Ok, I know I'm dissociating, but I'm not sure if what I'm experiencing is depersonalizing/derealizing or full on dissociating. When these episodes happen, my vision gets tunnel-like and everything is distorted. I feel like I'm in a dream and I'm not sure if I'm real or if anything around me is real. I usually remember who I am and where I am, but sometimes I do forget and I feel like a speck of dust floating in empty space. My brain feels very foggy and static-ish, and I feel like I'm in a trance. I'm not able to feel any emotions, whether it be sadness or happiness or anger, and my body feels tingly and numb. What is this?
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Am I Depersonalizing Or Dissociating?
- Post starter katybug
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Seasounds
Diamond Member
Hello, to answer your questions
De-personalizing usually refers to not taking things personally; this occurs while being in an associated state.
I don't know what de-realizing is.
As you described your symptoms, it sounds like you may be in an overwhelming, triggering, or threatening situation.
(These symptoms could also come use of recreational drugs.)
When you have these symptoms, I would find a way to relax, and to be with someone with whom you feel safe. Go to the emergency department if you don't get relief.
De-personalizing usually refers to not taking things personally; this occurs while being in an associated state.
I don't know what de-realizing is.
As you described your symptoms, it sounds like you may be in an overwhelming, triggering, or threatening situation.
(These symptoms could also come use of recreational drugs.)
When you have these symptoms, I would find a way to relax, and to be with someone with whom you feel safe. Go to the emergency department if you don't get relief.
Last edited:
deer_in_headlights
Diamond Member
Hi Katybug!
Welcome to the forum!
I was in that state just a couple of hours ago. It's a dissociative state. It's something we do when we feel overwhelmed or have been triggered by something. It's a very primative survival tactic, that can be awfully inconvenient - to say the least.
Satvea has good advice, particularly if you're currently in a bad, or dangerous situation. If not, if you're safe, then I would personally add a qualifier and have to say that the ER can be great for many things, I don't think (unless you're in very dire straits) you'd have to go through the stress of going to the ER for dissociation. Unless you're fortunate enough to locate a fantastic trauma center with good staff experienced in helping people with traumatic issues/PTSD, they usually wouldn't have a clue as to how to help you get out of a dissociative state. (I find ERs to not be helpful for PTSD issues, unless someone is suicidal.). If you can go directly to find someone to talk to in the hospital's social services or chaplain's department, that would save you from the anxiety-promoting ER waiting room/ dept.. ER staff would want to push you out quickly, especially if you're not visibly injured. Chaplains and Social Services are usually ready to sit down for a caring, calming chat.
A phone call to a crisis line might be easier on you, if you need someone to talk to.
I'm not a Dr., just a fellow-sufferer, but to me, you don't sound like you have derealization, at the moment. If you wanted to further nail down a name, depersonalization traits are showing in your description, but I really wouldn't want to get hung up on that - the inclusive "dissociative state" or "dissociation" name works just fine. People who know trauma will get what you're saying.
The best methods for getting out of this state lie within your own capacity to re-emerge.
The quickest way is to "Get Present".
You look around you (noticing that, in the moment, you are safe - if not, leave, and go to a place of safety).
You can say to yourself, or aloud, things that you notice, colors, what is going on outside.
How is your body feeling? It helps to take a drink of water, slowly, noticing every detail that you can about what it feels like.
Petting an animal really helps.
Going outside and looking at trees in detail, flowers, birds, the color of the sky, the beauty and movement of the clouds, etc...
What do you smell? You can cut a piece of fruit, smell and taste it, noticing every tiny detail.
Distracting yourself:
Eating, exercise, watching a favorite or funny movie,...
Many others here can give you further examples of how to ground, get present, mindfulness, somatic experiencing, etc...
I've not read your intro yet (apologies, saw this thread first and wanted to help). I hope you're currently in therapy, with a trauma counselor.
My heart is with you!
Deer
Welcome to the forum!
I was in that state just a couple of hours ago. It's a dissociative state. It's something we do when we feel overwhelmed or have been triggered by something. It's a very primative survival tactic, that can be awfully inconvenient - to say the least.
