Hi i'm currenly suffering from anxiety/panic/ocd to the point where i've completely withdrawln from everything. I was doing better (about 2 weeks)until i went to take a mri and had a panic attack within 2 minutes. So now that brought it all back to where it was before i started getting better. I recently (about 4 days ago) started taking .5 mg xanax once a day when i start experiencing depersonalization/derealization with vertigo (xanax helps). The vertigo is pretty much all day everyday and is a rocking type vertigo. Is this common in these disorders? Its by far the freakiest thing ever and was curious if anyone experiences it and has some tips to bring you back to reality as soon as possible.

bump bump :D

I get derealization ALOT and sometimes depersonalization. I've read somewhere online that it's a very common symptom of anxiety ..... if you google depersonalization is should be the first link it comes up with.

Take Care, and you are NOT alone.

Karen.

Hi Buck85:wave:
I just wanted to share this with you..
Perhaps it will be helpful to you as well as others who may read this post!
Depersonalization is a SYMPTOM of an anxiety disorder. Depersonalization can not exist without anxiety, but anxiety can exist without depersonalization.
Depersonalization is caused by a shift in the part of the brain that provides us with a 'real' awareness of our environment, which are caused by changes which occur in the way nerve signals are processed by the brain during anxiety disorders.
I DID tons of research on this myself, in fear of thinking I was going crazy!!
Depersonalization can include feelings of, unreal unattached, spaciness like a dream state, spaced~out, feeling like your head is in a fog, withdrawn, and dreamlike state.. Derealization is completely harmless but can be very disturbing. I know I myself often have depersonalization/derealization feelings. It's just all part of this wonderful disorder!!! Any thoughts or questions just let me know.. boxerlover:angel:

First off i just wanted to thank you for the response boxer. I'm going through the same exact thing you are. Every single symptom you have is what i have and it gives my mind ease knowing that I'm not the only one with all of this. I think constant vertigo is the thing thats driving me nuts... because when i start getting really bad vertigo at times, thats when the dp/dr seems to kick in. The feelings are so horrible and people that are around you have absolutely no clue what its like. Its almost like they think its just these little dizzy spells or something. Theres nothing like sitting completely still in a chair and feeling like you're in a car. But anyways i do have a couple questions for you.

1. Have you had agoraphobia?

2. Have you seen any psychiatrists or therapists?

good morning all----just to jump in for a minute. i was dx with PTSD about 5 years ago. the first time i noticed something was wron i had disassociated. i wasn't sure at first but since i knew sonething was wrong i went for a physchiatrict eval and was put with a PTSD specialist. we did alot of work for about 2 years and i was doing great. then i was injured on the job and noticed as time went on the i was in a bad way. i would "leave" every once in awhile. got to the point that i was afraid to go out alone, driving is one of the most stressful things i can do. driving home form PT one day i put my turn signal on and forgot why or what i was doing or even how to drive at that point. the tears came to the point of sobbing for hours. i am back with my PTSD counselor who tells me i am in a bad place right now. see her again on wed and will ask her to explain a little more as to what is going on. it's very scary and if your not already extrememly anxious the disassociation will being you there.:wave:

