DR gets worse at school?

[patches6996]

So I was just keeping an eye on my DR, trying to see if anything makes it worse. It just so happens that school in general makes it 10 times worse? And what's even weirder is that when the lights are turned off in the classroom, I feel a tiny bit better... Also, my glasses tend to make the feeling more exaggerated as well. Can anybody relate? I hate anxiety but I hate DR so much more...

[Kabukicho]

Ahh, don't keep an eye on it! That's what makes it worse!

Anyway, yeah, mine is always 100x worse in public places / places where I might be expected to perform in public. I'm currently in law school, so, as you can imagine, the lecture hall is a big trigger for me. Try to make yourself comfortable. Understand that it's not a dangerous place. The classroom is a place to feel relaxed and to learn--that's why you're a student!

[patches6996]

Do you really believe this is just an anxiety symptom? It just FEELS so permanent... How long have you had yours?

[AliasEQ]

Yes, it is an anxiety symptom. Your anxiety does everything to scare you. I've had it for about 3 months. It's not at its worst all the time tho. I do get some rest, thank god.

I've learned that as long as I don't think about it, it doesn't hit me. If I overthink it, sit all day thinking about it, stacking it all up - I end up having a "derealization/depersonalization attack". It gets severe. Like extreme, not a fun experience.

Fortunately, I've learned how to cope with my panic attacks. Basically, what happens when I have these dr/dp attack, I get a panic attack combined with dr/dp. Horrible. When I calm myself down, it goes back to normal.

How long it will stay? Depends on you. As soon as you can stop think about it, as soon as you can distract yourself with other stuff - that's when your recovery starts.

Easier said than done. But there's techniques and methods you can use. Start with changing your life style. Start exercising, be social and just enjoy life. But don't do the same mistake I was doing - isolating yourself at home. This will make it 10x worse.

Wish you the best! :)

[patches6996]

I've had it for about two years with no break x) so I have mastered distraction. I just can't help but think about it. I really am just so terrified it's not really going to go away

[AliasEQ]

I've had it for about two years with no break x) so I have mastered distraction. I just can't help but think about it. I really am just so terrified it's not really going to go away

By distraction I mean things that affects your mind or body. Go for a 2 hour run until you puke and see if you still have it. You wouldn't even feel it or think about it.

It's near zero chance that it's permanent.

[NixonRulz]

So I was just keeping an eye on my DR, trying to see if anything makes it worse. It just so happens that school in general makes it 10 times worse? And what's even weirder is that when the lights are turned off in the classroom, I feel a tiny bit better... Also, my glasses tend to make the feeling more exaggerated as well. Can anybody relate? I hate anxiety but I hate DR so much more...

Well of course it does!

School sucks and we will do anything to not be there

Even if it means leaving our own body and feeling dr/dp

The good news is that you have decided to take the inexpensive route

I paid a fortune to get drugs to get me to feel the same way

Patches - stop debating if this is anxiety and not an issue on it's own

It isn't. THIS IS A SYMPTOM OF YOUR ANXIETY

Now don't read this until tomorrow.

You should be doing homework

[Kabukicho]

Agree with everything that's been posted. I've had vague dr / dp symptoms since late 2012. They are much better now than they've ever been. But they're an on-going symptom of anxiety. It just means (in my opinion) that your brain is over-stressed and needs to "take a break" and tune some stuff out for a bit. So let it do that.

It's not permanent. It will go away. And if it doesn't...ask yourself...so what? Is it really THAT bad? (When you stop focusing on it.) Is it UNBEARABLE? Probably not.

It took me about a year to just really, really chill the heck out about my dr / dp. And that's when it started getting a lot better.