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depersonalization

I must be very sensitive to substances that alter consiousness.. 4 years ago I experienced some sort of delerium from drinking alcohol.. this was a traumatic event for me and I felt bad for several months. It affected the balance in my nervous system and I had some panic attacks after that. I was prescribed an anti-depressant..and I took it for a few months.. and then everything was ok.. Now 2 months ago someone gave me cake in which they had put marijuana.. When I felt that feeling I started to freak out and thought I was going crazy. I started hyperventilating.. and couldn't understand what was happening to me. I had hallucinations and time went so slow. My friend reassured me and said it was going to pass. But I was affraid of dying and I think I really experienced a severe trauma there. The days after that I still felt like I was dreaming and I had trouble with my short term memory. I felt really bad so I consulted my doctor, but I didn't tell him about this incident because I didn't want my parents to know. My doctor found out my bloodpressure was low and prescribed me pills for that.. and also that anti-depressant because he said it must have helped me last time. I took it for like 11 days and it made everything worse.. I had panic attacks but since I already knew the feeling I could handle them... I told my doctor I wasn't feeling okay with those pills.. I had bad dreams and felt like everything was worse..like my anxiety increased. So he told me I could stop them...since normally I have no trouble with my health. I stopped those pills 3 weeks ago now.. and for two weeks I felt better..I could study well.. But I experienced some side effects, like dizziness when standing up.. tiredness... but the worst side effect is this feeling I have when I look in the mirror.. It's like I recognize myself but I feel detached from myself.. some sort of depersonalization.  I remember last time it went away by itself.. but now my question is what can I do about it? I'm under a lot of stress too for now because i have exams.. ( I'm a psychology student :) ) It's been two months now since I had that experience.. and I wonder how long it will take for me to heal... I'm taking iniciative by doing sports and drinking lots of water.. I don't avoid social contact but since I have to study so much I still don't go out much..  I show just mild signs of depression... but I think this feeling I have was a natural reaction to that traumatic event... or maybe a side effect from the fluoxetine withdrawal... I just needed a Doctor's opinion on this... I hope U give me some good advice...

Best Regards
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Avatar universal
It is of course difficult to say what is going on from a distance. But it seems to me that you may be allergic to substances. Allergic people usually are hypoglycemic, that is a sugar handling problem. For finding some of your allergies please use

Finding your Allergies at:
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/finding_your_allergies.html

Please test yourself with the

The Nutrition-Behavior Inventory Questionnaire (NBI) at:
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/nutrition-behavior_inventory.html

and the

The Hypo Quizz at:
http://www.hypoglycemia.org/hypo_test.asp


If you score high it could be a sign of hypoglycemia, that can account for symptoms of anxiety and depersonalization.

The non-drug treatment would be going on a hypoglycemic diet.

Anyway discuss with a doctor or a Clinical Nutritionist.
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Avatar universal
Dear Mister,

First of all, thank you for the compliments and for your reaction. I believe that many issues of the mind can be overcome by coping with them in the right way. I think I am doing all the right things right now to move on. I now know how I react to severe trauma. Because I have always been afraid of drugs.. And I thought I was going to die that night. All the symptoms I have are a result of that specific situation. So I deal with it. The depersonalization and dizziness might be side effects from the fluoxetine withdrawal.. I think I can handle this on my own.. without medication or psychotherapy.. I'll give it another month and see how I feel but I think I will have improved much by then. As I said before, this is a stressful period too.. and it's a little annoying for me that I'm having this problem right now but it's ok... That's why i seek a little internet help :-)  I guess the key word here is.. time.

Best regards..
Helpful - 0
366811 tn?1217422672
Show me the knucklehead who put dope in your cake and I'll put Drano in his Kool-Aid. Idiot.

There are no doctors on this forum in an advisory capacity, so please don't expect an opion backed my medical authority. Use other MedHelp resources for a doctor's opinion.

Here, you'll get opinions and experience from all the people who deal with panic, anxiety and the usual gang of suspects. And so, I WILL express an opinion based on my own experience and some other observations.

From what you describe, it certainly sounds as though you are doing everything you can reasonably be expected to do to look after yourself and stay out of harm's way. And, again, based on your very complete narrative, your sensitivity seems self-evident.

Now it is possible that, in addition to whatever intrinsic chemical sensitivity you have -there may also be psychological factors rooted in your growing up and experiences which are at work in the emotional and mental "background." And of course, our thoughts and feelings carry chemistry of their own as we know from feeling anger, love and other emotions. And so, if there is a "drip" from any such feelings -it would stand to reason, in my mind- that your radar would be sensitive to that. This is all made up theory -the basic idea is that there may be more than one vector for your feelings, maybe some things are at work which are not immediately evident.

Now, you present as a psychology student. My advanced powers of deduction tell me you are therefore in a university or college setting, where there are psychologists -maybe even psychiatrists who are on the faculty, and in whose classes you may sit. And if I were in your shoes, I would get some office time with those people and lay it out. Yes, they may refer you to the campus infirmary, but don't be surprised if you get a good lead to very informed opinions -which is what you report you want.

I hope you'll post the results of your inquiries. And I hope you'll consider membership here, as well. You are articulate, of very sound mind and intelligent.

Be good to yourself.
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Arlington, VA
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