Can anyone help? - Mental Health Message Board

niblet · 07-26-2005, 10:50 AM

I know people get feeling sometimes when they look at someone they know and feel weird and confused like all of a sudden they don't know them, but my feeling is about me. I feel like I don't know myself and I get scared of myself. It real hard to describe, I feel like I don't control my body just my mind. This is driving me crazy and feel so sick from it. I have to try so hard to seek distraction to not focus on it! I feel so stupid for having this problem and feel like I'm the only one in the world. Has anyone ever dealt with these problems?

GatsbyLuvr1920 · 07-26-2005, 11:19 AM

Do you mean that it doesn't seem that you're alive? That your body is detached, and you seem to be watching yourself move through life like a movie? If so, this could be depersonalization/derealization, a common symptom of panic disorder. However, if you meant that you don't feel that you have an identity, this could be a sign of Borderline Personality Disorder. Write back so I can help you more! Good luck and God bless!

-GatsbyLuvr1920-

niblet · 07-26-2005, 12:16 PM

Thank you GatsbyLuvr1920 for the reply! That is what I feel like, detached from my body. I feel like the actions I do or things I say, I didn't really think to do them, and feel like I'm just sitting back watching it happen. It is all very confusing and scary. I am 22 years old and have had this problem once when I was in my early teens because of medication I was taking. Then at 18 it hit me and sort of paralyzed me for almost a year. I have severe vertigo and have been very ill, I hardly get out of the house and think I got this problem back because of cabin fever 'cause I haven't gone anywhere in months! Its very frustraing having all these problems at once, I hate to say it but the thought of suicide was not very far in my mind. But now, I'm glad I have somewhere to go with this now. Thank you.

GatsbyLuvr1920 · 07-26-2005, 12:33 PM

It certainly does sound like panic disorder. I'm thinking that's the reason why you don't want to leave your house- agoraphobia. When you're experiencing this "detachment" feeling, do you have any of the following:
racing heart
rapid breathing/hyperventilation
upset stomach/nausea
choking sensation when swallowing
hot and/or cold flashes
thinking that you're going "crazy" or about to "lose control"
thinking that you're having a heart attack and going to die?
These are all symptoms of a panic attack; even though I don't have full-blown panic disorder, I experiencing all of the symptoms except for the last two and the "detachment." Hope I could help!
-GatsbyLuvr1920-

lady68 · 07-26-2005, 01:14 PM

To me it sounds like depersonalization.