[Guest]

Hello... this is my first time on the forum. I typed 'feelings of unreality' into Google earlier today. When I came across this site I cried. It was such a relief to read that other people have had experiences similar to mine.

I have felt so lonely and alien at times. Trying to explain how I feel to therapist after therapist. None of them ever gave it a name. I have suffered from severe anxiety, insomnia, depression, and that feeling of being on the other side of a thick piece of glass from everyone else, isolated and somehow unable to communicate or participate in life.

Last autumn I had reached the point of almost complete inaction in my life - just sitting and staring into space with a fog in my head whether at work or at home. Every once in a while I'd think vaguely of something I had to do and feel hysterical with anxiety. I was diagnosed with depression and put on Prozac, Imovane and Tradozone, which seems to have removed some of the depressive symptoms and almost eliminated the insomnia. I am still on 40mg of Prozac daily.

The situation now is that although I have begun to play a slightly more active part in my life here and there, I still feel as though I am in a dream. For months and months now I have spent all day, every day, at work on the Internet reading about whatever interests me. I am aware that I have a lot of work to do and that I haven't done it, and some where in the far distance part of me is forecasting doom and gloom. But most of the time it seems to me that the Nina who has work and other responsibilities is not me. Sooner or later my procrastination and inactivity is going to catch up with me and affect my job. But its like I'm watching someone else setting themselves up for trouble. I feel like I'm living a parallel life to myself.

I have tried using a PDA, read 3 books on procrastination, and am about to embark on rational behavioural therapy. My psychiatrist thinks I may have ADD. Has anyone else had any problems with procrastination or ignoring responsibilities as though they belong to someone else? Is this DP/DR?

I am sorry to make my first post such a long one. It's the relief of finding the site.

 

[Guest]

Hello... this is my first time on the forum. I typed 'feelings of unreality' into Google earlier today. When I came across this site I cried. It was such a relief to read that other people have had experiences similar to mine.

I have felt so lonely and alien at times. Trying to explain how I feel to therapist after therapist. None of them ever gave it a name. I have suffered from severe anxiety, insomnia, depression, and that feeling of being on the other side of a thick piece of glass from everyone else, isolated and somehow unable to communicate or participate in life.

Last autumn I had reached the point of almost complete inaction in my life - just sitting and staring into space with a fog in my head whether at work or at home. Every once in a while I'd think vaguely of something I had to do and feel hysterical with anxiety. I was diagnosed with depression and put on Prozac, Imovane and Tradozone, which seems to have removed some of the depressive symptoms and almost eliminated the insomnia. I am still on 40mg of Prozac daily.

The situation now is that although I have begun to play a slightly more active part in my life here and there, I still feel as though I am in a dream. For months and months now I have spent all day, every day, at work on the Internet reading about whatever interests me. I am aware that I have a lot of work to do and that I haven't done it, and some where in the far distance part of me is forecasting doom and gloom. But most of the time it seems to me that the Nina who has work and other responsibilities is not me. Sooner or later my procrastination and inactivity is going to catch up with me and affect my job. But its like I'm watching someone else setting themselves up for trouble. I feel like I'm living a parallel life to myself.

I have tried using a PDA, read 3 books on procrastination, and am about to embark on rational behavioural therapy. My psychiatrist thinks I may have ADD. Has anyone else had any problems with procrastination or ignoring responsibilities as though they belong to someone else? Is this DP/DR?

I am sorry to make my first post such a long one. It's the relief of finding the site.

 

[peacedove]

Thank God you found this site, I'm very happy you did. I felt the same way when I actually found other people with this "thing" that no therapist or psychiatrist could define. They diagnosed me with depression, anxiety, panic disorder. I read up on all of these but I knew there was something more... this DP. I diagnosed myself with DP with the help of this and another site cuz doctors just don't seem to know what the hell it is.

I have a huge problem with procrastination and responsibility. But I think my thing is I'm just so overwhelmed I don't know what to do. And I don't know what's best for me cuz I don't even know why I'm in this hell and so I just try to do what my therapist tells me to do cuz I figure he can help me become more normal, more real. But I've taken his advice and finished high school, took some community college courses, got a job... but I'm still in this DP hell.

But anyways I'm not helping. You do definitely sound like you have DP so at least now you know you're not alone and your illness has a name. Someone will give you a much better response soon don't worry.

 

[peacedove]

Thank God you found this site, I'm very happy you did. I felt the same way when I actually found other people with this "thing" that no therapist or psychiatrist could define. They diagnosed me with depression, anxiety, panic disorder. I read up on all of these but I knew there was something more... this DP. I diagnosed myself with DP with the help of this and another site cuz doctors just don't seem to know what the hell it is.

