Feelings of Unreality
A quick Google search on feelings of unreality returns numerous posts on forums by people who are witnessing this frightening phenomena. Also described as depersonalization, derealization, and dissociation these feelings are amazingly common and hard to describe. Some people say they are in a glass bubble looking out, or watching the world go by on a giant TV. Others say they suddenly feel the people and things around them are not real.
The obvious catastrophic thoughts are along the lines of "I am going mad"!
So what is this and what can be done about it. Firstly let me say that sometimes these feelings of unreality and depersonalisation come about as a result of recreational drug use. That topic is beyond the scope of this blog and my area of expertise. Speak to your doctor and don't take drugs kids! While I'm at it, anyone with feelings of unreality or depersonalization should speak to their doctor.
apart from drug misuse the most common cause of feelings of unreality is stress, anxiety, worry, and depression. Just like hyperventilation or a feeling that you are about to pass out they absolutely harmless and do pass eventually. Just like all other symptoms they are horrible and awful and no one who hasn't experienced them can truly understand. My advice is still to go with them and let them be, the sooner you accept them the sooner they will pass.
The good news is that for me they heralded the end of the heavy physical symptoms of anxiety like difficulty breathing, nervousness, and panic. The feelings of unreality for me at least were related to my underlying issues: depression, low confidence and low self esteem.
So after speaking to a doctor take these feelings as a sign, accept them, remember they are not dangerous or real and will pass. I really recommend you read books by Dr Claire Weekes.
Cheers.
unreality
The obvious catastrophic thoughts are along the lines of "I am going mad"!
So what is this and what can be done about it. Firstly let me say that sometimes these feelings of unreality and depersonalisation come about as a result of recreational drug use. That topic is beyond the scope of this blog and my area of expertise. Speak to your doctor and don't take drugs kids! While I'm at it, anyone with feelings of unreality or depersonalization should speak to their doctor.
apart from drug misuse the most common cause of feelings of unreality is stress, anxiety, worry, and depression. Just like hyperventilation or a feeling that you are about to pass out they absolutely harmless and do pass eventually. Just like all other symptoms they are horrible and awful and no one who hasn't experienced them can truly understand. My advice is still to go with them and let them be, the sooner you accept them the sooner they will pass.
The good news is that for me they heralded the end of the heavy physical symptoms of anxiety like difficulty breathing, nervousness, and panic. The feelings of unreality for me at least were related to my underlying issues: depression, low confidence and low self esteem.
So after speaking to a doctor take these feelings as a sign, accept them, remember they are not dangerous or real and will pass. I really recommend you read books by Dr Claire Weekes.
Cheers.
unreality
posted by T P Chant @ 6:59 AM
10 Comments:
At 5:56 AM ,
Yaya B. said...
I feel these feelings too. I felt like I was cured of my anxiety and then...BAM, the unreality set in. Maybe I was feeling so good, it didn't feel "normal" to me. With my feelings of unreality, I feel like things are not real. I feel very detached. As the author stated, I certainly hopes this means that I am about to be better like they were, that it is the last step to healing. But it is so debilitating. My husband does not understand these feelings, so I don't talk to him about them. My poor mom gets her ear talked off, though. She is very understanding and helps to "ground" me. I suggest finding a health care professional, spiritual layperson, or family member that can explain what is going on or at least listen so you can logically talk yourself through what you are feeling and why it is faulty thoughts. My faith in God has sustained me in this crisis, even when I forget His promises. Writing helps too. It can get your thoughts out, and you can leave them behind. You will also be able to see your progress and your thoughts clear as you get better. God bless to everyone who reads this. I will pray for your healing and understanding as I pray for mine.
At 3:55 PM ,
Anonymous said...
i first experienced panic and the unreality feelings at age 15 i am now almost 57. it has come and gone all of my life. i got help in 2000 for the very first time with meds. i was also dianosed with mild depression and high anxiety. my dr. put me on 10 mg of paxil in 2001 and last april of 2006 i had a relapse or whatever it was and my paxil is now 20 mg daily. i also am on xanax and ambein. the xanax has helped me alot but i still am depressed a little and a small amount of the unreality feeling. i am a christian so i do feel guilty at times but i know God understands. yes i will pray for your healing.
At 8:08 PM ,
Anonymous said...