Hi Bucks85:wave:
You are very welcome! I am sorry to hear you are suffering from the same symptoms as me. I know how life altering vertigo can be and I totally understand what you are feeling and are going through. I will first start off by telling you my symptoms began back in 1999 I was at work and was hit with bad room spinning vertigo and a massive headache. I went to the doctors and was told it was a inner ear infection.. My ears did not hurt at all but thought perhaps it was inner.. So I went home "Barely" and was bed ridden for a few weeks only to become worse. I returned to the Doctors and was given 100 blood test and tested positive to Lyme disease. I was treated for
1 1/2 years with medication and began to recover but the vertigo stayed!
I developed horrible panic attacks and anxiety because of this (as you yourself can relate to) I was seen by specialist after specialist Ent, neurologist, physical therapist, cardiologist.. And so on with nothing other then the old you were treated as you should have (meaning the Lyme)
and we don't know what to tell you it must be anxiety related. So I spent years in therapy which did help with other issues but still had vertigo, which my therapist thinks is triggering the anxiety... So which came first so to speak the chicken or the egg? I can tell you this if I didn't have the vertigo I KNOW my anxiety and panic attacks would be minimal.. I spin I float I sway I feel as if I am falling, I PANIC!!
I have ALL the symptoms you complain about.. I do have headaches pressure, tension type daily.. I am told it is related to my jaw clenching from all the anxiety so I do have TMJ issues.. Not sure if you do as well.
I limit my going out. I used to be able to handle it much better but I can't sit still in a restaurant or movie theater without feeling as if I am falling tilting dropping or moving. I find that if I am walking and I stop I still feel like I am moving sort of an outer body type sensation.. I have trouble as well standing still in the car I feel like I am rolling backwards or forward, when I am actually standing still.. This creates a tremendous amount of depression, frustration, and anxiety because my life just plain and simple has become one of the most
greatest challenges.. I know that no one can truly understand unless they have felt this way themselves.. It is a horrible way to live.. Life has become limited, can't plan ahead without knowing how you may feel that day.. Can't enjoy the things you once did.. At times you feel as if you are just existing and not truly living.. That being said don't get me wrong I know that there are so many things I am grateful for in my life, my family, my health etc..
So yes I know how you feel and your not alone at all..
May I ask how long have you had vertigo? Did the anxiety come first or the vertigo? I see you mentioned in another post an ENT appointment tomorrow again.. I wish you luck on this visit and hope you find some answers unlike me! I think the unknown is just as bad as the feelings.. If you have any other thoughts let me know, or just need to talk I am here and in the same 'boat"
so to speak! boxerlover:angel:

Oh yeah and the xanax is the only thing for me that calms down the symptoms but not enough to say that they are completly gone.. :dizzy: Boxer

Bucks85~
I meant to ask you do your eyes feel really weird too???? :dizzy:

I'll give you the whole story later on when my vertigo isnt in full swing... but it started about 6 months ago with sinus probblems, fogginess, and fatigue. The next day I had my first anxiety attack and got incredibly scared and started worrying about my health. I didnt have vertigo back then... but about 4 weeks ago i got a middle ear, sinus, and throat infection at the same time. I was doing ok and was able to drive etc until the vertigo hit which really disabled me and brought me into this constant panic and overwhelming anxiety. Thats when the tilting sensation and spinning movements started getting real bad. I went to a neurologist and had an MRI done of my brain sinus and cervical spine and was diagnosed with sphenoid and maxillary sinus disease. That was last week and now i have flu like symptoms with another ear infection which is bringing on another sinus infection. Its so hard dealing with all of this along with horrible anxiety. As for the eye problems... yes and this all started after the first ear infection... my eyes feel incredibly heavy, burn and i seem to see everything in slow motion. It looks like things are moving when im trying to focus on something (tv, compter, etc) But yeah i'll give u the whole scoop later on. :D

EDIT: boxer how much xanax do you take daily? I just started like a week ago cause i couldnt make it through an mri without freaking out lol. But it helped and helps me out a ton during the day... but it seems to wear off within like 3 hours...

Hi bucks~
sorry your having a bad day.. I really think your vertigo sounds like more of an ear disorder verses anxiety.. That's just my opinion based on what you have told me so far.. I think mine can also be ear or tmj related because I do get these sharp shooting pains deep down inside my ear at times.. But every time I go to the Doctor she just looks in my ears gives me antibiotics and some nasal spray and sends me on my way and the balance never resolves.. Frustrating!!! I know inner ear balance problems can make anxiety 1000 times worse.
I also have the eye problems too... They are exactly as you described.. It's amazing that are vertigo is pretty much the same. I take the lowest dose of xanax I guess it's 0.25mg It seems to take the edge off as I mentioned but still feel some motion. Without it I don't know if I would be able to function..
Perhaps you should ask your doctor for the xanax Xr I believe it is released throughout the day, maybe that would be better choice for you..
I wanted to know do you feel better when you lay down also? That is the only time I feel somewhat normal..
I am curious to see how you make out tomorrow keep me posted!
Wishing you Luck! Boxerlover (boxer's Leave Paw Prints in Our Hearts Forever)

lol thats so b.izarre... thats the only relief i ever get is when i lay down... I sleep on a waterbed which makes it 10x better i think. I suppose its helps me psychologically in a sense that if im feeling vertigo and a swaying feeling... i can just rock a little bit and the bed will move and take my mind off it. Thanks again and i will let you know as soon as i get back :p

by the way, how old are you boxer? 22 here.