Satvea has good advice, particularly if you're currently in a bad, or dangerous situation. If not, if you're safe, then I would personally add a qualifier and have to say that the ER can be great for many things, I don't think (unless you're in very dire straits) you'd have to go through the stress of going to the ER for dissociation. Unless you're fortunate enough to locate a fantastic trauma center with good staff experienced in helping people with traumatic issues/PTSD, they usually wouldn't have a clue as to how to help you get out of a dissociative state. (I find ERs to not be helpful for PTSD issues, unless someone is suicidal.). If you can go directly to find someone to talk to in the hospital's social services or chaplain's department, that would save you from the anxiety-promoting ER waiting room/ dept.. ER staff would want to push you out quickly, especially if you're not visibly injured. Chaplains and Social Services are usually ready to sit down for a caring, calming chat.
A phone call to a crisis line might be easier on you, if you need someone to talk to.
I'm not a Dr., just a fellow-sufferer, but to me, you don't sound like you have derealization, at the moment. If you wanted to further nail down a name, depersonalization traits are showing in your description, but I really wouldn't want to get hung up on that - the inclusive "dissociative state" or "dissociation" name works just fine. People who know trauma will get what you're saying.
The best methods for getting out of this state lie within your own capacity to re-emerge.
The quickest way is to "Get Present".
You look around you (noticing that, in the moment, you are safe - if not, leave, and go to a place of safety).
You can say to yourself, or aloud, things that you notice, colors, what is going on outside.
How is your body feeling? It helps to take a drink of water, slowly, noticing every detail that you can about what it feels like.
Petting an animal really helps.
Going outside and looking at trees in detail, flowers, birds, the color of the sky, the beauty and movement of the clouds, etc...
What do you smell? You can cut a piece of fruit, smell and taste it, noticing every tiny detail.
Distracting yourself:
Eating, exercise, watching a favorite or funny movie,...
Many others here can give you further examples of how to ground, get present, mindfulness, somatic experiencing, etc...
I've not read your intro yet (apologies, saw this thread first and wanted to help). I hope you're currently in therapy, with a trauma counselor.
My heart is with you!
Deer
Last edited:
joeylittle
Sponsor
Not quite. De-personalization is one sub-type of dissociation; usually, the individual will describe themselves as 'watching things from outside' their own body; sometimes, feeling literally like they don't have a body and aren't there.
De-realization is described as either 'the world isn't real' or 'the world isn't there'.
So, either way, you are dissociating. These terms describe a type of dissociation, and can be classified as their own disorder when extreme enough.
Sounds like it's a combination (which is also something that can happen).
Regardless, the approach is pretty much the same - you need to get grounded again.
Meadowsweet
Diamond Member
I think @joeylittle has describe it perfectly. de-personalisation/de-realisation is a type of dissociation.
Also, people that experience dissociation can experience its different types and combinations of those different types.
Also, people that experience dissociation can experience its different types and combinations of those different types.
- Post starter
- #6
Seasounds
Diamond Member
@joeylittle, your response clarified a point and presented a question.
Clarified point: de-personalizing is a form of disassociation.
Question: how does that differ from ' not taking things personally.
Why your comment was helpful: I have needed to teach my therapists to stop saying, "Don't take it personally", and let me work through my feelings, while simultaneously realizing the other person has their own dysfunctional patterns.
Indeed, beginning to take things personally/connecting to my response, was an important step into association. Thanks!
Clarified point: de-personalizing is a form of disassociation.
Question: how does that differ from ' not taking things personally.
Why your comment was helpful: I have needed to teach my therapists to stop saying, "Don't take it personally", and let me work through my feelings, while simultaneously realizing the other person has their own dysfunctional patterns.
Indeed, beginning to take things personally/connecting to my response, was an important step into association. Thanks!
BlackbirdSinging
Diamond Member
Depersonalizing is a type of dissociation. Taking things personally is closer to a cognitive distorted thought. To not take things personally isn't depersonalizing.
joeylittle
Sponsor
Essentially, there are two definitions for the word. In psychiatry/psychology/mental health -
It doesn't really mean 'don't take it personally', actually. The right phrase there would be "don't personalize"...or maybe put more plainly -
depersonalizing is not the opposite of personalizing.
Better to say "internalize" and "externalize". When we internalize something, we absorb it within ourselves When we allow it to be external, we let it stay outside of ourselves.
(sorry, I'm geeky about language)
But on a broader level, to depersonalize is to remove traits of individuality or human characteristic.
It doesn't really mean 'don't take it personally', actually. The right phrase there would be "don't personalize"...or maybe put more plainly -
depersonalizing is not the opposite of personalizing.
Better to say "internalize" and "externalize". When we internalize something, we absorb it within ourselves When we allow it to be external, we let it stay outside of ourselves.
(sorry, I'm geeky about language)
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