Anybody experience depersonalisation?

Hi @Ginger12, Yes I experience what you are describing. @Former-Member I think "dissociation" is a broad term that covers a range of experiences, with "depersonalisation" being one of those.

I first experienced it when I was very young and I remember screaming to anyone who would listen that "nothing feels real." It was a relief to me when in my late teens I learnt that the proper term for the nothing-feels-real feeling is dissociation or depersonalisation. Even though I still find it uncomfortable, knowing what it is takes the fear out of it, which I find really helps me to cope with it.

My way of understanding it is that my brain is so full up with processing stuff internally, that it simply doesn't have space to also process external stimuli. I find that accepting I'm dissociated rather than stressing about it, helps to reduce it. I guess that's because stressing about it is one more thing my brain has to deal with.

I hope that helps you to feel less alone in your experience @Ginger12.

This happened to me the other day. I was driving at the time—sitting in peak hour traffic—and feeling extremely anxious/panicked about the day ahead. I felt like I was floating out the top of my head and had to fight very hard to stay with my body. It was really scary. I’ve dissociated before, but not usually at such an inopportune time. Sorry to hear things are so full-on for you at the moment, @Ginger12.