# Anxiety Disorders > Unsure and Other Mental Health Issues >  >  Depersonalization/Derealization

## WilbellRose

Well hello, I'm brand new here, just made this account tonight, and was wondering if anybody on here has been diagnosed or experienced an episode of derealization or depersonalization? I've been having it and treating it for over a year now, and wanted to know what it was like for anyone else?
Thank you for helping, and it's nice to meet you all  ::):

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## Kirsebaer

I've experienced it a couple of times in moments of overwhelming stress/panic. I used to suffer from panic disorder, and depersonalization goes hand in hand with it. It's a traumatizing experience, tbh. I'm so sorry you've been struggling with this problem.

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## Koalafan

I've experienced it a couple of times and it was horrifying (I was also suffering from INTENSE panic attacks when going through it too). It is not an experience I want to go through again  ::(:

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## 1

None

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## sanspants

I actually find it comforting. It's my body-and-mind reaction to extreme stress. When I should find myself getting amped up, suddenly I calm down, and the world seems to move in a sort of slow motion, whereas I don't. For example, I work in an ER, and sometimes we get combative patients. There are moments I've had to square off with someone wherein they start to throw a punch, and it seems to move so slowly that I could go to McDonald's, get some fries, eat said fries, and still catch said punch. The downside is the "thousand-yard stare" I apparently get when it happens, along with a lower tone of voice, and generally "too-calm" demeanor that doesn't seem like "me" to other people. 

I figure that when things seem to slow down, my heartrate and respiration have actually increased-- otherwise I wouldn't feel like I was moving and thinking at a normal pace while others were going so slowly. At any rate, even though I don't feel "connected" to my emotions the way I should, and could make a poor decision if not generally inclined to make the right ones, depersonalization really helps me stay safe in dangerous situations. A lot of people with PTSD (particularly those who were in combat) seem to describe the same feeling.

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## Nara

I've had it a few times because of my medication. Strange thing.

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## Sash

-feeling of physical numbness- or a kind of numbness that has more to do with not being _aware_ of your physical body
-feeling like you are watching yourself perform your actions
-feeling less aware of where you are in space.
-dizziness, fatigue, shakiness
-being surrounded by lots of stimuli makes it all worse
-a floaty feeling

does this sound like dp/dr of some sort? It's been a problem for me for a few months and has stopped me from driving and going to school. I will be seeing a few specialists about it soon.

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## dhally

I've just recently looked into this. I've been having some situations like this for awhile now but have started getting it a lot more this past year. I've had anxiety my entire life (it intensified the most starting at age 14) and I'm now 21. I never knew what it was. I would always just say that I feel like I'm dreaming. Like I'm not in reality. 
I've never really talked about it with anyone, including counselors, because I've always been more of a dreamer and stuff like that. 
Lately it's been happening a lot. Sometimes I'll just wake up that way. Sometimes it if I'm anxious. Sometimes its triggered with other emotions or situations. Sometimes even movies/shows and music. It's the weirdest thing. 
My symptoms are usually: 
-Light-headed/dizzy
-Spacey
-Detached
-Light "floaty" feeling
-Confused
-Feeling like I'm not in control
-Feeling like I'm simply not in reality

Whats more is that I'll have different "mood" kinds. Like, sometimes it'll be happiness or an angry one or depressed or sad or other emotions/moods.

I've only mentioned these feelings to a few people and they act like I'm straight up "insane".

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## Chantellabella

> I've just recently looked into this. I've been having some situations like this for awhile now but have started getting it a lot more this past year. I've had anxiety my entire life (it intensified the most starting at age 14) and I'm now 21. I never knew what it was. I would always just say that I feel like I'm dreaming. Like I'm not in reality. 
> I've never really talked about it with anyone, including counselors, because I've always been more of a dreamer and stuff like that. 
> Lately it's been happening a lot. Sometimes I'll just wake up that way. Sometimes it if I'm anxious. Sometimes its triggered with other emotions or situations. Sometimes even movies/shows and music. It's the weirdest thing. 
> My symptoms are usually: 
> -Light-headed/dizzy
> -Spacey
> -Detached
> -Light "floaty" feeling
> -Confused
> ...



You're not insane. Anxiety will do this because we tend to hold our breath when anxious. We're literally getting light headed due to hyperventilation. It's easy to dissociate (spacey, detached, not feeling) when you hyperventilate. 

Any form of past trauma will do the same thing.

People who don't understand aren't the best people to tell. We understand here because we've been through it.

btw............welcome to the forum. We have an introduction section above if you want to say hi and let others know you're here.  ::):  Welcome!

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