I have a huge problem with procrastination and responsibility. But I think my thing is I'm just so overwhelmed I don't know what to do. And I don't know what's best for me cuz I don't even know why I'm in this hell and so I just try to do what my therapist tells me to do cuz I figure he can help me become more normal, more real. But I've taken his advice and finished high school, took some community college courses, got a job... but I'm still in this DP hell.

But anyways I'm not helping. You do definitely sound like you have DP so at least now you know you're not alone and your illness has a name. Someone will give you a much better response soon don't worry.

 

[Dreamer]

Welcome, yes you seem to have found the right place. I'm too lazy at the mo' to say more than, yes, so glad you found us. You'll find many answers here. Keep posting, asking questions and read the stories, go back and read other posts.

You can even search topics .... I think that's in the upper right corner of any main forum.... oh I'm of no help.

But, YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
Take Care,
Dreamer :shock:

 

[Dreamer]

Welcome, yes you seem to have found the right place. I'm too lazy at the mo' to say more than, yes, so glad you found us. You'll find many answers here. Keep posting, asking questions and read the stories, go back and read other posts.

You can even search topics .... I think that's in the upper right corner of any main forum.... oh I'm of no help.

But, YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
Take Care,
Dreamer :shock:

 

[sleepingbeauty]

HEY THERE!!!

oh thank goodness you found us! actually you sound just like me! not everyone here can relate to alot of my symtoms.. because i KNOW now that i have ADD. i found this site exactly the way you did. and i cried too. but not everyone here can relate to the procrastination, anxiety, insomnia, depression, living in a dream, not being able to participate and communicate.. feeling like you are behind a glass wall observing life but not participating... omg i relate to that 1000 %!!! in fact you sound so much like me.. we should chat sometime.. maybe we can help each other. i have aol, yahoo, and msn messenger.. or just email me.

dont dispair!!! you are well on the road to recovery. finding us is a huge step in the right direction!

 

[sleepingbeauty]

HEY THERE!!!

oh thank goodness you found us! actually you sound just like me! not everyone here can relate to alot of my symtoms.. because i KNOW now that i have ADD. i found this site exactly the way you did. and i cried too. but not everyone here can relate to the procrastination, anxiety, insomnia, depression, living in a dream, not being able to participate and communicate.. feeling like you are behind a glass wall observing life but not participating... omg i relate to that 1000 %!!! in fact you sound so much like me.. we should chat sometime.. maybe we can help each other. i have aol, yahoo, and msn messenger.. or just email me.

dont dispair!!! you are well on the road to recovery. finding us is a huge step in the right direction!

 

[sleepingbeauty]

are you a female? if you are and just in case we dont get to talk.. you should really get this book called

WOMEN WITH ADD

here is the website link:

http://www.sarisolden.com/index.html

this book is absolutely amazing and is truly a lifesaver. i cried all the way through. it shows the huge difference between ADD and ADHD. and how women with ADD are so often misdiagnosed as having bipolarism, depression, dissociation and other similar illnesses that can fall under ADD, but because they dont exibit hyperactiveness the ADD is overlooked. thats why so many girls are falling through the cracks cause no one can figure out why they cant focus, yet they arent problem kids so no one really notices that theres a major problem. the symptoms dont manifest themselves into the physical like acting out and hyperactiveness does, so its easy to hide the problem. but through your life you are always afraid that you will be FOUND OUT. cause theres this chaos that goes on inside of you but on the exterior it doenst really show.. so you can get on with your life and hide it.. even though its a tremendous struggle for you to do just that. anyways, you should check it out and see if you relate. i sure did!!

 

[sleepingbeauty]

are you a female? if you are and just in case we dont get to talk.. you should really get this book called

WOMEN WITH ADD

here is the website link:

http://www.sarisolden.com/index.html

this book is absolutely amazing and is truly a lifesaver. i cried all the way through. it shows the huge difference between ADD and ADHD. and how women with ADD are so often misdiagnosed as having bipolarism, depression, dissociation and other similar illnesses that can fall under ADD, but because they dont exibit hyperactiveness the ADD is overlooked. thats why so many girls are falling through the cracks cause no one can figure out why they cant focus, yet they arent problem kids so no one really notices that theres a major problem. the symptoms dont manifest themselves into the physical like acting out and hyperactiveness does, so its easy to hide the problem. but through your life you are always afraid that you will be FOUND OUT. cause theres this chaos that goes on inside of you but on the exterior it doenst really show.. so you can get on with your life and hide it.. even though its a tremendous struggle for you to do just that. anyways, you should check it out and see if you relate. i sure did!!

