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1323357 tn?1274823339

Who has recovered from derealization??

i suffer from derealization, a horrible and disturbing but harmless feeling. i have had it for 2 months now and am trying to stay positive although hard sometimes, i have heard that many many people have recovered from this but alot of them it had taken years! im only 19 and do not want to spend the best years of my life with this. has anyone out there recovered from this terrible thing and how long did it take? what helped you the most? also is derealization purely a form of anxiety or a separate illness of its own? i am seeing my GP today and hoping that if DR is purely a form of anxiety i can find a drug that helps me the most with dealing with anxiety. thank you friends, we can all do this together :)
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1272523 tn?1318913352
Hey Luke, I am 18 and i know exactly how you feel about not wanting to have DR and anxiety in the best years of your life! I suffered from anxiety and DR for about a year. DR is one of the most horrific things i have ever experienced, but let me assure you it will go away and i will tell you how i cured my anxiety and DR (which go hand and hand). I would suggest not taking medication for the single reason that it does not work, it only masks the symptoms of anxiety, when you take the medication away the symptoms come back. Firsts things first, there is nothing wrong with you, you do not have an illness, there is nothing wrong with your brain. All you have done is created a cycle, or ritual, of anxious thoughts. I found DR to be so hard because the second i would wake up in the morning that was the first thing i would think about. I would ask myself if i felt normal, if i did i would ask myself if i was always going to feel like this and boom the cycle starts. People who have anxiety, including me when i did have it, are obsessed with their feelings. I know it sounds awful but its true. I would over think way to much about EVERYTHING. I knew these thoughts were irrational but i just couldn't stop having them. What i learned to do, and trust me it works, was to ignore these thoughts completely, you know they are irrational and not true so why give them any credit, just ignore them. Its not going to be easy at first, but the more you do it the easier it gets. I assure you that by doing this you will feel better in no time. If you need anything else do not hesitate to ask. It sounds like i suffered very similar symptoms as you and i no longer have anxiety. hope this helps and if you need anything like i said ask me i will be more than glad to help.
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1052703 tn?1266279337
Derealization is a common symptom/problem relating to anxiety and I've had anxiety since age 11 (I am 36).  There's really no short or easy answer.  What has helped me the most is to start moving.  Do something that engages your interest and continue to research.  Find some books about anxiety.  I am on 20 mg of Paxil and I have used it on and off during times of stress and anxiety.  You can't stop taking it cold turkey but can be weened off.  I resisted going back on it (didn't have any problems with it just don't like pills), but I was becoming borderline agoraphobic.  It's taken about a month to manage my symptoms and I'm doing much better.  There are many antidepressants that also work for anxiety.  Research Paxil, Wellbutrin, Zoloft, and Prozac.  Paxil works for me but it kills sex drive.  Good luck!  Hang in there!  :)
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