depersonalization/derealization

Alright so I'm 19 and I've had depersonalization/panic attack episodes since I was twelve years old. However I started medication one year ago and haven't had one since, except for this week. I smoked weed for the first time a few days ago and it seemed to come after, and I also drank quite a bit a few days before that, but I can't say that it's the cause of it, I don't know.

So I was in therapy today and suddenly I just spaced out. Not daydreaming. Just like, I had feelings that the world, that reality was not real. Everything started to have a very fake look to it. (I'm trying to describe it the best I can but it's hard.) ...I do not want to have panic attacks again. Thankfully I didn't. But I was definitely on the verge of one, I think. My breathing however never changed. I was sitting there, the therapist was talking, and it's like I was watching what was happening from an outside perspective, and didn't feel that I was myself... or inside myself... does that make sense.

I told her about this. She seemed to think it was because of what we were talking about. It wasn't, though. Not at all. It's just something that happened by itself. I dunno what I'm asking for, can anyone relate? Don't want my anxiety to come back... I'm so scared that it has.

Drugs and alcohol can void the effectiveness of your prescribed medication which can than cause to be symptomatic.

Agreed. Staying away from them would be a really healthy choice to begin with, but especially beneficial if they were causing the symptoms to come back again. It may take a bit for the medication to build up in your system again, or for the effects of the substances to leave your system. Hopefully that is the only case, and you're back to feeling good. If not, definitely bring it up. Did your t know about the weed/alcohol? It's always helpful for them to be aware. Unless they know these things, they can't help.

Yeah, she knows. Not about the weed, but about the alcohol. And I told her in the session that I seemed to be on the verge of a panic attack... however she doesn't seem to understand the derealization thing. I don't know. :/

Thanks for the replies, you two.