 

[Guest]

I will definitely get that book!

I was finally diagosed with severe ADD at the age of 37 and I cried a lot that day. Because, believe it or not, I was so happy. Suddenly vindication after 37 years of crushed self-esteem from being "the dumbest smart person I've ever met", lazy, irresponsible, air-headed, organizationally challanged, and just a plain loser. I'm also supposedly bi-polar, but who knows anymore? The more I learn about the two, the less sure I am of which I have (or both, of course.)

I think I cried for the poor kid/teenager/twentysomething etc that flailed around, just on the right side of functional MOST OF THE TIME.

I'm a recovering drug addict and am only starting to understand the connections between all this stuff and my need to find oblivion. Of course, I still struggle, but at least at this job, I'm "out" and my supervisor knows that I need extra help with paperwork and follow through. I don't have to pretend that everything is normal!

OK, ADD women -- tell me this! Should my ADD meds make all my ADD stuff go away? Because I'm certainly more focused with my paperwork, but I'm still as forgetful as all get out and still can't find my keys 9 times out of 10. I'm on 10mg of Adderall (20mg made me bitchy) and 200mg of Strattera. The Strattera didn't do squat for my ADD but sure helped my depression! My Dr. wants to add something called "FOCALE" in the PM to prop up the Adderal.

OK, enough! Sorry to babble.

I love this site.

Susan

 

[Guest]

I will definitely get that book!

I was finally diagosed with severe ADD at the age of 37 and I cried a lot that day. Because, believe it or not, I was so happy. Suddenly vindication after 37 years of crushed self-esteem from being "the dumbest smart person I've ever met", lazy, irresponsible, air-headed, organizationally challanged, and just a plain loser. I'm also supposedly bi-polar, but who knows anymore? The more I learn about the two, the less sure I am of which I have (or both, of course.)

I think I cried for the poor kid/teenager/twentysomething etc that flailed around, just on the right side of functional MOST OF THE TIME.

I'm a recovering drug addict and am only starting to understand the connections between all this stuff and my need to find oblivion. Of course, I still struggle, but at least at this job, I'm "out" and my supervisor knows that I need extra help with paperwork and follow through. I don't have to pretend that everything is normal!

OK, ADD women -- tell me this! Should my ADD meds make all my ADD stuff go away? Because I'm certainly more focused with my paperwork, but I'm still as forgetful as all get out and still can't find my keys 9 times out of 10. I'm on 10mg of Adderall (20mg made me bitchy) and 200mg of Strattera. The Strattera didn't do squat for my ADD but sure helped my depression! My Dr. wants to add something called "FOCALE" in the PM to prop up the Adderal.

OK, enough! Sorry to babble.

I love this site.

Susan

 

[dalailama15]

Nina

Has anyone else had any problems with procrastination or ignoring responsibilities as though they belong to someone else? Is this DP/DR?

Yes. I have said and thought the same thing, the key being??as though they belong to someone else.? In fact, I have said or thought or written virtually every sentiment in every sentence of your post. The ?feelings of unreality? is at the core of any definition of DP, and the fact that we still know what reality is, but that it just doesn?t feel real, is confusing I think to many mental health professionals (although what do I know what they think?, or even if they think) and yes: ?alien? ?isolated,? and especially yes: ?as if on an other side of a thick piece of glass,? and absolutely yes:

"I still feel as though I am in a dream. "

Yes I have tried over and over, for many years, to explain all this stuff to some mental health professional, and yes they say depression, and now dysthymia, and I say yea of course it?s a little depressing to watch your life go by, un-lived, but it doesn?t seem to be just depression to me, it is this other thing, this other thing that, when I talk about it, you not only don?t understand, but don?t even seem to hear me talking about it. Anyway.

Yes, I wept when I first found this site as well. I had always thought, ?I can?t be unique, this must be happening to other people (besides the great neurotic writers, Kafka, Dostoevski, Soren K et. al.). And yes, I felt the relief, to have it all spelled out, finally.

(And if you think you?re first post is long you should have read mine, which got lost when the other forum crashed (and which, (parenthetically within this parenthetical) nobody ever responded to (thank you all very much (poor me))) Anyway.

Since to get a correct diagnosis we finally had to do it, with the help of Google, by ourselves, we may have to do the same with cause, prognosis, treatment and cure, with perhaps a little help from the good Dr. Daphne Simeon.
http://www.onlineparadigm.com/archives/233-SP03_BD.pdf
(pdf)

I don?t know about any of this. The only thing I know for sure is that I know, Nina, what you are talking about.

