detached

I have suffered from mild anxiety my whole life(worried excessively,nervous,stomach problems). Despite this I was never treated. when I was twenty I was under alot of stress and my anxiety took a turn for the worse and I was somewhat of a wreck, constant nervousness, hard time talking comfortably with people, whom I`d never had trouble talking to before and also getting along with people. I was constantly crabby and unhappy and I just could not relax. Even after this I still went untreated and forunately the job I was at I got layed off and found one with a lot less stress. As a year went by I started feeling better. at age 25 I got married and had two children and the stress came back and so did the anxiety. I began drinking 4 or 5 beers in the evening I guess to relax but was unconciously medicating my anxiety. Finally my worries turned to being an alcoholic so I quit cold turkey. Withing days my anxiety level was so high that I couldnt sleep,eat, or hardly think. I was in almost a state of delerium. During this I went into this weird state where I felt dreamy and unattached to my body. Like my mind wasnt sitting firmly in my scull. I finally went for treatment and the doctor gave me ativan and celexa. within days the anxiety and disattchment were gone . 4 weeks later the doctor pulled me off of ativan and the detachment and anxiety came back. I went back on ativan but now the anxiety is less but the detachment is still there. Is it possible I am permantly stuck in this awful detachment forever. Its been 5 weeks and Ive been in it 24-7. Im deathly afraid

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

NO, its not possible to stay stuck in this state, but the drug treatment is not sufficient. You must see a therapist and talk through what is blocking you.  The detachment is a form of defense against unwanted thoughts, feelings or memories. It means you are still frightened about something you are not talking about.  That's where you can push through the detachment.