Well after getting that shot of rocephin and taking more antibiotics... my balance has definitely been improving. My feeling of movement when sitting still is improving. The constant rocking vertigo is improving. The sinus and ear congestion also seems to be improving. The only thing i'm stuck with now is feeling incredibly weird that im somewhat feeling normal again. I've been battling different problems for the last 5 months and now that it seems to be improving... i seriously don't know how to act. I pretty much broke down the other night because i dont really remember what normal is like. I was just sitting there and suddenly I started suffering from a horrible depersonalization episode which i think turned into a panic attack(without the racing heartbeat etc) I just have a question... is it normal to be freaking out about somewhat feeling normal after suffering for the past 5 months? It's like since i withdrew from everything in life and now after not doing anything really for 5 months i feel like i can do something... but not incredibly sure. I've been feeling incredibly confused and any advice would be greatly appreciated. I know it sounds weird but if you've ever experienced vertigo 24-7 and then it starts going away, its so weird adjusting to.

Hi Bucks85~
Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner.. The last few days have been horrible for me.. My vertigo is really getting the best of me the last few days.. I feel as if my head is not connected to my shoulders. Very floaty feeling and spaced out/brain fog! I am Glad to hear you are getting some relief.. But sorry to hear you are having a "hard" time adjusting to not having vertigo.. I would think some of the anxiety that you felt with the vertigo is causing you to feel this way.. Here is something I wrote in a previous post that may apply to you..
In fact inner ear problems that have completely resolved but the symptoms still persist, despite the resolution of the inner ear disorder can happen. In this case I was told and found VERY interesting is that it appears the inner ear disorder triggered an anxiety, panic, or phobic state. In this situation, the psychological disorder perpetuates the dizziness, despite the fact that the underlying inner ear disorder has resolved. How interesting is that!!!
So don't be surprised if your anxiety, panic and other symptoms hang around a little bit longer than the actual inner ear problem!!
I have had this since 1999 and still no relief!! Hopefully you have better luck and are able to start living a normal and healthy life!!! I am 34 by the way I know you had asked, but all my symptoms started in my 20's!!
Hope your having a better day.. Talk soon:)

Does anyones dp/dr actually have a time which it seems to hit you the hardest? I've been dealing with it pretty much all day past few days but right after it gets dark around 7pm it hits me really hard. I'm so worried about suicide and all that crap cause i've heard dp/dr has a high rate and it really bothers me knowing that. Anyone else?

Hi Bucks~
Mine is actually worse during the day and better at night.. I feel really disconnected throughout the day as if I am walking around in a fog, all that is familiar to me sometimes seems "unreal" or "dreamlike".. This could all be coming from your ear problem.. Are you taking any meds besides the xanax?

yeah taking 300mg OMNICEF (antibiotics) Its been incredibly horrible the past few days... Through the episodes have seriously considered going to a mental hospital...

Episodes of what Dp/Dr? or the vertigo? How has the dizziness been? I know you mentioned in another post that it was getting better.. Is that still the case? Remember Derealization and Depersonalization are both 'Dissociative disorders and sufferers of one can experience the other. Depersonalization and Derealization are completely normal symptoms of anxiety disorder. Although very disturbing at times, they are completely harmless. They Do
NOT mean that you have any other condition, a mental illness or that you are going mad... they are just more anxiety symptoms!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think if you are having a lot of trouble dealing with these feelings, perhaps a visit to the Doctor's would be beneficial.. Maybe they can change your medication to something that helps this disorder as well.. (meaning the derealization/depersonalization) Do you feel you are getting any relief from the xanax??

I still get occassional vertigo spells... but not near what it was. The dp/dr is what is really bothering me. I sit in this computer chair and feel like im a ghost and i start getting confused and panicy. But i was reading another forum (dunno if i am supposed to post links) but its dp/dr related only. I was reading a thread and saw that vitaminb6 helps tons of people with dp/dr... i was taking multi vitamins about a week ago and stopped for no reason and the last few days have been pure hell (dp/dr) wise... So i'm gonna start taking them again and see if i get any improvement... The xanax helps a little bit, but not as much as id like ;) Maybe i just need to up my dosage a bit... only been takin but .25 mg twice a day. Thanks again boxer and i hope you start improving very soon...:wave:

I am having a very bad time right now. Three weeks ago I was just fine and then one morning i woke up feeling that my brain chemistry had changed overnight. Then the depression started and extremely bad anxiety. I has totally debilitated me. I have depersonalization/derealization all of the time. I have a 12 year old son who I can't be a proper mother to. Also a wonderful husband. I have had many bouts of this in the past but it seems so bad. I am seeing a wonderful psychiatrist. She has me on a variety of meds but nothing seems to be working. I have been on the meds about a week. I feel like I am going crazy. I have no interest in anything. I cry all the time. I feel like I will never get better. How can one day I can be fine and the next my whole world is falling apart. Sometimes I don't want to live anymore. But I know that God will take care of me and my family needs me, and that I have seen many happy days. Could someone please respond to this. I feel so alone. I am 46 years old. Could menepause be a factor in all of this. Thanks and God Bless.

My opinion on medication is more isn't always better then less. It seems like your doctor has you on so many new medications that I’m sure is giving you side effects and taking you off others that must be causing some withdrawal. Symptoms. It would seem logical to just stabilize you first with a good anti-anxiety benzo like Xanax or even Klonopin but by themselves. Then once you are stable re-evaluate your level of depression.
And if needed take one anti-depressant.

I have Panic disorder with agoraphobia, GAD, and depression. It’s the depersonalization/derealization that scares the heck out of me and I think causes certainly the agoraphobia and probably the others.

Yesterday at about 7:00pm I took 2mg of XanaxXR this morning I took 2mg of regular Xanax (Alprozalam) I had a great day today. Spent almost the whole day at a festival of Christmas trees with my wife and daughter at a local expo center. A giant building that recently would have made me run out in panic. I had no depersonalization/derealization there which in turn seemed to take away “all” my symptoms of my disorders including depression. I felt like a regular Dad like the others there it made me happy.

I tried most SSRI’s that always gave me terrible side effects almost always anxiety with depersonalization/derealization .

I hope things get better for you soon Dave

I have hade depersonalization for as long as I remember.I can very much relate to how you feel. I believe the depersonalization is what freaked me out and made me panic in 75% of the panic attacks I have hade in the past. My ex wife used to ask me what was wrong with me because I would get real nevous and get panicy I thought I was loosing my mind.I would have to go outside and relax on the porch or take a walk to ease my mind. Some people don't understand anxiety they think your crazy. I remember a few times the depersonalization would happen and I would be laying down trying to sleep and I would suddenly feel small like the bed and the room were all very huge compared to me. Freaky feeling I think. Expecially when you feel out of body.The feeling still bothers me to this day but I don't panic about it I let it do its thing.It is amazing how strong and powerful the human mind can be.:eek:

Hey Bucks~
Just checking in. How are you feeling? Any better :angel:

not really... i've been trying to do things tho... been getting out a lot more. I go back to my therapist tomorrow for the second visit. Hopefully this time he'll actually give me some advice instead of just getting to know me lol. But im not handling the dp/dr very well at all... im wondering if the xanax is making it worse because i know when im coming down and feeling withdrawl and thats when it starts hitting hard. I honestly think i need to up my dosage because .25 just isn't cutting it anymore :/ I only feel it for like 2-3 hours if even that.

Hey bucks~
I am glad to hear you were able to get out a little more these days.. I know for me some days are really hard for me with the "vertigo" the "Anxiety/panic" I find myself being house bound for days.. This in turn makes me feel like I am losing my mind as well.. I know that the xanax can make me feel foggy headed at times and yes the dose you are taking is really low.. Sometimes I take 1/2 of that to take the edge off without the groggy foggy head feeling. But I do think you may need a larger dose to feel the better effects.. I would mention it tomorrow at your appointment.. Especially the dp/dr feelings..
I know for me it usually only last 1~2 hours as well, xanax is short lived.
Maybe the XR would be a better choice for you.. Let me know how you do tomorrow! Wishing you luck and just wanted you to know I was keeping you in my prayers.. For I know how vicious anxiety can be! Boxerlover:angel:

question for those that suffer from dp/dr...

do any of you sometimes feel like you cant communicate to others? and avoid conversations? I just recently visited a psychiatrist and got put on cymbalta for major depression/ocd and klonopin for anxiety. The bad part is im only supposed to take the klonopin at night before i go to bed. He said that cymbalta is supposed to decrease anxiety, but i feel it doesnt do enough for me during the day.

Bucks,
It takes a while for many meds to reach "levels" in your bloodstream, so give the Cymbalta a little while, you may need an adjustment,or not. I was going to sugest that you try Klonipin rather than Xanax because it has a longer half life- it stays in your bloodstream longer- also some people have a "rebound" effect w/ Xanax, meaning you feel better soon after you take it and then worse when it wears off than you did when you took it.Your doc may be willing to up your klonipin after you reach levels on the cymbalta,talk to him/her about it. I know I have taken my share of meds from the "benzo" family(still do) and it is not uncommon for people to have klonipin during the daytime in addition to before bed, or ativan during the day and klonipin at night.

Hope you're feeling better soon, this is a battle that is hard to bear sometimes,I know I'm not handeling mine well at all right now.Don't be afraid to tell your doc if you feel overwhelmed even if they say that you're on the right track and to be patient,screw that.If you aren't doing well let them know right away before depression sets in like it has for me :wave:

Ifelt out of it for over a year just like i have had a few drinks but not had any at all all i just feel in a dream world allday long i read your storys with great intrest i have seen doctors had a ct scan and had many blood tests done which all come back alright which i should be pleased with but i am not i wish they could find something not serious but just something just to get back to having a life again and feeling well all everybody keeps saying its anxiety because i think doctors dont know what else it could be but i dont think it is because i read that depersonalization and derealization comes and goes i feel like this all the time it never gets any better sometimes i feel i cant take another day feeling like this but i have to be strong for my husband and my two children i dont know what its like to feel normal and well again i have been like this for other a year allday everyday i dont think i will ever get shut of this feeling is there anybody who is reading this who feels the same as me or is there anybody who as got better from this feeling it would be lovely to hear from someone who feels like me alldaylong because i still cant belive its anxiety i just want my life back and i am scared i am going to have this for life.

The feelings of depersonalization/derealization are not symptoms of schizophrenia are they??

This is my number one fear and I have not been able to stop worrying about it lately!

:confused:

Thanks
Angie :angel:

angela are you on any meds? and what kind of symptoms are you experiencing?

My dp/dr was so bad that it put me in attacks and my ocd would kick in about harming others and becoming schitzo that i couldnt handle it anymore.

I was recently put on cymbalta and it seems to help my ocd (my short term memory is pretty bad since ive been on it) dunno if thats a good or bad thing. But the only thing that really gets me balanced and focused is klonopin and it sucks because im only supposed to take it at night before i go to bed.

The real key is just letting them pass as thoughts... truly giving them no meaning whatsoever. If you were schitzo, you probably wouldnt be worrying about becoming schitzo. My mom has been doing TONS of research about dp reading the book called 'feeling unreal' and she told me that dp/dr cannot lead to becoming psychotic or schitzo. That eased my mind a lot, and i hope it does yours as well.

I'm actually changing therapists (one i believe will really help me) next week and we'll see what she has to say about everything. I'll def keep you posted tho.

Hi.
I feel very disconnected from my surroundings, and sometimes things don't seem real. Its really freaky. I worry that I am losing my mind and it scares me.

I seem to totally focus on these feelings and it makes them 10x worse.


Any help/advice is greatly appreciated!

