can any one relate? - Panic Disorders Message Board

werner · 09-08-2003, 10:05 AM

now that my three month nightmare of constant awful anxiety is over, i'm left feeling as one does with no sleep for two days, reality itself seems alien or confusing and sometimes a bit grotesque and unreal, it resembles, a bit, the derealization i would experience during anxiety and panic, only now it is more generalized and is accomponied by these disturbing thoughts...like contemplating reality all the time . my question is-is this a natural part of my brain, chemically, recovering from being put through the anxiety ? will this go away soon or will last forever ? sometimes i feel like i'm getting better, then those thoughts will come and chill me to the bone, help help

amym · 09-08-2003, 11:49 AM

Its weird because I haven't been taking any medication for my panic attacks but I've found I'm less concerned with them now but that horrible 'unreality' stuff remains. I think its probably to do with the fact that when you have a panic disorder you become acutely aware of everything going on around you so when you finally chill out your brain takes time to revert to its old ways. I find being around people really helps and if I'm by myself when I have these kind of thoughts I call someone just to get out of that train of thought.

You just have to be reassured that guaranteed someone on this board has the same as you - and we can't all be going mad

werner · 09-08-2003, 12:24 PM

thanks.
that makes me feel alot better, i can't help but anticipate, or rather see an end to it, glad to know i'm not splitting up.

mollyd1234 · 09-08-2003, 12:39 PM

You are definitely not alone. Last year I literally was in hell. I had panic attack after panic attack but got on medication and things got better. One thing I couldn't shake though was this feeling of unreality. I would go look in the mirror a million times a day and touch my face just to make sure it was mine. I would try to explain this to my hubby and he looked at me like I had two heads. Even while driving (the WORSE place for unreality to set in-- too much time to think) the trees and houses didn't look real to me. I functioned at work just fine but never felt real. Let me tell you this IT DOES GO AWAY. It happens because the mind is too tired to deal with anymore worry and anxiety so it overloads. My doc says it's a bit uncomfortable but perfectly harmless. The best thing that worked for me was distraction. I kept busy all the time. In the car I listened to talk radio instead of music because it forced me to concentrate on the words they were saying rather than drowning out to music. You will wake up one day and find that it has faded a bit and it's not so bad. It won't go away overnight but will fade little by little until you feel real again. It took me a good 8 months to get rid of the feeling but I promise it does go away. Best of luck to you

werner · 09-08-2003, 01:11 PM

thank you so much, i'm so thankful for this board and people like you, kind enough to respond, if you have experience being in a state like this, you know how important it is to be assured you're not alone, thank you thank you thank you