Quit Nicotine, reality feels slightly like a dream

[Ky369]

Hello, I was addicted to Dip tobacco for over 5 years. I was doing 2 cans of dip a day for 2 of those 5 years. Luckily I quit a month and a half ago, and went to the nicotine gum that anyone can buy at Walgreens for 2 weeks . Eventually I stopped the gum all together a month ago. One night 2 weeks ago I had my first panic/anxiety attack when I was leaving my gym because it felt like I had a lump in my throat that I could cough out. I coughed to much and panicked for such a stupid reason that was irritating and my parents didn't understand at the time the feeling it had on me. Saw my doctor a few days later and she said it was probably caused by acid reflux since I got such an appetite once I quit dip. (Tobacco usually makes me not hungry/ unweight). The acid reflux pills differently helped me get rid of the feeling in my chest/throat and my voice is still healing from all my coughing. After that night I noticed everything started to make me scared or give me anxiety to the point where I have a breakdown over the feelings in my head. For instance, since that night or maybe a few days after, hard to recall exactly, my brain has felt foggy almost like everyday is a dream. I have trouble concentrating on everything, I have poor memory, and time seems to flight by so fast that it makes me feel unreal. When 30 minutes goes by it feels as if it has only been 5 minutes for me.  I just want some clarification on what might be happing to my brain after quitting nicotine or if this was caused from that panicked night at the gym. Don't forget, when I did tobacco dip, I would swallow it sometimes , and the dip cuts into your gums and spreads nicotine and tobacco all over your body.

The anxiety I'm having isn't like being afraid of driving or being scared of social interactions. Rather, its being scared of what I feel like, or if something in my body is bothering me (like a sore throat) it makes me panic. The feeling in my head could be depersonalization or whatever, but it almost feels like I'm seeing the world through a dream like state. I could be in part of me detoxing and just being more aware of what's around me, or foggy brain from quitting dip as well. But the first week I was off the nicotine gum I had no anxiety, no stress, no feeling of life being unreal. It all started that night at the gym ever since I panicked over that lump in my throat feeling. ANY clarification of what I should do would be helpful,  just don't scare me even more please.

[Paxiled]

It could just be you have developed an anxiety disorder that has nothing to do with the dip.  It could also be a withdrawal reaction to quitting the nicotine -- some people have bad withdrawal reactions when they stop anything that affects brain neurotransmitters.  Acid reflux, if you have it, is a digestive problem that anxious people often get because they overeat or eat poorly or don't properly chew their food or lie down too soon after eating.  The pills for it will work, but you don't want that to be a permanent solution if you can help it because they are suppressing acid production your body needs for proper digestion so it will compensate by making more.  What you're describing is sometimes called generalized anxiety disorder, or GAD, but it doesn't really matter, anxiety is anxiety.  Have you sought therapy or any other treatment?  If not, I'd do so before this gets to become a chronic problem.

[Ky369]

Seeing a counselor currently, she thinks it might be foggy brain  from the nicotine withdrawal or hypersensitivity since I'm blowing every little feeling out of proportion. I'm unsure what might be causing me to feel foggy or unreal like everything is a dream. It comes in goes multiple times throughout the day and usually when I wake up from sleep its the worst. (like a panic to check reality)

[Paxiled]

If you're not seeing a psychologist who specializes in anxiety treatment, you'll probably not find the help you need whatever caused it.  Certain therapists have gotten specific training in relaxation techniques and behavioral techniques that can help.  No guarantee, but it might.  If it is withdrawal, everyone has a different timetable for when the body can recover working naturally again.

[Ky369]

Thank you for advice and help!

[Ky369]

Ive noticed lately that I keep waking up randomly throughout the night not knowing if I'm in a dream or its reality. I'm not sure why I keep feeling unreal, maybe something is wrong with my dopamine. I cant seem to get a good answer but its a scary/depressive feeling that's making me lose my mind.