Take Care.
Angie :angel:

Hi.
I feel very disconnected from my surroundings, and sometimes things don't seem real. Its really freaky. I worry that I am losing my mind and it scares me.

I seem to totally focus on these feelings and it makes them 10x worse.


Any help/advice is greatly appreciated!

Take Care.
Angie :angel:

I purchased the Linden program and I think this has helped me so much. It has gotten so much better. I also take Celexa but not sure if that has helped with derealization. I really like the Linden program. I use it every day.

I purchased the Linden program and I think this has helped me so much. It has gotten so much better. I also take Celexa but not sure if that has helped with derealization. I really like the Linden program. I use it every day.

I will look into that!

Thanks alot
Angie :angel:

I have used the Linden Method as well. It helped me tremendously. I was suffering from DP/DR for the first month of my anxiety. Then it went away for about a month but I did have headaches lingering. I have recently started fearling the DP/DR today again and I think it is because I am anticipating a brain MRI that I will be taking in a few days. Hopefully all is well and I can rest assure that my head is "okay".

I am with you tweeny!
I have lost everything i ever had because of this disease! My Wife and kids! Soon the house! I live by myself now and pretty much don't hae communication with the outside world other than work and it's hard to make it there!
Some days i can't go on! But i do cause i know my kids need me (even though i hardly get to see them)

Peace
Steve

HI steve; do you feel like this allday everyday, like youve been drinking or on drugs,. payed for a ct scan had blood tests done everything come back fine, i used be a person who lived life to the full; but all i do now is cry. tryed all diffrent tablets and nothing works doctors keep saying its anxiety but i dont think they know what to say and they dont know what to do for me anymore and i feel like a lost cause. it all started last year in oct in my pregnancy my baby is 11 months now and i feel the same if not worse i just feel out of it allday long my never go,s like ive read on here it never gets any better and just feel out of it allday long a dog shoudnt have to live like this never mind a human. i tell my friends i feel like im on drugs or been drinking they look at me if ive lost it, my husband and friends tell me to try and forget how a feel but how can you when you go about in a dream it scares me that bad a i wont have it that its anxiety, and i keep thinking doctors are missing something or ive got this mystery illness and nobody knows what it is. i used to love life but i hate feeling like this. my friends say theres no reason why you should be like this got a nice house , lovely husband, lovely chidren, good looking e.t.c. but i say i just want to feel alive again and not out of it like ive been drinking allday long. just feel like im a lost cause , and didnt think they was anything out there what could make me feel in a dream like state for over a year. at times i feel like i cant take another day feeling like this but then i look at my children and my husband and know they need me and ive got to live in hope i will go to the person i once was a happy full of life person and just one day i live in hope i will get out of this horrible dream world i live in. i feel my lifes on hold at the moment , and i cry everyday , would love to here from anybody else who feels like me and my best christmas present would be to get back to my old self nobody should have to live like this .tweeny

hi tweeny, i know exactly what you are going through and mine is improving. I talked to my psychiatrist and he put me on a combination of drugs. I take cymbalta(depression and ocd) around noon and then klonopin(anxiety) around 8 at night. I believe depersonalization is only made worse by obsessing over it. Thats what i was doing, all day every day checking myself and things around me. I truly think cymbalta has treated me up to 80% so far and i've been on it for about a month. I don't know if cymbalta is supposed to make your short term memory loss bad, but it does mine. It doesn't bother me because it makes me look ahead and forget about the past. I was in real deep and seeing how you say you cry everyday makes it a lot worse(been there). I know it feels good to cry sometimes because you get a feeling of emotion. The only bad thing about cymbalta is it makes you feel emotionless pretty much all day. But i would much rather feel emotionless than feeling like im in a dream world. If you havent already tried this combination, i would recommend giving it a try. its helped me tons.

