[lukeirl13]

Hello everyone,

I have depersonalised for years. I'd regularly walk in front of a mirror and completely change mood and question my existence and look at myself from outside my body and question it's place and the fact that this face is even mine. I thought it was just an normal thing, but I've realised it was depersonalisation, which comes with its triggers and everything. Sometimes its just sitting down or doing anything really, when I feel like I'm not the one talking or doing X.

I've been to counselling a few times, and brought it up. My counsellor said to me that it can happen, some grounding technique, and that for the moment, I should just keep an eye on it, so it only happens for a minute or more.

However, lately, it has been happening a lot more, and for longer.

I feel like going to my general practitioner, or even a psychiatrist.

Should I?

Any ideas?

Thank you very much!

[Skeezyks]

Hello lukeirl: I see this is your first post here on PC. So... welcome to PsychCentral! I hope you find the time you spend here to be of benefit. May I suggest you introduce yourself over on PC's New Member Introductions forum? Here's a link:

https://forums.psychcentral.com/new-...introductions/

I see you're in Ireland. I don't know how these sorts of things work there. I think that, when it comes to mental health issues, most people seem to feel that it's best to consult a psychiatrist rather than a general practitioner. Where I live, though, all psychiatrists do prescribe & monitor medications. When I see mine I'm in-&-out in about 10 minutes... that's it.

So while I think seeing a psychiatrist is probably preferable to seeing a GP, if things where you live work the way they do where I live, you probably can't expect a whole lot from seeing a psychiatrist other than to be prescribed medications... which is fine if that's what you're looking for. Otherwise, having the opportunity to talk what is going on with you through at length may be something that would be more appropriately handled with a psychologist or mental health therapist.

I know you wrote that you're seeing a counselor. I, of course, don't know what type of counselor you're seeing, or what that person's focus is. There are many different types of counselors & many of them are not trained to handle mental health issues nor is that the focus of their practice. I myself was a vocational rehabilitation counselor. But I did not have the expertise to provide mental health therapy services to my clients nor did I attempt to do so. So if the counselor you're seeing is not really trained to provide mental health therapy services, one option might be to first seek the services of a psychologist or mental health therapist before you see a psychiatrist.

There's a lot of support that can be available here on PC. The more you post, & reply to other members' posts, the more a part of the community you will become. Plus there are the chat rooms where you'll be able to interact with other PC members in real time (once your first 5 posts have been reviewed & approved.) So please keep posting!

[amandalouise]

in me this is called psychosis and my own treatment providers have a couple sayings... if it bothers me its time to see them, and the other is if I need to ask then its time to see them.

my suggestion is if this continues to bother you and you feel you need to ask then its time to see a treatment provider about it.

mind you this is only going on what my own treatment providers and health care insurance does things with me.

[Amyjay]

It seems like your counsellor isn't overly alarmed about the symptoms (seems satisfied you've described your depersonalization symptoms well and doesn't believe it is psychosis) and has given you some strategies to help with it. When it happens do the grounding techniques help it? What is your gut feeling? Do you think something more is going on?
I agree with Skeezys that the GP will probably not know and the psychiatrist will be mostly concerned with diagnostic labelling and drug treatment. Is that something you would like to happen?
I agree with the suggestion of perhaps seeing a psychologist or someone more knowledgeable than a garden variety counsellor to help with the dissociative issues.

[kecanoe]

I agree with what has been said above: in the US, psychiatrists primarily prescribe meds rather than help with symptoms such as depersonalization.

I'm not clear about if you have just started seeing a counselor or if you saw one a few times in the past, but maybe a consultation with a therapist who specializes in trauma would be helpful in determining what kind of treatment is best for you.