Anxiety and feelings of Unreality
Often people who have anxiety or panic disorders say that the strange feeling of unreality, depersonalization, spaciness, or dreaminess are the most frightening. Of course these feelings are not as violent as the throat clenching horror of a full blown panic or anxiety attack. Feelings of unreality are considered frightening for a different reason.
After you have had a panic attack or two you probably know what to expect. That doesn't mean it becomes any less nasty necessarily, but at least you know where you are. Feelings of unreality on the other hand don't seem to have a definite start or finish, you don't know when they will go away. What's more they don't feel like anxiety, they feel like you are going completely mad!
And that is the scary thought. Is this Schizophrenia? Bipolar? What's going on?
What is going on? Well, you are feeling spacey and it doesn't matter half as much as you think it does. Like the rest of anxiety and panic, if you worry about it you just get more. Work on going about your normal business allowing the anxiety and feelings of unreality to be there. The sooner you accept them the sooner they will pass. Dr Clare Weekes (eminent Australian Anxiety expert now deceased) says feelings of unreality are a good sign, as they show you are dealing with the anxiety. Read here for more about her. And for a wealth of anxiety information visit Anxiety 2 Calm.
After you have had a panic attack or two you probably know what to expect. That doesn't mean it becomes any less nasty necessarily, but at least you know where you are. Feelings of unreality on the other hand don't seem to have a definite start or finish, you don't know when they will go away. What's more they don't feel like anxiety, they feel like you are going completely mad!
And that is the scary thought. Is this Schizophrenia? Bipolar? What's going on?
What is going on? Well, you are feeling spacey and it doesn't matter half as much as you think it does. Like the rest of anxiety and panic, if you worry about it you just get more. Work on going about your normal business allowing the anxiety and feelings of unreality to be there. The sooner you accept them the sooner they will pass. Dr Clare Weekes (eminent Australian Anxiety expert now deceased) says feelings of unreality are a good sign, as they show you are dealing with the anxiety. Read here for more about her. And for a wealth of anxiety information visit Anxiety 2 Calm.
posted by T P Chant @ 2:34 AM
2 Comments:
At 2:25 AM ,
Anonymous said...
Hello,It's good to see some of the things that I go through listed here. I have suffered with panic and depression, anxiety for about27 years now..I have had the strange feelings alot...I have felt completely crazy from the deep feelings of Spaciness and looking at things like trough a magnifying glass too.Sometimes things and people don't look normal to me. I get so messed up sometimes with this. I feel noone in the world could possibly feel some of my symptoms.:( I hope that Others know what I am talking about..Write me if you want to!..Brian "Drumbeats2@aol.com "
At 6:00 PM ,
Anonymous said...
I do understand the way you are feeling bigtime. I often wonder if I am the only person to feel this way or how strange it would feel to actually describe my symptoms. It is like watching a distorted video game of life. This is especially bad when I get anxious about driving. My perception seems to be off, but I know it is just anxiety and it passes. It is easy to feel crazy over it too, except that I know I'm not (not too crazy anyway:)
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