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Feeling of unreality
Fri, 2011-05-20 22:30 | by Hillary
Posting in a forum is very new to me so I hope this works out...that being said, I'm looking for some encouragement. I've had anxiety for most of my life and have been generally successful in coping with it. However, recently my anxiety has taken a new form that is completely new to me. I keep getting a feeling of unreality that is very disturbing; Ive read online that it is common but I'd love to hear from someone who has also felt this way and has successfully gotten through it. It seems as though the "feeling of unreality" is a symptom of anxiety but at the same time feeling this way throws me into panic mode and causes me 10x more anxiety than normal. I feel as though it is effecting my relationship with my friends and even my self confidence. I feel familiar with all the physical symptoms of anxiety but this mental/emotional symptom is, for lack of a better term, making me feel "crazy". please help!
I can relate to this 100%/Wish I had an easy answer
I felt like I could have written your post. The psychiatric term for this feeling you describe, I believe, is disassociation. I take generic Xanax (alprazolam) and my psychiatrist tells me that disassociation is a side effect of that med. I read the same opinions in online research as well - check out Wikipedia for a fairly decent explanation of disassociation. It is absolutely terrifying for me to experience this sense of unreality. It is different than a classic panic attack . My heart does not beat fast, nor do I shake or feel like I am dying....I just forget who I am in a way...and if it happens I have to have a Xanax. I never used to have this kind of anxiety 3 or 4 years ago. I can't leave the house without a Xanax and some drink to wash it down with. At the very least the Xanax is working as a placebo but at the same time it is contributing to the problem. I am trying to taper off Xanax....talk about a total catch 22!!! I am going to explore acupuncture for this and some other alternatives. BuSpar did nothing for me. I also suffer from bipolar and take lithium, plus generic Ambien, so perhaps those drugs add to this weird sense of unreality. God knows! I did not start having intense anxiety until after I was diagnosed with bipolar 4 years ago....Please keep me posted if you find anything that helps you with this condition. I wish you luck and I am so sorry you have to g through this hell. Can you see a counselor at all??