I also suffer from feelings of unreality, it seems especially strong when i go into stores with bright lights ie:costco-home depot-menards-jewel-etc... thats when it is even worse! i cannot figure out why, sometimes i think i must have a brain tumor, or something majorly wrong, i tried praying For 10 years now, but i get the big ZERO, I had become a born again christian about 11 years ago and eveything around me started to feel wrong and evil, and i think thats what started all this nightmare, it somehow manifested itself into major feelings of unreality, i wish i could say i would pray for all of you who suffer these feelings, but i dont believe any longer that it would help in the slightest bit, good luck to all of you and myself.
At 6:30 AM ,
Anonymous said...
Hi, I am Basil and I have got these feelings of unreality too so you are not alone. I feel detached, like I am in a dream state and that I will wake up in bed at any moment It is not very nice at all and has stopped me from driving my car. I have been a driver for 23 years with no problem. But for 6 months I have not be able to drive because of feeling this way. I try and get out every day, wether it be to the local retail park or to the supermarket with my husband. Even town some weekends but of course hubby doesnt have a clue how this feels!! Have you read the bit about unreality by Paul David? If not it can be found at www.anxietynomore.com All we have to do is accept it and stop fighting it, trying to push it away. Not easy I know. I have had this feeling before many years and I know that Paul David IS RIGHT and the ffeling WILL GO, eventually. I have to keep telling myself that.
I pray that you all overcome this and that we are all over it soon.
Take Care
Basil
At 4:42 AM ,
mark said...
Hi my name is mark and i have had these feelings of unreality for many years i get very confused about how i should feel about reality ie my surroundings i find my self looking at things serching for an answer to how i should feel all ever feel is fear i wish i could talk to someone who could help me with my thoughts ive seen doctors and alike but no joy they just give me more pills.
At 11:32 PM ,
Anonymous said...
hi my names sam, and ive had these feelings for 2 and a half years now. not long compared to some of you but each of us or feelingsof how our bodys are is different. ive had the worst symptoms of anxiety from massive paranoia, weakness,eating difficulty, pail skin,unreality,weight loss,agoraphobia, etc. what a lot of you have described about unreality is true to me but if this is the last stages of my anxiety coming to an end then i will do what you guys say. ill except it not fight it which is what ive been doing for so long now. i was lucky in a way to really discover what my deep rooted problem was. that is that all through my life my mind would always convince me that i was ill in someways. first it was AIDS , which definalty was true since id never had sex (LOL), then once id come to the realization that was true anymore, a mix up with my housemates and there dope cookies happened, and i ended up with anxiety and a serious paranoia of drugs. once id conquered my fear of drugs, my mind kept telling me that i had a brain tumor or that some illness was going to kill me. i realized that i had to major fears: death and illness. thoughs are my deep rooted problems that i now have to face and get over. so to all of you, sometimes these things happen for a reason, maybe its for you to get over these deep rooted fears. i wish everyone all the luck in the world to get over this. just look for the signs that can tell you what your fears might be.
god bless XXXX
At 9:56 PM ,
Jerry said...
I am experiencing these problems and it is sometimes scary and annoying, i wish it would all go away, I keep thinking im in a dream buy i know its reality but someting keeps reminding me of it. I had a couple of stages, first it was the difficulty breathing which has lessened, then fear of dying and sleeping, and not unreality which is the worst of them all. Can someone please help me?
At 12:17 AM ,
Cris said...
Hello. Im having this feelings now and they are extremely annoying and I think Im going mad, they started after a panic attack and just don't go away. Reading this blog I just feel that Im not alone. And it's difficult to talk to people and hear some comments like: Are you on drugs? (which Im certainly not) or I wish I had that too without any dope, must be fun. But is not..it's a nightmare. I have the same feelings as Jerry above described, and I also need some help. Please..can someone tell me how to cope with this? Ill be greatful. Just send me an e-mail or something. dias.crisc@gmail.com
At 9:32 AM ,
IndianaLennon said...
My name is Indiana.
I've had these feelings of unreality off and on since I was in the fourth grade (I'm in the 11th now). It terrifies me, because there are times when I feel like I am the only real person in the world and everyone around me is an illusion or something, then I wonder what will happen when I die... I know, it sounds kind of extreme, but that is how I feel sometimes. I get over it eventually, but it always comes back... I just want to fix it...
At 9:54 PM ,
Anonymous said...
hello im christian and am felling like im going mad from this felling of unreality it all started from a series of axiety attacks so i took a HOLIDAY hoping it would make it better the axiety went away but unreality ironiccaly stayed feeling that i was going crazy thinking that i was going to end up in a nut house i thought of suiside everydaY but havent yet knowing that im not the only oone is comforting but thats it sleep is my only escape
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