Only recently has derealisation or depersonalisation been recognised by the mental health profession as a specialised symptom of anxiety. Back in the early 1970s when my anxiety disorder began it was completely unrecognised and unknown. But I now realise that among other symptoms of anxiety I experienced a mild form of derealisation.
I used to describe it as "feeling that I wasn't there" and "like watching everything on a large screen television." At the time I realised it was another symptom of anxiety neurosis ( as anxiety disorder was called then, before that it was called neurosthenia) but it didn't bother me too much, I was more concerned about the other symptoms. And as derealisation was unrecorded and never mentioned anywhere at that time I didn't think about it much and it sort of died of neglect because I didn't pay it much attention. I now realised that I had subconsciouly 'accepted' it and that's why it ceased. I can't even tell you when I stopped feeling it.
My understanding is that derealisation is the minds way of withdrawing us from the unpleasant realities of our anxiety disorder.
I know there are several people on this firum who suffer from derealisation/depersonalisation and I appreciate that mine was a comparitively mild form. But I wanted to record my experience so as to let them know that you can and will recover from this symptom of anxiety, you will be free of it, it is NOT a life sentence. Perhaps it is best treated by attaching less importance to it and trying to accept it for the time being. And when the general anxiety disperses so will derealisation too.
Written by
Jeff1943
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Jeff1943, Thanks for explaining DR/DP. Like you I've had occasions where I felt different but never really paid that much attention to it. I knew I was Anxious and focused more on the symptoms that scared me more. Maybe that is why it never became a bigger problem. Since I've been on the forum, I began to learn how debilitating it can be for some. I do understand it as being an offshoot of anxiety. Even read some time ago that it is the minds way of protecting people who suffer severe anxiety disorder. Supposedly giving them a place where reality is null and void for a while.
Thank you so much for sharing this info as well as making others not feel so hopeless and knowing that this too shall pass. Sometimes I think my innocence of anxiety when it first started, allowed me not to fear it as much and get where I am today.
Have a good Sunday Jeff. Hope your family is well.
I think you're absolutely right about that, Agora1, it's interesting that we have both come to the same conclusions about DR/DP independently. Yes we are all well, thank you, we just returned from a 250 mile round trip today to visit my eldest grandson who lives in the Big House, he seems to be overcoming his demons well so if he's fine we're all fine, you know how it is. You probably drive 250 miles just to do your shopping and think nothing of it but over here in little old England that's a lot of roundabouts.
Good observation Jeff. I agree. I think i experience this dr/DP but in a way it is a protective mechanism putting me in a state of separateness so nothing bothers me too much. Interestingly unlike some others on this forum, it doesn't concern me and it is a little escape from the worry and rumination of physical symptoms which concerns me much more!!! I suppose that is due to my medical science degree I have studied so much pathophysiology of the human body and can leap to simultaneous diagnoses in one extra heart beat - literally 😂😂😂😀😀😀
That's very interesting, Vbee, that the three of us have had the same experience, treated it in the same way and come to the same conclusions. Hopefully it will give hope and help to those of our friends here who are going through it and maybe in a more severe way.
I used to be a fan of diagnosis and naming and identifying and searching for the "cause" but after reading claire weekes books and listening to audios, it is not helpful to recovery and really has little bearing on the here and now. It is what it is what it is.
I was thinking of you, Hopingcat, when I wrote this, I know you've had this more severe than I ever did but any contribution to the subject of DR/DP can be helpful in building up our knowledge of this specialised symptom of anxiety disorder. And knowledge can set people free.
If you Google "BBC news health" with any luck you will arrive at a list of health topics, scrowl down to find 'Emotionally numb', there is a good article ther about DR/DP, it's all about the problem in the U.K. but is still relevant to people everywhere. Do remember when reading it that at least 3 people on this forum recovered from it without specialised help as part of their recovery from anxiety disorder in general.
I've had it to the strongest degree and as I said it comes and goes. Sometimes if I just think about it, it will come on. Mine is definitely to do with stress abd when I feel overwhelmed, but as I said if I let it be and don't dwell on it, it fades away maybe not straight away but eventually it does
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