[Aaron46589]

I know for a fact I have experienced depersonalisation and derealization before in the past as I suffer from anxiety and panic attacks.

After I had my panic attacks I noticed I felt a little detached and spaced out. That was depersonalisation because it feels very similar to what I’m experiencing now but back then I didn’t know what it was so i didn’t pay attention to it. During that part of my life I was too busy and distracted at university so I didn’t really have the time to overthink things and after a while that feeling just disappeared by itself and went away.

However, unfortunately this time around when I get DPDR from stress and anxiety I started to become very aware of the DPDR and I started to google my symptoms and so I latched onto it which is the main reason why I believe it has stayed around for a long time because now it’s stuck in my subconscious and I can’t stop thinking about it and I’m always focused on it.

Many people will experience depersonalisation and derealization in their life time but the difference is they didn’t pay attention to it and so it went away. However people like us we started to become obsessed with it and we couldn’t stop thinking about it and as a result we have turned a small minor problem into a huge massive problem. I think the worst thing I ever did was google my symptoms because then I became aware of it being a disorder and that it can be there for years and that there’s no cure this freaked me out and made me much more anxious which is prolonging my DPDR.

If I just carried on as normal like i did before when I had it most likely it would have been gone by now.
I understand not everyone will find this useful but this is just my experience and hopefully it will bring hope to other people that this shit will go away and it can go away.

 

[coolwhip27]

I both agree and disagree with what you said about it being a minor problem turned into a massive one. Its a non problem in the sense that our thinking about it isn’t going to solve it, but at the same time we are also aware of how great and vibrant life can be when we’re out of it. But we don’t “get out of it” in the way that we decide to step out of a car. Depersonalization/disassociation isn’t a “thing”. It’s a different state yeah but it can’t, won’t and never will be pinned down. It’s just the opposite of a peaceful and vibrant state of living. There will never come anything positive out of rationalizing it

 

[REB]

I couldn't possibly agree more.

 

[NoDevils]

I think depersonalization has lessened for me. It's hard to measure. Things also got better when I stopped giving a shit about depersonalization insofar as feeling bad for myself and grieving about lack of emotions.

Life before was more vibrant, as was life before experiencing childhood trauma, entering the adult world, and taking antidepressants. I have hope for the future because I have aspirations and believe in freedom from familial, financial, and societal chains, but I can't reverse time.