One of the most commented upon and emailed posts on this entire blog is one from 2006 called Anxiety and feelings of Unreality. It seems that all over the place people are suffering from something which is actually quite hard to put into words.
Some people call it depersonalisation, some people call it feeling unreal, some call it feeling odd, strange, detached. Often people say that they feel that nothing is real and that they could just disappear suddenly.
As I said in that original post, there are a few possible medical causes for this so a visit to a doctor for a full check-up is a must. That said, for most people reading this blog it will be the fact that these feelings of unreality seem to stem from anxiety disorders which will be most salient.
The fact of the matter is that because of the way anxiety effects the chemical balance of our brains, sometimes (or indeed often and regularly) odd feelings can manifest. I am no doctor but I am lead to believe that this is particularly due to levels of Dopamine and can also be closely linked to blood sugar.
More Info on Overcoming Anxiety – click here
The more important question is not what causes it but how do you deal with it. Well, the best advice I’ve ever heard from the subject came from the wise mind of Claire Weekes, the Australian who published and broadcast a great deal about anxiety and panic several decades ago. Her advice for feelings of unreality (as well as all other anxiety symptoms)was to give the symptoms permission to be there, to float through them and be with them, to accept them. It’s hard to do, but like everything else it gets easier and more effective with practice. And like everything else to do with anxiety and panic, it won’t kill you.
I would add to that that it is worth experimenting with blood sugar issues. Try to snack on some complex carbohydrates and see if that makes a difference. It did for me, as did avoiding simple carbohydrates and sugary snacks. Also, avoid hunger and do what you can to keep your blood sugar levels constant. It is part of the paradox of trying to do what you can to stop it, and yet accepting it’s presence and letting it be there. Easy to say, and not so hard to do with practice.
The connection between anxiety and chemical imbalances in the brain as what you've said explains the kind of behavior that is there in depressed persons. I think they really need to be given and provided all the support and professional help that they need. The links you have provided gave me more information to understand more deeply this subject.