Scary Symptoms of Anxiety: Depersonalization and Derealization Explained (Quick Takes)

Depersonalization and derealization are two anxiety symptoms that can be extremely scary and disorienting. But although these symptoms can be frightening, they are not dangerous.

Depersonalization and derealization are often experienced together. They can make you feel disconnected from your own thoughts, feelings, and surroundings. You may feel like you are watching yourself from the outside, or like the world around you is not real. It can be really difficult to explain how this feels, especially to someone that's never experienced it before.

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[mochs]

What really helped me deal with this was reading or hearing somewhere that it's actually a defense mechanism - the brain is saying "I can't take any more input" and shuts down to protect itself. Once I learned that, it lost it's power to scare me and I really have never had it happen again. Also, the way I would describe it is it was if if I was watching a movie of what was going on - I knew all the people, knew what i was doing but somehow just didn't feel connected to any of it.

[Viola-vwbj]

Love this! I might not have gotten as bad as I did if I heard this when I first experienced it. I’m better now but that was hella scary.

[IndieBassJA]

It was a rough experience for me. A surreal moment, movie like almost. I remember looking at my dog and my family wondering how any of them are alive and functioning.. which of course caused massive amounts of panic.. and further made the situation more scarier. Aghh

[bkcee]

Ty .. Great info... I can't stand the way it makes You feel so Alone.... Alienated.. thanx for the explanation.. Anxiety just feeds on more Anxiety ..

[wowcool]

Hello! So last summer someone put stuff in my drink. It was the scariest experience in my life and I ended up going to the hospital. I had never had cannabis before so I thought I was going insane. Time felt fast and people’s voices would echo. I felt like I was falling and I didn’t feel real. I though I was dying. After the hospital visit I experienced derealization and depersonalization what felt like every single day. Luckily it happens not as much but it still scary in public places because when I get over stimulated it happens. The scariest part about the derealization is that it feels so much like the time I went to the hospital and I hate reliving that day over and over

[iancoggeshall]

This has happened a few times to me over the years during high anxiety. It’s not fun and extremely uncomfortable.

[brittneywelch]

What if you feel like....emotionally nothing with dpdr. :/ Flat. All the time.

[annaska]

How can you live with this on a daily basis? Like i literally mean this has become your everyday life. For me it's not something that comes and goes and its been years. The more I experience it, the more it freaks me out. I should get used to it by now but It's as if cbt approach doesnt work me. I feel so hopeless 😢 if cbt doesnt work then what will

[arielyaskow]

Ugg I've been dealing with this for 2 years.

[athrasher]

Which episode is this on spotify? I can’t find it

[ranveersoni]

I just think that i live in a game and everyone around me is fake is it dpdr?

[thaiefahmed]

You dont even understand what dpdr is. How wolud you feel if it stays for decades.