I asked so many health professionals and was given so many different answers.
That made the fear even worse.

From my experience, the more you fear it, the worst it will get.

I hope things are going well for you my friend. I know this is scary.

[crazylady]

angeliz,

When I first started the anxiety attacks I would get the realization. As I started to accept that it was going to happen though and that I was okay it slowly went away. I now only get it on rare occasions and it is usually when I'm under stress and have to much to do and little time to do them. You really just kind of have to work through it.

[Josie]

I have gone through DP many times sometimes at work as a school bus driver.  I no longer drive a bus.  I loved my job but I didn't want to hurt the children. 
The times I attempted 0119 I was in a state of DP.  There are a lot of medications I cannot take.  It just makes thinks worse. 
If you want to call it DP, brain fog, or brain farts.  I am so there.  Sometimes I just have to laugh about certain things because that is all I can do.  Unfortunately I have gotten extremely angry with myself.  I doesn't help doing it that way.
During the weekend I was in brain fogs and during that time somewhere my purse was stolen.  All I could do was go through the motions of taking care of things and ignored the lectures I got for being dingy and forgetful.

[esjen]

I believe I experienced severe case of this symptom when I went through klonopin withdrawal...Now it's not so bad, it reminds me that I've actually had this time to time before, except now it's all the time, but not as bad as before during the benzo withdrawal