Derealization and depersonalization. What is it and how do you deal with it?

To begin with, it is worthwhile to understand what it is and from where it resembles. These are two similar symptoms of different disorders but with various manifestations. Let's find out what they are one by one.

What is derealization?

Derealization is a condition in which a person feels that the world around them becomes unreal and they lose control over their lives. 

In derealization, the world is experienced as alien, as if everything around has become distant, wrong and unreal. Vision may feel impaired and panic may begin to set in. 

 Symptoms:

To understand the whole picture, it is worth knowing in more detail what it is and what the symptoms are. Below will be a number of frequent manifestations.

• A feeling of detachment.
• Beginning to suddenly see objects blurred, distorted or do not seem real at all.
• Time seems too fast or too slow.
• Emotional numbness.

What is depersonalization?

Depersonalization is a disorder of self-awareness in which a person experiences a sense of change and alienation, a splitting of their personality, body, and mental processes. 

The person stops perceiving themselves as a whole person, the feeling of perceiving themselves from the outside, or not perceiving themselves as something real at all. 

Symptoms:

• To yourself, you become a bystander.
• Emotional alienation from your personality.
• Can't perceive yourself in the reflection, as if you are not there at all. 

As a rule, these two concepts are not separate personality disorders, but accompanying factors to others, such as schizophrenia, depression, bipolar affective disorder, cotard syndrome, etc. 

How to deal with depersonalization and derealization?

Most of the time derealization and depersonalization appear for a while and disappear again. How do you deal with them and how do you make the feeling go away? There are several methods that can help you.

For starters, if this happens to you or your loved one often, it is worth keeping a diary. This way you can come to understand what becomes the trigger for such a condition. 

• If you've been sitting on some work and suddenly this happens to you - don't stop doing what you're doing. Your brain will register that it was able to complete that task and nothing bad happened.
• Start reading and read aloud something. It doesn't matter what - whether it's a bible or anecdote, the important thing is that the text is unfamiliar to you. This way you can use your hearing, and vision, and focus on the text and your voice. The brain can be distracted from the “attack” and the symptoms will diminish or disappear. 
• Turn on some music and focus on the words or melody. Not depressing and sad songs, something upbeat, for music is an affirmation for the subconscious mind. 
• Instead of music you can eat/drink something sour, sharp, with a bright flavour, for example, lemon. 
• Take one hand for hot and the other for cold. An anti-stress toy can also help.
• Concentrate on the details of the room or place where you are. What colour is the chair? What shape is the sausage? 
• Breathe! If this kind of thing happens to you often you can download some apps. A good one is MindaSpa. I use it myself.

Why does this happen at all?

The funny thing is that this condition happens for a reason. When our brain is under frequent stress or not the most pleasant state, to save you and your psyche it causes derealization and depersonalization to save you. Or rather it relives unpleasant moments in this way. 

Of course, the above-mentioned ways will not eliminate it permanently, but to reduce it yes. To avoid subsequent manifestations of derealization and depersonalization is worth going to a specialist who will understand the exact cause of the appearance and tell you how to act.