"Disconnected" Feeling 24/7

[Job_314]

Hello! My name is Austin, and I've recently been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, I've since started on Lexapro (about a month and a half now) and my anxiety is beginning to subside. It's getting a lot better.

But the real question I'm writing to you all is about this disconnected feeling I've had for about 2 months now, I don't feel sober, I have this 'high' or 'out of it' feeling, as if I'm in some kind of a dream and cannot wake up.

Is this normal? ...I've read other saying depersonalization is a side-effect of anxiety, but isn't that only whilst they're having panic attacks? Because I'm having this feeling from when I wake up until I go to sleep.

Thanks for reading, all help is appreciated.

[Robbed]

It sounds like you are suffering from what I consider to be one of the VERY worst anxiety symptoms. I know that one REALLY will - just a feeling that your world is not right AND that you are living in a somewhat constant dream-like state. Not nice.

Remember that when it comes to anxiety, people can suffer from it in different ways. Not everybody here has panic attacks. I don't. For me, anxiety is more of a lower level, constant affair with maybe some 'anxiety attacks' (basically, a name I give to periods of more elevated anxiety, but not so intense as to be a panic attack) from time to time.

Another thing to keep in mind is that this could be, to some degree, a side effect of the Lexapro. SSRIs can be notorious for causing this sort of thing to happen. Now you say you have been experiencing this nasty symptom for longer than you have been taking the Lexapro. Has it worsened since you went on the Lexapro? If so, it is possibly being exacerbated by that. But if it is pretty much the same or improving, then it is just an anxiet symptom. Regardless, the best thing you can do is to not become TOO scared by it. Keep in mind that it is just a symptom, and while scary and unpleasant, it's not going to harm you. Of course, this is easier said than done. And there is probably no way you are NOT going to be bothered by it 10% of the time. But the less you worry about it, the better.

Finally, another thing to remember about anxiety symptoms is that they don't all improve on the same time frame. I think that some, like the unreality, are caused more by he general havoc that anxiety wreaks on the brain. And, therefore, this one might not really start to improve until well after the anxiety itself has significantly improved. At least, this has been my experience thus far.

[JimmyB]

Hey Austin, I suffer from the same symptom. With depersonalisation there are many symptoms that come with it so don't freak out if you are having perceptual or visual problems like blurred vision or if the room looks like it is floating or waving around. This is normal. DP as people call it for short is a safe mode for the brain when high levels of anxiety occur so do not worry, it will not harm you but it can be really scary and like I said the symptoms that come with it are absolute hell. You need to get lots of exercise, water, fresh fruit and veg, vitimins (multi-vits, vit B, flax seed oil, omega 3 fish oils, zinc, magnizium etc. Also spending less time in front of the TV and computer will help, go for a walk in the park.

-James

[dorigen]

Unreality is the worst. Lexapro was the first antidepressant i was put on, and let me tell you, i had the worst experience of my life. It worsened the unreality and made me feel like i was haivng an out of body experience. I couldn't tolerate any of the antidepressants and I got better on therapy/self help alone. Anyways, i guess you said you had this before the lexapro. It is a general but not often talked about anxiety symptom.

It definitely seems to go away over time as the above poster said. little by little as you begin to relax and your body's chemicals start resetting it will go away.

[Ollie12]

Hi There,

I've suffered from Depersonalisation and Derealisation for around four years now. What i can say is if you keep to a healthy lifestyle and avoid alcohol and drugs you will start to feel better and the symptoms will improve. Like others have said the anxiety makes it worse and when you start to calm down things will begin to re adjust and i have been told it will eventually disappear. The key is to keep to a well balnced life and try and avoid anything that will cause big highs and lows. Unfortunately i have a problem with alcohol as well which i am currently battling and this is why i haven't recovered as quickly as possible but hopefully i will soon.
Keep your chin up and ignore it as much as possible even though it can be hard to do so.

Good Luck

[Robbed]

Unfortunately i have a problem with alcohol as well which i am currently battling and this is why i haven't recovered as quickly as possible but hopefully i will soon.

Substance issues can DEFINITELY cause unreality to occur. About 12 years ago, I had somewhat of a problem with drugs. And ater using them for a while, unreality and anxiety set in. Both were particularly bad after I made the BIG mistake of trying LSD. In fact, the unreality got to me SO much that it was the ONE thing that made me decide to not use drugs again. And yes, it did go away. So dealing with your substance issue could definitely help you to deal with this nasty little problem.