5 Answers

  1. I don't know why they write about derealization here as short attacks resembling PA, but it can also be a permanent condition that worsens from time to time or vice versa. And this does not necessarily require the presence of an irritant.�

    I would describe derealization as a kind of gap between you and the world. It's like you're looking at it from the outside, not necessarily in dull colors. To be honest, I don't understand why it is considered that apathy/depression necessarily accompany derealization – the very name of such a symptom (namely, a symptom, because it is not a separate psycho.disorder) as if it speaks for itself – this is alienation from reality, not from emotions.�

    Based on personal feelings: the state is very similar to that experienced by people under dissociatives-the understanding of such things as ego, time, dimensions disappears, you are simultaneously one with the whole world and at the same time fenced off from it.

    Perhaps it really brings some inconvenience, but if you know how to live with it calmly, then everything is OK and it should be perceived as a feature of perception, and not some deviation from the norm.

  2. Derealization is a defense mechanism of our brain.When the level of stress exceeds the limits, the brain dulls the sense of reality, as if “removing” us from the source of stress.I live with it myself, the most unpleasant thing is that everything becomes unreal, everything is not true, even if it is only in my head.I know that he is being treated with medication and a psychologist.

  3. I won't go into scientific facts that I don't know much about, I'll just try to remember my feelings.

    In general, such a thing can happen if you accidentally fall into depression, apathy, fixated on physical sensations, on memories. It is especially pronounced if you live in the past, you understand that there is no future yet, and the present rests on thousandths of a second. At such a moment, consciousness narrows to a single point in front of your eyes, and the whole world around you seems suspiciously flat. It's like an optical illusion-you turned your consciousness in one direction, positively reflecting and saw the 3D world, turned to the dark side of life and the three-dimensional space abruptly disappears and you stop feeling like a real participant in life. To be honest, it's hard to describe it when such nonsense stopped happening.

    PS This may not be derealization, but I haven't seen any more appropriate terms for this phenomenon

    P. P. S. Get out of this filthy state (:

  4. I absolutely agree with the previous answer. Derealization is an unpleasant thing. But I would like to add about my particular case, when derealization manifests itself not so much in depression as in a panic attack. Roughly speaking, the world suddenly, in a split second, begins to seem unreal, the heart begins to pound wildly and obsessive thoughts creep in: “This is all not true, this does not exist, the whole world is one big meaningless black hole. And I'm a black hole myself.” And the world really seems meaningless, huge and unreal. It's like the whole universe is being pulled together in one place in your head, and that's where everything is happening. Creepy feeling.

    Usually my attack lasts about 2-3 minutes. During this time, I go through the stages from “I don't want to die” to “if only this is all over soon, it's better to throw myself out the window.” The most important thing in moments of panic is not to be left alone with yourself and your thoughts, because the brain is a tricky thing and you can't just calm it down. They say the 7/11 breathing principle helps. That is, 7 seconds of inhaling and 11 seconds of exhaling. But to whom as. Personally, only radical remedies – ammonia or a slap in the face-help me recover.

    In general, it is better, of course, not to fall into a state of derealization. As soon as I feel that panic is approaching, I start frantically engaging in any distracting activity – flipping through the VK feed, washing dishes, talking to someone, in general, doing anything to calm my brain and understand that everything is in order, the world is real and I exist.

  5. Of course, there is! Derealization is a perceptual disorder. It can be either an independent syndrome -according to ICD-10, depersonalization-derealization syndrome (non-psychotic disorder of a neurotic level), or it can be included in the symptom complex of other disorders of varying severity – chronic fatigue, panic disorder, various types of depression, schizophrenia.

    On a subjective level, this disorder is experienced as a feeling of separation/remoteness from the world, sensitivity to surrounding events and reality decreases, they appear as if remote, flat, uninteresting, the sense of time changes, memory disorders may be present.�

    At the physiological level, this condition is caused by a decrease in the production of important neurotransmitters in the brain (serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, gamma-aminobutyric acid, etc.) and activation of the opiate system.

    There is a theory that such a state occurs in the case of prolonged suppression or inability to achieve / realize one's own conscious or unconscious desires. In this case, it will be quite enough to complete a course of depth-oriented psychotherapy (various schools of psychoanalysis).

    If you suspect depersonalization, you should consult a qualified neurologist, clinical psychologist, general psychiatrist, or psychotherapist. If such a symptom is associated with a neurotic disorder, then most likely one or another type of psychotherapy + supportive drug therapy will be necessary, depending on the classification of the disorder, in the case of more severe disorders, serious drug therapy may be required.

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