17 y/o girl, feeling detached from reality-- maybe depersonalization/derealization?

Posted , 5 users are following.

About 5 days ago, I went to party and got really drunk for the first time. When I woke up the next morning and ever since then, I've felt very disconnected from reality. The night after the party I had to go into work so I took a 5 hour energy, which seemed like it intensified the fogginess I was feeling. It feels like I'm watching a movie of my life or am in a dream rather than being present and grounded. I feel very detached and I have a hard time concentrating or thinking clear thoughts. Everything just feels detached and when I talk to people its like I'm on autopilot.I've been looking it up and it seems like my symptoms are very similar to derealization/depersonalization/disassociation (I don't know the difference?). However, many forums say that this sometimes happens to people after drinking alcohol and fades after about a week... I'm hoping this is the case for me, but I've also seen a lot of people say that it's lasted years. I've seen that it's often caused by anxiety but I don't think of myself as having much anxiety and I'm not depressed. It's a scary experience and I would love to hear some other opinions/experiences or if anyone has any advice or can tell me how long I should expect this to last

1 like, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • Posted

    I suspect you drank heavily and possibly in the wrong frame of mind , alcohol is a means of escapism and also a depressor , it can amplify what or the reason you wanted to escape and I suspect that is the case , it will pass. Think back to your mood before you started drinking, hopeful will pass in the next few days, do something different from your daily routine to assist.
    • Posted

      Thank you for the reply— that’s what I initially thought, but alcohol is supposed to leave your system completely in a number of hours to a day... could it just be a lasting altered perception from that? Do u have any tips for grounding myself or breaking out of it?
  • Posted

    Tna000,

    I understand the disconnected sensation you feel all to well. You see I survive with an issue known as D.I.D. (Disassociative Identity Disorder). It is considered in the medical field to be a form or type of M.P.D. (Multiple Personality Disorder). The main difference being that the different DID personalities are like completely different people from the born to that body person in an all the way around perspective where MPD personalities are different sides sometimes different stages of the born to that body person or host personality. MPD changes can be caused by high anxiety & things like that but DID changes are brought on initially by major tramatic/abusive/horrific events in which the host personality's mentally cannot handle what's happening & has no way to exit the situation. It's at that point that (for lack of a better way to explain it) the systems director in your brain call cut. Brings in the stunt double & then calls action again. Putting a personality that can mentally handle the situation in your place a disassociating you from that which is to much for your mind. Unfortunately you have no control over what the other personality does, says or anything. It's like you go to sleep and you only have memory of anything if the other personality allows you to. Psychologists & psyciatrists say integration and lots of zombie making medications are the only treatment for DID. I say they are wrong because I myself have lived with it for 37 years without their drugs & nut wards & we're all fine. Lol joke. I do just fine. I hope I've haven't bored you to much in my attempt to help you understand the dissociation aspect. I think that as soon as you detoxify your system from the alcohol that is in a sense poisoning you your symptoms will subside. I'd probably stay away from the drinking thing cause your hangover lasting as long as it is looks like you may have an allergy to alcohol as well.

  • Posted

    Hi, just read your message, I have suffered with this in the past, it will go when you stop worrying over the symptoms, the symptoms will get worse the more you worry about them. tlu will feel better soon, trust me on this!! I thought I would never feel the same again!!! Obv will you learn to just 'go with how you feel' the symptoms will gradually reduce over time. Hope this helps. I wouldn't think that drinking would have anything to do with it, your probably just looking at that as something to blame it on, it that makes sense.  you WILL feel better soon ....don't worry ??

    • Posted

      Thank you so much for your positive reply smile I’ve been thinking about your method, because I know everything is mental but do you suggest just looking past it and not trying actively to connect to reality? Because my friend who has derealization  said the same thing but my only worry is that when I look past it and stop thinking about it I’ll just get used to living like this... either way, I’m willing to try it, do you have any tips for ignoring it bc right now it’s all I can focus on! 
    • Posted

      DEFINETLY  try and look past it, trying to connect with reality will only make your symptoms a lot more worse! you have to just think to yourself that You might feel like this tomorrow, You might even feel like this next week....BUT by saying this to yourself it will reduce the anxiety that is fuelling how you feel right now. You won't feel like this forever, trust me on this, right now you might think that but if you just try to not be 'afraid' of the feeling you'll find that your anxiety will reduce and therefore you won't feel the depersonalisation quite as bad. You won't get used to living like this....you've just got to try and keep busy, take your mind off it....I found excersise was very effective for me. It's great at reducing anxiety! I really hope this helps, I know how s****y you feel right now but DONT focus on it, you will be back to your usual self in no time at all!!😀

    • Posted

      Thank you so much, your comment made me feel a lot better about my situation. I really appreciate it 🧡

    • Posted

      That's ok, I'm glad your feeling a lot better, here if you need any more advice 👍

  • Posted

    You couldb try grounding..... I'm flighty af if I really need to hard grounding I'll lay face down on the Earth, grass, dirt..... Place a big stone on my back or last back down and place it on my tummy. Also breathing exercises; breathing up through bare feet on the ground into the body through the belly right up the middle stopping at chakra points and up out through the crown and back down again into the Earth. Hope you get back in your body..... If you lived in Brisbane I would offer my body work service's 👍. A good healing dip in the ocean would help too and a good dose of sunshine..... People often forget The healing properties of nature and run straight to a pharmacy.

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