Stress Center Peer Support

i keep having these feelings on unreality. is this a normal part of anxiety? these feeling pop in and out throughout the day. i feel good and then the anxiety feeling or thought pops back in and i get panicky.

Very normal and part of the problem I think it's the first part of us getting panicky and maybe some of the adreneline we are putting in ourselves, but I am not an expert. I have that too You need to follow the steps Lucinda says, don'.t run, allow it , breathe, positive self talk, and I can't remember the rest look in the handbook, remember we do this to ourselves. God Bless You!

This is very normal

This is a common symptom of anxiety. When debilitating anxiety hit me in 2006, I suffered complete derealization, which lasted even a few months after I was handling anxiety much better. The trick is NOT to focus on it, and not to make such a big deal out of it. Someone once described it to me as "your brain is overwhelmed and is taking a coffee break." It evens happens now once in a while if I am particularly stressed, or sometimes AFTER a period of stress that I get through OK. So it helps to say to myself something humorous like: "oops, brain on a coffee break again. Be sure to check in with me when you are back!" and go about your business. It is when you notice the sensation and start to panic about it that it will get worse. It is nothing to panic about. You know what it is.

Unreality/bewilderment is so common with anxiety, especially during early stages of recovery. Feelings are just that, feelings of no great medical significance. I still get occasional feelings of unreality. I accept them and go about my business. Let it be as bad as it wants to be and stop adding second fear to it. "Oh my God, it's back, it's back." There's no wonder you get panicky, when you're speaking to yourself in such a way. Stop looking at your symptoms as something you must fight and overcome before you can recover. Accept them and let them win. Recovery is not banishment of these thoughts or feelings. Recovery lies in taking the fear and bewilderment out of them with utter utter acceptance.

I'm glad to know that I am not losing my mind, and that the dream like feeling is just one more symptom of anxiety, but it really scares me when I feel like this, because sometimes I have this feeling for days!

I'm feeling much better but still having the unreality feelings. Those feelings turn into the thought that I'm losing my mind. I know this wont happen but the thought always comes back. I trying not to give the thought any meaning because it is just a thought and not who I am. I have had anxiety (GAD) for 9 years now and I would think if I was crazy then my family would have told me by now. I love my family so much and just wanting to get back the way it used to be when I didnt have this thing. I working on the skills this program to help me along the way.

The feelings do not turn into the thought that you're losing your mind. You add this yourself. By constantly testing your mental state and trying so hard to get back where "you used to be."

The thought always comes back because you have placed such significance and fear to the thought. How could it not return? Stop viewing your feelings and thoughts as some monster out to get you. By trying so hard to be your "old self." You are keeping yourself ill in the process. Stop trying so hard and take one minute at a time but most importantly, stop adding this second fear to these feelings. Second fear is fairly easy to distinguish because it is usually prefixed by "Oh My God.." or "What if.."

By calling your feelings and thoughts this "thing" you have assigned an unknown cause. Your body is tired of receiving messages that something is out to get you or is threatening your mental state. This is a conflict within you. The only way to resolve this conflict is to accept the thoughts and feelings as normal and STOP adding second fear.

Yes, it very normal. The only thing I can say is that float with the feeling and do not allow this to overwhelm you. When you give it too much thought it may make you feel worse. So, float with it and use positive and soothing dialogue. It will pass because it really does!

Let it overwhelm you, let it come, go toward it, let it have it's way with you, let it "kill" you, whatever you think it's going to do. Then, the truth will start to come out about this monster you've created.