(By the way. Do you think your difficulties were in any way connected to recreational drugs? For me, and I gather for many others, it was cannabis, for some, ecstacy. This is the piece of this puzzle that, I think, may be important.)

please take care

me

 

[dalailama15]

Nina

Has anyone else had any problems with procrastination or ignoring responsibilities as though they belong to someone else? Is this DP/DR?

Yes. I have said and thought the same thing, the key being??as though they belong to someone else.? In fact, I have said or thought or written virtually every sentiment in every sentence of your post. The ?feelings of unreality? is at the core of any definition of DP, and the fact that we still know what reality is, but that it just doesn?t feel real, is confusing I think to many mental health professionals (although what do I know what they think?, or even if they think) and yes: ?alien? ?isolated,? and especially yes: ?as if on an other side of a thick piece of glass,? and absolutely yes:

"I still feel as though I am in a dream. "

Yes I have tried over and over, for many years, to explain all this stuff to some mental health professional, and yes they say depression, and now dysthymia, and I say yea of course it?s a little depressing to watch your life go by, un-lived, but it doesn?t seem to be just depression to me, it is this other thing, this other thing that, when I talk about it, you not only don?t understand, but don?t even seem to hear me talking about it. Anyway.

Yes, I wept when I first found this site as well. I had always thought, ?I can?t be unique, this must be happening to other people (besides the great neurotic writers, Kafka, Dostoevski, Soren K et. al.). And yes, I felt the relief, to have it all spelled out, finally.

(And if you think you?re first post is long you should have read mine, which got lost when the other forum crashed (and which, (parenthetically within this parenthetical) nobody ever responded to (thank you all very much (poor me))) Anyway.

Since to get a correct diagnosis we finally had to do it, with the help of Google, by ourselves, we may have to do the same with cause, prognosis, treatment and cure, with perhaps a little help from the good Dr. Daphne Simeon.
http://www.onlineparadigm.com/archives/233-SP03_BD.pdf
(pdf)

I don?t know about any of this. The only thing I know for sure is that I know, Nina, what you are talking about.

(By the way. Do you think your difficulties were in any way connected to recreational drugs? For me, and I gather for many others, it was cannabis, for some, ecstacy. This is the piece of this puzzle that, I think, may be important.)

please take care

me

 

[Guest]

Welcome Nina

I'm certain you'll find great information and support here.

Best Shelly

 

[Guest]

Welcome Nina

I'm certain you'll find great information and support here.

Best Shelly

 

[Guest]

Hello... this is my first time on the forum. I typed 'feelings of unreality' into Google earlier today. When I came across this site I cried.

Hello, I'm just new on here myself, although I was registered at the old site as well. I actually looked through a psychiatric book when I had dp/dr (back in pre-internet days) and felt equal relief when I read the term 'depersonalisation disorder'. I mentioned it to a therapist, one of the two visits I ever made to one, and he said, "Well, that's just a word. You're the one having to deal with it here and now." I never went back, because I don't think he realised how important it was for me to have a word for it. It's something I've been thinking of in the past few days. I've never discussed this with friends, but I think now that I could, potentially, mention the term to someone, if nothing more. I'm glad you've found this site, and have to say that I have equally bad problems with procastrination. Yes, I just watch problems build up as if they're in someone else's life, like you said!

 

[Guest]

Hello... this is my first time on the forum. I typed 'feelings of unreality' into Google earlier today. When I came across this site I cried.

Hello, I'm just new on here myself, although I was registered at the old site as well. I actually looked through a psychiatric book when I had dp/dr (back in pre-internet days) and felt equal relief when I read the term 'depersonalisation disorder'. I mentioned it to a therapist, one of the two visits I ever made to one, and he said, "Well, that's just a word. You're the one having to deal with it here and now." I never went back, because I don't think he realised how important it was for me to have a word for it. It's something I've been thinking of in the past few days. I've never discussed this with friends, but I think now that I could, potentially, mention the term to someone, if nothing more. I'm glad you've found this site, and have to say that I have equally bad problems with procastrination. Yes, I just watch problems build up as if they're in someone else's life, like you said!

 

[kenc127]

Hey Nina-

Welcome to the board. I'm glad that you found us because this thing is too horrible to go it alone. Hang in there.

Ken

 

[kenc127]

Hey Nina-

Welcome to the board. I'm glad that you found us because this thing is too horrible to go it alone. Hang in there.

Ken