Thanks for your advice ,i go back to see the psychiatrist, soon so i will tell her, she doesnt know what to do with me anymore and i feel like i will never get out of this dream world which i live in. did you feel like me 24, 7 with out a break just like you on hard drugs or been drinking?. Because what scares me is when i read other people stories about dep/der, that theres comes and go,s but mine never lifts thats why i Question is it depersonalization, and think are they are missing something. I look at other people and think why cant i feel normal , like them been out with friends over christmas and i feel like ive been drinking before ive even started, they joke and say its a cheap night out , i smile but i think to myself its o.k for them , but they dont know how bad it feels, i wouldnt say i feel anxious my heart doesnt beat fast or anything like that, and even when i dont try and think about it, its still there i never feel right i feel out of it morn till night . to look and me you wouldnt think they was anything wrong with me, and i try my best to look as good as possible but its hard when all you want to is to sleep, didnt think there was anything out there what could make you feel so much out of it . do you think its dep/der , i still cant get it in my head its anxiety and it could make me feel like this because i dont feel that anxious, just fed up of feeling like this . thankyou for replying to me it gives me hope to carry on. tweeny.

I had it all day long and every day. It is awful. It has lifted somewhat from using the Linden method and going on medication. The more you pay attention to it the longer it will stay. It is hard to do but try to keep busy and not think about it.

I've never heard of the Linden Method. What is it exactly? I also suffer with dp/dr and it's the worst feeling in the world. WHat you said is true. Thinking about it all day long just makes it worse. I think I might have OCD even though I was never diagnosed with it. I can't stop thinking about how I feel because I can't escape it.
brooke

Look on line for the linden method. It is a wonderful program. It requires a bt of a commitment - listening to visualization tapes 2 times a day and going through a nine pillar program of a change of thinking. Since I have been using the program my DP has lessoned. Try it - it is worth it. There is 12 month money back guarantee.

Hi j2006, did you feel the same has me, because when i wake up i feel out of it like ive been drinking and i keep thinking i shoudnt have it all the time, i just feel in a dream world allday long for other a year did you never have a break from it,like me . and also i dont feel really that anxious i just hate feeling this way and i have tryed alot of tablets and they seem to make me feel worse i just feel like a lost cause and i will stop like this. and did you feel you had no energy too. Is there anybody out there what feels the same i would love to hear from you. i get so down feel like this , i just want to get back to the person i once was.

I went from having it every day to once in a while. My celexa, I think, has stopped working, so it is bad again. I found that using the linden progam has made me so much better. I am just now dealing with derealization, tired all of the time and just the side effects of the celexa. I feel OK before I take my medication.... I see the doc on monday.

Maybe we just hold our anxiety differently than others. What I mean is others have mentioned that derealization does not exsist with out anxiety. Although we do not have the attacks anymore maybe this is just our bodies fighting the anxiety. I don;t know if that made sense or not.

i am tired of being tired. I am 38 and I have been tired for 25 years. My first panic attack was one year ago. So I can't blame it all on anxiety. Can I?

Hmmm I was looking into anxiety and found this post. I had no idea this even existed. I had no idea that I had anxiety. Last weekend I was cooking breakfast, and something happened to me that sounds like this. I explained it to a friend this way....I lost my touch with reality. I dont know how else to say it. I suddenly felt a falling sensation and the back of my neck became very hot? (anyone else do this?) then everything that was happening around me became foggy and unreal. I was going to tell my husband, he was sitting watching tv, but I couldnt speak loud enough to get his attention. So, I thought "I may be having a stroke!" Then, I decided to just keep cooking and see if I fell dead. I got a little shaky but kept working, and it eased up a bit. Most of the day I felt slightly out of it after that. A little off center and unbalenced. I am worried that this will happen again. Is this derealization? I am not anxious.
Mileena

Who's to say that it didn't build up over time, and eventually our bodies wore out. I would think that's how it happened. I remember bad anxiety as a child. Getting up in front of the whole school to read a political speech. My first date. I felt (all of a sudden) all hot and sweaty, and sick to my stomach. I thought for sure I was done for when he put his arm around me. I've had it all my life. It was only ten years ago that I was unable to deal with it naturally (without medications).

