Hi,
I’m a 25 year old female. Starting a few years ago, I have experienced bouts of depersonalization that come and go in strength. When I feel that way, which I do now, I feel like I’m dreaming and sort of detached from what’s going on around me. It’s so uncomfortable and unnerving that it perpetuates my anxiety a lot more. I just don't feel all there. I think it’s even making me depressed this time around. The first time it lasted for a month or so almost all day long, and then came and went but not as strong as before, and now it has been going on for about a month again almost constantly and I can’t stand it! I just want to be totally immersed in what’s going on around me and enjoy life!! I’m in professional school and have always had reasons to be stressed, but nothing I can point my finger to as to why this happens. I have great friends, a great boyfriend, a good and caring family, and a great future ahead. It also seems sometimes like artificial light makes it worse. It was so bad this time around that I saw a psychiatrist for the first time, and he told me it was simply anxiety caused and gave me a trial sample of Lexapro, which I haven’t yet taken. He told me that CBT was another option, and my first appointment for that is next week. My anxiety has been pretty bad lately but I can't tell if the anxiety is causing the feeling or if the feeling is causing the anxiety, or just one vicious circle. I’ve also read more about it online this time around (bad idea!), which totally scares me because it seems like some people have felt like this for years. My questions are:
Does this feeling ever go away? What kind of treatment do you recommend to get rid of it?
Does Lexapro sound like a logical medication to address this with?
Does Lexapro change the chemistry of your brain forever, or will you feel like you originally did when you stop taking it?
Thank you so much and sorry for such a long question!