Feeling spaced out and unreal

[Ambition]

How many of you experience feeling spaced out and unreal with your anxiety? That feeling when you feel faint, as if you're not with it?
I've had it before and eventually it goes but I'm really nervous now my parents have gone on holiday and I'm afraid I might faint, have a panic attack or loose control or something.

Are there any CBT type techniques or thoughts that can help you deal with it?

Btw my doctor knows about my anxiety and I'm waiting to get therapy.

[Jemma8286]

Yeah I have this a lot. I think it's called depersonalisation or derealisation I had this feeling for about 5 hours today. I felt like I wasn't really here and I couldn't understand how I was going about my day, walking and talking etc because I felt like I wasn't if that makes sense? I felt like I was floating.

The way I dealt with it today was by accepting it.
I'm finding lately that I am coping with my anxiety better because I am laughing at it and allowing it to do what it needs.to do.

I'm not scared of it anymore because my brain now knows that it will pass. It is not forever.you will not lose control. You will not die. You will not faint.

Carry on doing EXACTLY what you would have been doing if you didn't feel like this as hard as that is.

[h_rock]

I suffered with both depersonalisation and derealisation for years. It still happens at times even now, but the most important difference is I longer care when it does.
Before I used to sit and worry about it constantly. What was wrong with me? Was my brain damaged? Would I always feel this way?

All that used to do was make it worse and increase its frequency and duration.

Now I just let it be, accept it is there and just get on with what I need to do anyway. It soon goes away, especially when I am keeping busy and active. The worst thing you can do is to stop everything when you feel it, then you give it the time and attention in needs to persist.

It cannot hurt you, it's just not a nice experience.

My honest opinion is that the therapy is unlikely to work, you have to teach yourself not care about it and not to fear it. Once you do, it stops happening. Hopefully this is what your therapist can help you focus on, how to keep in the right mindset, to not let it get the best of you and to keep living your life and doing what you want to do.

Good luck

Hugo :)

[Two One]

I experience this very often. I can feel fine for the most part but there's a part of me that just feels "off" for lack of a better word. Depersonalization is common with anxiety and is another symptom I experience often. This may seem like a weird suggestion, but I find throwing yourself into a freezing cold shower helps me come out of this almost all the time. Nothing to bring you back into the moment like the shock of that water hitting your skin. You may also benefit from cold showers in many other ways, including increasing your body's tolerance to stress. It's worth a try if you are up for it.

[h_rock]

I have just finished writing an article about this as it seems a common topic with anxiety sufferers.

It is quite a long read, but covers a lot about the reasons you feel this way and how to reduce/prevent it.

[h_rock]

You can read it here: http://www.calmandcourageous.com/anxiety-induced-depersonalisation-and-derealisation/

Hugo

[aml0017]

I'm with h-rock, just let it be it will go away eventually. Truthfully, once I got over the "omg what is happening to me??" phase, I welcome the feeling. Usually it happens when my anxiety gets out of control and my mind won't turn off. I never feel bad, or like I will faint, only I feel spaced out and detached from everything. I think any physical discomfort you may be feeling may be from your negative perception of the derealization, or that you think it is bad. I really think derealization/depersonalization is just our minds' way of just shutting down for a while, will have to read hrocks article about what actually causes it to see if I'm right. To me the feeling of being detached is vastly preferable to racing, repetitive thoughts.

[NixonRulz]

yeah i have this a lot. I think it's called depersonalisation or derealisation i had this feeling for about 5 hours today. I felt like i wasn't really here and i couldn't understand how i was going about my day, walking and talking etc because i felt like i wasn't if that makes sense? I felt like i was floating.

The way i dealt with it today was by accepting it.
I'm finding lately that i am coping with my anxiety better because i am laughing at it and allowing it to do what it needs.to do.

I'm not scared of it anymore because my brain now knows that it will pass. It is not forever.you will not lose control. You will not die. You will not faint.

Carry on doing exactly what you would have been doing if you didn't feel like this as hard as that is.

^^^^^exactly!!!^^^^^^^^

[life-is-beautiful]

People say that depersonalization doesn't ever go away... why do they sayy that??

[gypsylee]

People say that depersonalization doesn't ever go away... why do they sayy that??

I have no idea because it does.

[life-is-beautiful]

it is shitty lol.......... the reason my anxiety started in the first place. cause I felt so floaty and weird... :( sucks