In any case I came to this forum to find out what derealization is. Thank you all for sharing. :)

I have read all the post on this thread and noticed every one talks mainly about treating dp/dr with meds and alsothe lindel program.I have suffered from dp/dr for about 7 years(also have GAD, socaial anxiety, and possably ADD), then started taking xanax and it helped tremendusly for a couple of months. I had to keep uping my dosage and now taking 6mg a day. For me the xanax alone was not enough for me to live a productive life, I was still having all my symptoms, just not as bad. About 2 months ago I started taking adderall and have found this combination the best after trying ssri's and other meds for 6 years. Still not wear I want to be in my treatment. I was wondering if I'm Going to have to take meds for the rest of my life, or is there anyone who has overcame this with any kind of program and-or therapy, without meds.

Have ben considering a private mental health instatution with out meds.and dont know where to go with my treatment.

Hi everyone , i feel in a dream for 15 months mine never goes away its there 24/7 , and nobodys really putting a name to what it is , i dont feel like myself anymore , and cant do alot in a day but cry, dont feel like ive lived for 16 months its just a dream no matter what i do it never goes away , and im not sure if mine is depersonalization, because mines 24/7 and no bodys telling me that.and mine came on when i started seroxat again , im not getting no answers doctors tell me ive got to live like this , but i cant.

I have it 24/7 and mine is derealization. You need to start focusing your thoughts on something else. It is really hard but you must try. You may want to think about getting on another medication to get you over the hump. Have you tried some sort of meditation? It is wonderful.

HI ,J2006 , THANKS for your reply i still cant get it in my head it is this because , when ive asked doctors and psychiatrist, they said they not sure and the last psychiatrist said it was not that, so i said i want to know what it is then , he said was not sure until he checks my blood , but still waiting for my form to come for blood test so i can go up for go to hospital to have them checked , i cant sto thinking about it its driving me crazy i dont know who i am anymorelike ive lost my identity , i feel totally exhausted with it and i feel my baby doesn,t know the real me, i cry everyday and feel like im going to have this thing for life or im dying . have you seen that book on here imgoing to buy that about that man who had depersonalizationon here got a book about it and how he got better. thanks for your reply it gives me hope that oneday we all can be well and happy if we all fight it together , thanks.

Hi tweeny. I have read MANY of your posts on this forum. I have read of lots of advice people have given you. Have you been following any of this advice? Have you heard anything more from that College?
I have noticed that almost all of your posts say the same thing. You mention that you feel like you are struggling to be a good parent. You say you are in a dream state 24/7. You say nothing is working. You say you are losing hope. etc. etc.
How can you get any better if all you do is behave so negatively? I don't want to sound harsh, but if you keep telling US all these negative things over and over, I can only imagine what you are telling YOURSELF.
Do you have a TV? You mentioned in 1 of your posts that all you do is stare out the window and watch the people walk by and wish you had a normal life like they have. You need to get your mind retrained. When you think negatively and talk negatively, all you do is feed the negativity. Do you pray? Please tweeny, try getting your mind on the right track. Stop thinking about it. If all you do is sit around thinking about how aweful you feel, how is it going to stop? If all I did was look at pictures of flowers all day, all I would be able to think about was flowers. You have to feed your brain with other thoughts. You can watch TV, you can listen to talk radio, you can play video games, you can draw pictures, you can read stories on the internet about just about any subject. What kind of things are you interested in? Maybe you have been suffering with this so long that you don't even know the answer to that question! I guarantee u this: the feelings that you feel are NOT going to just go away. You have to make them go away. You have spent so long training your brain to operate in this negative way. You have to start RIGHT NOW to retrain it. If you have questions please reply to this. Please do not reply to this with your negative statements because that is the mistake you have been making all along. I want to help you and others like you. I am suffering myself and I KNOW that we can all help each other. But negative thoughts and negative statements are not going to help you or anyone else. Please reply tweeny....but not with negative statements, I want to hear some possitive from you! Go for it! :p

Tweeny...I feel the same way as you. I have hit rock bottom and pretty much cry everyday. I have to force myself out of the house and it's not easy. I take meds but can't seem to find the right combo. Do yout ake any meds?
I do watch tv more then I used to and hate it, but sometimes it just keeps me from going stir crazy. I wish there was a magic pill we can all take.
Just know I feel the same way, I have 2 kids and feel so bad that I feel so emotionless around them. I can never get happy.
We have to fight it, I don't know how , but we do!