You might find that you’re able to concentrate on the words and their meanings enough to quiet intrusive thoughts. Try picking up an old favorite book, or a story that brings you comfort. If you enjoy reading, it may help with depression and the anxious thoughts that often occur alongside depersonalization. When symptoms arise, even if you’re at work or waiting for the bus, you can pop in your earbuds, press play, and let the music soothe you. You might consider making a playlist of your favorite songs and keep the playlist on your phone. Research shows that music can help reduce cortisol levels, a stress hormone, in your system. A grounding technique, like listening to music, may help you feel less anxious about the experience. Listen to musicįeelings of derealization can be more intense when your brain focuses on them. Like exercise, deep breathing can become easier with practice. If deep breathing is helpful, you might consider practicing your exercises for a few minutes each day. If you want some guidance from a meditation teacher, consider downloading a mindfulness app or look for a free guided meditation on YouTube or TikTok. For people living with depersonalization disorder, this can disrupt brain functioning and lead to feelings of depersonalization.īreathing exercises, like taking deep belly breaths, may help against this stress. When stress arises, your body’s nervous system fires up. Self-compassion exercises may help you accept whatever feelings arise at that moment. In turn, this may decrease symptoms of derealization, though more research is obviously needed. It’s possible that this concept may work on other painful emotions as well. Some research suggests that by acknowledging certain emotions (in this case, fatigue), you can lessen stress. When this happens, you might try to name your feelings. In these cases, your brain misreads danger, and feelings of depersonalization increase. If your body and mind ignore your feelings for too long, symptoms of depersonalization may drag on. When your body and mind distance you from intense emotional pain, overwhelming feelings may decrease, which may help you feel safe at that moment. Some believe that it’s your brain’s way of protecting you from danger. Acknowledge your feelingsĪccording to many psychology researchers, depersonalization may be an adaptive way to cope with stress. In addition, challenging your intrusive thoughts and reaching out to close friends may help you feel grounded. Naming your feelings, practicing deep breathing, or listening to music can also help you feel calmer. Treatments for PTSD and BPD may also have a beneficial effect on depersonalization symptoms.įirst things first: When symptoms arise, try to remind yourself that you’re OK and that you’re safe. Many tools can help you manage feelings of anxiety, depression, or distress about living with depersonalization. It’s important to work with a mental health professional who’s able to support you with the best treatment plan for your symptoms. While depersonalization symptoms can interfere with your quality of life, managing the distress caused by them is possible. Others assert that it’s less of a protective function and more like a scar from the traumatic event (or set of events) itself. Many theorists believe that dissociation is your body’s way of protecting you from extreme trauma or stress. This can result in a diagnosis of depersonalization/derealization disorder (DPDR).ĭissociation can also occur with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and borderline personality disorder (BPD), so you may not necessarily be diagnosed with DPDR separately. For 2% of the population, the symptoms become more frequent. With that in mind, here are several resources that you may find helpful.Ībout 75% of people experience feelings of depersonalization at some point in their lives. Various types of support may help ease your distress around depersonalization - from self-care and online groups, to therapy and education. If you’ve experienced any of these symptoms, you’re not alone. In addition, anxiety or depression can often occur alongside depersonalization, which can make your experience more intense. Sometimes, depersonalization is caused by a negative experience with cannabis or other substances.Īdditional symptoms of depersonalization can include memory loss and out-of-body experiences. What they do know is that it’s a type of dissociation, often caused by traumatic or stressful events like a panic attack, an accident, abuse, or assault. The good news is, learning what causes depersonalization, as well as using a few self-care tools, can help make it more manageable.ĭepersonalization is a complex topic, and researchers still don’t know a lot about it. Share on Pinterest Alina Hvostikova/Stocksy Unitedĭepersonalization can be a frightening or confusing experience.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |