Stress, Trauma, & Mental Issues

Pre-College Topics High School Cafe
1

<p>If you are going through major life changes, experiencing trauma, are overwhelmed by stress and anxiety, and/or are extremely curious about your surroundings, you may be prone to developing a condition called depersonalization/derealization. I’m telling you about this now, so that in the rare occasion that you yourself develop this condition, you will know how to deal with it. Unlike people with schizophrenia, those who are experiencing depersonalization/derealization know that something is not normal with their thought process; so if your condition sounds like dp/dr, do not fear that you’re losing your mind. Doing so will only exacerbate the problem, because dp/dr itself developed as a way to cope with overwhelming fear/trauma/stress.</p>

<p>I started to experience depersonalization/derealization back in June 2005. I’m not sure what exactly triggered it. I thought sleep deprivation, major caffeine withdrawal, and/or overthinking might have caused it, but I have now ruled them out (btw, I don’t take drugs, but drugs can be a cause for this). According to this one site, “rarely are patients able to accurately describe their symptom states.” I find this statement very true because my thoughts while in this state are abstract, to say the least. It feels like deja-vu combined with an altered state of consciousness (which was what I called it for a long time) and the effects of not sleeping for 2-3 days, except this condition is always there, 24/7. It’s really quite scary when you develop it for the first time without knowing what it is. When I started to experience dp/dr back in June 2005 was the scariest time of my life. Ever. I really thought that I was losing my mind. In fact, I was already preparing myself for when the symptoms of what I thought was the early stage of schizophrenia would get worse and completely take over me. I thought I would live a sad, sad life. My psychiatrist, school psychologist, and my psychology teacher couldn’t figure out my condition until I found out for myself, on the Internet, 6 months later. It was hard to find answers, especially since I didn’t know which search terms to use.</p>

<p>As for this condition, it still allows a person to function on a high level. For example, I knew what I was supposed to do… having a normal routine gave me comfort, but I felt like I lost my sense of self; I was hyper-aware about my surroundings; I felt like I was a soul without a body (I would look at myself in the mirror and think, wow… that is my physical existence); I felt like my family didn’t belong to me (that was scary); I would go for a run and think “what if I lose my mind before I get back to my house?”; I would constantly think “wow, I’m actually a person, a human being on this earth.” No, those are not just the temporary effects of reading about philosophical theories. It was not just an enlightenment or epiphany. I was scared to death… really, that was the scariest feeling I’ve ever had in my life. The worst part is that I didn’t know what it was, and the professionals didn’t know what it was. The only other person I knew who had this condition at the time was another CCer, who was right in saying that the best cure is distraction. Distract yourself from thinking that you have dp/dr, and it gradually goes away. That is really the only cure we could come up with so far. I read that cognitive-behavioral therapy helps, so I will ask my psychiatrist about that.</p>

<p>Depersonalization/derealization is considered a rare disorder (it’s classified under dissociative disorders), but thankfully, scientists have recognized the need to find out more about it. Already, at least one research unit (the Depersonalisation Research Unit at the Institute of Psychiatry- King’s College, UK) has been established for this purpose.</p>

<p>For more information:
<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depersonalization[/url]”>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depersonalization&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>For information and testimonials:
<a href=“http://www.dpselfhelp.com/[/url]”>http://www.dpselfhelp.com/&lt;/a&gt;
(This site contains a support network/forum.)</p>

<p>Depersonalisation Research Unit, Institute of Psychiatry-King’s College, London: <a href=“Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience | King’s College London”>Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience | King’s College London;

<p>Needless to say, please verify any information with your psychologist/psychiatrist, as I am not a figure of authority on these matters. I am speaking strictly out of personal experience.</p>

2

<p>haha it sounds like a disease fabricated by your own thoughts.</p>

<p>Remember the golden rule: You become what you think about. Man becomes what he thinks about. What you focus on, you will get more of.</p>

<p>Tada!</p>

3

<p>This is very interesting; thanks for sharing your story! </p>

<p>I’ve felt dissociated from myself on a few occasions, but it’s never lasted very long, thankfully. (The longest time was about two weeks, and I contemplated suicide out of indifference. It was kind of like a temporary depression… except… not really…) </p>

<p>I’m glad that your symptoms are getting better. :)</p>

4

<p>That’s really interesting. I’m glad you shared that with us and that you’re getting better. I felt a lot like that at the beginning of last school year, and while it wasn’t to that extreme, I was (like the person above me) “contemplating suicide out of indifference.” It’s good to know there’s a name and a reason to what’s went on with me–and in regards to leetx, there’s not any specific trigger to it. My life was going great, but I just felt bizarrely out of context in it.</p>

5

<p>that’s really interesting, i learned something from you…i don’t often feel disembodied, more trapped and suffocated… but my lowest point was also a few attempted suicides…now i’m more hopeful…i think being hopeful is really important(hence my sn)</p>

<p>thanks for sharing.</p>