[Chance D.]

Although i have not been oficially diagnosed with it because my mother has been slacking, i took many self test and i know i have depersonalization/derealization disorder. I have been dealing with it for almost 3 years now. I cant exactly pin point when it started or what triggered it. I have been through many traumatic events in the span of a couple years,im pretty sure that couldve triggered it. With me, its not really so much depersonalization but more derealization. I still know me & i dont feel as if im watching myself in a movie , but i feel like im watching the world. EVERYTHING is so fuzzy and completely wierd i cant really explain it. Its fuzzy and feels/looks unreal. Colors are so faded or dont have meaning anymore it messes with my whole concept of reality. I have been diagnosed with anxiety and depression. I am in high school so this disorder really interfers with everything. Often in school i feel like what im feeling mentally is showing physically so i end up making a fool out of myself trying to seem normal. I need help. I currently take prozac for my anxiety/depression. Anybody else with disorder got any help? Tell me what helps && when will it go away ?

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by Chance D.

Although i have not been oficially diagnosed with it because my mother has been slacking, i took many self test and i know i have depersonalization/derealization disorder. I have been dealing with it for almost 3 years now. I cant exactly pin point when it started or what triggered it. I have been through many traumatic events in the span of a couple years,im pretty sure that couldve triggered it. With me, its not really so much depersonalization but more derealization. I still know me & i dont feel as if im watching myself in a movie , but i feel like im watching the world. EVERYTHING is so fuzzy and completely wierd i cant really explain it. Its fuzzy and feels/looks unreal. Colors are so faded or dont have meaning anymore it messes with my whole concept of reality. I have been diagnosed with anxiety and depression. I am in high school so this disorder really interfers with everything. Often in school i feel like what im feeling mentally is showing physically so i end up making a fool out of myself trying to seem normal. I need help. I currently take prozac for my anxiety/depression. Anybody else with disorder got any help? Tell me what helps && when will it go away ?

something you may not know is that depression (what your post says you have been diagnosed with) does include dissociative symptoms now,which is probably why you have b een diagnosed depression rather than depersonalization\derealization disorders. sounds strange I know to be diagnosed this way. here in ameriica treatment providers are moving away from the multi axial (multiple diagnosis) process.

that said we cant tell you what to do that will help you. only your treatment providers can say that but what helps me with my depression disorder related dissociative problems is my medications and grounding tools my treatment providers have me doing. grounding tools are things that get you to focus on reconnecting with your body and surroundings..

examples....
for some people a grounding tool is smelling food items
for some people taking a walk is a great grounding tool
for others noticing and feeling things works

for me what works is taking my canoe out on the lake and rowing around, getting in touch with nature. camping, recently I have taken up ice skating in the park, hiking\walking the trails and the park also helps me, my children are a great tool too. you cant help but turn your thoughts from with in to focusing on children when they are engaged in playing and funny antics. I also love the smell of apples and cinnamon so thats a great grounding tool for me when I am feeling my dissociative symptoms.

I have found my dissociative symptoms goes away with physical activities and all that I just wrote and sometimes the cause is my medication (which my treatment providers now call medication side effects due to the new diagnostics) when its my meds causing the problems my treatment providers change the dosage and sometimes change the kind of medications I am on.

[finding_my_way]

Originally Posted by Chance D.

Although i have not been oficially diagnosed with it because my mother has been slacking, i took many self test and i know i have depersonalization/derealization disorder. I have been dealing with it for almost 3 years now. I cant exactly pin point when it started or what triggered it. I have been through many traumatic events in the span of a couple years,im pretty sure that couldve triggered it. With me, its not really so much depersonalization but more derealization. I still know me & i dont feel as if im watching myself in a movie , but i feel like im watching the world. EVERYTHING is so fuzzy and completely wierd i cant really explain it. Its fuzzy and feels/looks unreal. Colors are so faded or dont have meaning anymore it messes with my whole concept of reality. I have been diagnosed with anxiety and depression. I am in high school so this disorder really interfers with everything. Often in school i feel like what im feeling mentally is showing physically so i end up making a fool out of myself trying to seem normal. I need help. I currently take prozac for my anxiety/depression. Anybody else with disorder got any help? Tell me what helps && when will it go away ?

i struggled with it a lot from an early age. the only thing that helped me during school was being able to have extended deadlines for assignments and being able to leave class if it interfered too much for me to focus.

you could try some grounding techniques (do a google search for that) if you haven't already tried some.

i personally didn't find much that helped lessen it. mine was all trauma based which was also related to certain diagnoses with a mix of other symptoms, so it wasn't just one thing by itself. it was more time that was the factor in it lessening for me. everyone is different though.

i don't think meds can help with it though. sometimes, they also can make it worse.

[Chance D.]

Originally Posted by amandalouise

something you may not know is that depression (what your post says you have been diagnosed with) does include dissociative symptoms now,which is probably why you have b een diagnosed depression rather than depersonalization\derealization disorders. sounds strange I know to be diagnosed this way. here in ameriica treatment providers are moving away from the multi axial (multiple diagnosis) process.

that said we cant tell you what to do that will help you. only your treatment providers can say that but what helps me with my depression disorder related dissociative problems is my medications and grounding tools my treatment providers have me doing. grounding tools are things that get you to focus on reconnecting with your body and surroundings..

examples....
for some people a grounding tool is smelling food items
for some people taking a walk is a great grounding tool
for others noticing and feeling things works

for me what works is taking my canoe out on the lake and rowing around, getting in touch with nature. camping, recently I have taken up ice skating in the park, hiking\walking the trails and the park also helps me, my children are a great tool too. you cant help but turn your thoughts from with in to focusing on children when they are engaged in playing and funny antics. I also love the smell of apples and cinnamon so thats a great grounding tool for me when I am feeling my dissociative symptoms.

I have found my dissociative symptoms goes away with physical activities and all that I just wrote and sometimes the cause is my medication (which my treatment providers now call medication side effects due to the new diagnostics) when its my meds causing the problems my treatment providers change the dosage and sometimes change the kind of medications I am on.

I hope that its just that. I have been dealing with it for so long though ! I have gotten used to the symptoms. I have been on and off of many medications they seem to help the dissociative symptoms a bit but not significantly. I need to get better. Im letting all the great experiences pass me by because i cant even feel them they seem unreal. I'm ready to enjoy life again

[Chance D.]

Originally Posted by finding_my_way

i struggled with it a lot from an early age. the only thing that helped me during school was being able to have extended deadlines for assignments and being able to leave class if it interfered too much for me to focus.

you could try some grounding techniques (do a google search for that) if you haven't already tried some.

i personally didn't find much that helped lessen it. mine was all trauma based which was also related to certain diagnoses with a mix of other symptoms, so it wasn't just one thing by itself. it was more time that was the factor in it lessening for me. everyone is different though.

i don't think meds can help with it though. sometimes, they also can make it worse.

When did yours go away? What ages were you dealing with it? Mine always get worst after i eat lunch ! I dont know why but after lunch is the worst time. Is it something about diet or sugar levels? Its so bad that my eyes get lazy and go all over the place & i just hope nobody notices.