tips for dealing with derealization

Dealing with Depersonalization and Derealization comes with some real scary feelings. People often add second fears and "what-if's" to their already overwhelming symptoms. This makes things so much worse than they have to be. They scare themselves creating more anxiety and more panic to the mix. Coping skills exist and they take some practice to get used to them but I encourage you to practice everyday. By mastering these skills, you will make things easier on yourself and bring yourself back to feeling better than you have in a long time.

1. Accept your sensations! I know it’s very hard to accept the things that are distressing. We just want them gone already. However, "by wishing them away, we enable them to stay". Accept they are there and do not add any "what if thinking" about all the possibilities for your sensations. Let them exist and don’t make such a big deal out of it. By making a big deal, you are falsely telling your brain that there is something to fear, something to dread, something to run from. As you would conquer your obsessive scary thoughts, you will conquer your Depersonalization and Derealization. Sometimes it is the obsession of your thinking that keeps you stuck.

2. Tell yourself the truth! Remind yourself what you are feeling and why. They are symptoms! Nothing more, nothing less. Whether they are from a medication that you are taking, or simply symptoms from chronic anxiety or depression they are common symptoms! They are "distressing but not dangerous". Positive thought replacement is very important in helping you do this effectively.

3. Practice being in the "here and now". Practice doing things that cause you to participate in life. Give whatever you are doing your fullest attention. You do this by involving all your senses! Notice colors, smells, sounds and if someone is talking give them your fullest attention. This is a skill that needs a lot of practice, especially since you are so used to being focused on yourself and how you feel. This skill is about getting out of yourself and into what is around you!

4. Do something fun that you enjoy. I suppose this is the best distraction method that I really approve of. Doing something you enjoy and becoming physically part of it, involving the "here and now" makes this skill so worth it. While you work this skill, remind yourself what you love about it and how it makes you feel.

5. Do not avoid anything because of the way you feel. – Avoiding only makes matters much worse. Instead, step out and realize that you can do whatever you need to do with or without those feelings. Depersonalization and Derealization are symptoms related to too much stress and anxiety. It is your brains way of protecting you from overdrive by putting you in neutral. I know it is scary to step out while feeling this way but it's very important to do so, but you must do it while telling yourself the truth about your symptoms.

6. Develop an attitude of determination. It’s easy to become distracted by the way you feel. It is also easy to slip back into bad habits of thinking and to scare yourself again and again. Make sure you do an attitude check everyday. Be determined and realize that you will have good days and bad days. Remind yourself that as long as you keep up the work and practice these skills, you will produce some good results. The truth is you have two choices...and only two choices. You can either repeat the same old cycle of belief about your Depersonalization and Derealization or you can do something about it by practicing skills that will help bring hope and relief to these uncomfortable symptoms. You can keep worrying about yourself and these feelings or you can move on believing that there is hope and help for you.

7. Trust others who have “been there and done that ". Listen to the people who have suffered and have overcome. Trust that when they tell you their experience that there is the same hope and help for you. There is much to be learned by listening to others and their personal experiences.

8. Don’t be afraid to seek professional help. sometimes the hardest thing to do is seek professional help for anxiety and/or depression. Many people are afraid they will no longer be in control over their mental health decisions. Please be assured that you will always have control over yourself and the choices you make. Even if your doctor suggested a medication and you don’t want to take it – you still have the choice to not take it. Medication is a choice, always! Sometimes it’s just good to have someone to talk about it with.

9. Involve yourself in an online forum Talking with others that are currently suffering helps a lot! Not only do you get to see that you are not alone, but you get the chance to tell them the very things you need to be telling yourself. You must know that by helping others, you help yourself. By repeating to others the truths about Depersonalization and Derealization, you are repeating it to yourself.

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