[Happy Hotaru]

I've noticed this problem since around my mid-teens. Nothing I notice seems to be as vivid and lively like it was when I was a kid. I thought it was due to age, but now I'm not so sure. I looked up what this could be and I learned about dissociative and depersonalization disorders, and I can relate to a good handful of their symptoms. Nowadays, my reality looks dreamy and a bit blurred. About a week ago while I was driving, I slapped my face a little bit (not hard) to make myself feel connected to reality. I also sometimes look at items intently and try to force myself into thinking that it's clear, vivid, and actually in front of me. I only feel like this when I'm either anxious, or if I think about it. If I don't think about it, I'm relatively fine. I have had a history of high anxiety and fair amounts of depression. So I'm asking people who actually have these disorders if I might be living with this as well.

P.S. I've only recently learned about these disorders, and I'm sorry if I have offended anyone.

Originally Posted by Happy Hotaru

I've noticed this problem since around my mid-teens. Nothing I notice seems to be as vivid and lively like it was when I was a kid. I thought it was due to age, but now I'm not so sure. I looked up what this could be and I learned about dissociative and depersonalization disorders, and I can relate to a good handful of their symptoms. Nowadays, my reality looks dreamy and a bit blurred. About a week ago while I was driving, I slapped my face a little bit (not hard) to make myself feel connected to reality. I also sometimes look at items intently and try to force myself into thinking that it's clear, vivid, and actually in front of me. I only feel like this when I'm either anxious, or if I think about it. If I don't think about it, I'm relatively fine. I have had a history of high anxiety and fair amounts of depression. So I'm asking people who actually have these disorders if I might be living with this as well.

P.S. I've only recently learned about these disorders, and I'm sorry if I have offended anyone.

Hi..welcome to PC!

No offense taken here, that’s for sure. Have you seeked medcal and psychological help of any kind? Most anything can cause such feelings such as poor diet, lack of sleep, medication, anxiety, stress,...and the list goes on....

Anxiety can bring in me bouts of dp/dr in which I have to couple it with grounding techniques like detailing where I look at an object and give it the mental once over noting size, color, texture....

Busy supermarkets do it to me....the electronic beeps, talking, colors, bright lights, rows of organization multi colored....sometimes I grab a jar of whatever and just start reading the labels till I blend back in with normalness, lol.

I know a lot about face slapping/punching. Even a splash of ice cold water is needed at times. This is normal for me and myselves and we just take it in stride. We’ve always been this way....just got to accept it and deal, then move back on.

You are not alone...hope that we can help.