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For those who’ve read my previous article, Panic Attacks and Anxiety: Derealization and Depersonalization - You Aren’t Going Crazy!, this is the perfect follow-up scoop. But if you’ve yet to read it, not to worry, there’s still much to be learned here.

Now, in review, derealization and depersonalization all too often accompany panic attacks and anxiety. In general terms, derealization is a frightening feeling of detachment from one’s external environment, and depersonalization is an equally as frightening sense of detachment from self. Both can be absolutely crippling and take you to the turnstiles of your perception of insanity.

I believe many researchers and theorists would concur that within the context of panic and anxiety, derealization and depersonalization may well be the mind’s self-protective reaction to the ultimate perceived state of overload. See, it goes like this – when the mind feels it’s mega-overwhelmed it flips the switch on a perceptual filter, believing even the slightest additional bit of in-coming stimuli may lead to various degrees of psychic meltdown. Within this theoretical framework, it’s all about the mind in a powerful state of defense, doing all it can to give itself a fighting chance to sort and process that with which it’s already wrestling. So it only makes sense that it tries to survive by inhibiting and prohibiting fresh sensory messages streaming in from one’s immediate internal and external experience. And the resultant mind states are dominated by derealization and depersonalization.

Now, as we approach delivering a knockout punch to derealization and depersonalization it’s important to always keep in mind that, as I said in the previous paragraph, both of these sensations are born of the mind’s effort to protect itself. And the very cool thing about this notion is it leads us to the unique understanding that the mind has – well – a personality of its own. Furthermore, this personality is all too often negatively impacted by the mind being overwhelmed and in great mental and emotional pain. To me, this brings to the fore a “personality of mind,” giving the hellish protection-generated sensations of derealization and depersonalization rather a bit of softness and gentleness, making them seem so much less treacherous. I mean, it’s like the mind is this living, feeling being that actively communicates with us, so often asking for help. And we, in turn, have the opportunity to provide compassion and relief.

Alrighty then – so let’s move on to what one can do to make these horrifying, but now familiar and much less terrifying, phenomena go bye-bye. First of all, if one is willing to accept derealization and depersonalization as mind-protecting phenomena, it only stands to reason that their appearance – more importantly, disappearance – will be greatly influenced by our ability to maintain balanced and tolerable loads in our mental/emotional wheel barrel. And this is accomplished by stress management, which is so often driven by how we monitor and adjust our processes of thought. Now, of course, in many cases high levels of stress, and resultant anxiety, can’t be avoided – that’s just life. But we still hold the ability to manage their intensity and fallout by keeping tabs on how we think and subsequently react. It’s a matter of maintaining enlightened perspective and calm as our reasoned powers of interpretation have time to take the stage after the panic alarms have sounded.

Allow me to reiterate, there’s no doubt that the best first strategy to keep derealization and depersonalization at bay is to do all we can to maintain management over our stress and anxiety levels. Whether it’s through relaxation, visualization, diet, guided imagery, exercise, job or school change, relationship change, lifestyle change, therapy – or my techniques of interpreaction, interpreversal, S.A.I.L., S.P.A., I.A.M. not F.E.A.R. – whatever – we must do what it takes to stay self-managed on a day-in and day-out basis. If we do this, not only will we be able to keep derealization and depersonalization at arm’s length, but should they strike and the alarms sound, we’ll be able to cruise our way past any exaggerated and inappropriate reactions. See – it’s our misinterpretations and overreactions that cause the problems, not derealization and depersonalization. How ‘bout that thought?

And as we’re approaching all of this, let’s not dismiss the concept of the mind having a personality and its expression of its need for “some love” through the frightening sensations of derealization and depersonalization. To me, as we accept this seemingly strange notion we apply a very soothing balm upon a potentially fevered mind. And this very much relates to the concept of mindfulness – a clear-minded, in-the-present-moment, self-observational technique that emphasizes viewing self as an outside observer – without criticism or judgment.

Okay – but let’s say in spite of our self-management efforts, derealization or depersonalization make a surprise visit. Ya’ ready? First and foremost – just stop whatever it is you’re doing. If you’re driving, pull over when you can. If you’re in a meeting, take a break. Heck – take a walk, if you’d like. Now, take a few full abdominal breaths, and as you take them immediately tell yourself that the one and only thing happening right now is your mind telling you it’s operating on overload and needs a little help. It’s talking with you, and that’s pretty cool. Nothing dangerous, without a reason, or permanent is happening to you. And since you know what’s going on, and why, take some time to communicate with your mind, letting it know you’re there for it and will do whatever it takes to provide aid and comfort. Visualize your mind as if you’re looking at it from outside of your physical self (a healthy “out-of-body” experience). And as you do, visualize your mind very nicely calming down. Simply open yourself to a spirit of insight and reason, as you employ relaxation techniques, guided imagery, visualization, the strategies I’ve mentioned before, or anything that’s worked for you in the past. And as you’re keeping yourself together, know that as soon as you get your sea-legs back, moving on with your day is the next order of business. It’s this thinking and believing that keeps the alarm from increasing in decibels, and keeps it from sounding in the future.

Yes – it’s this mindset, along with a few victories, that will enable you to function in the presence of derealization and depersonalization, allowing you to explore these uncomfortable states, accumulating insight along the way. And I’m betting you’ll find that this philosophy, as well as time-proven strategies and techniques, will keep these icky sensations at bay – period. It’s all about making peace with derealization and depersonalization - indeed, making the best of an initially perceived unpleasant situation. I mean, who knows what kind of inner secrets could be unveiled upon exploration of our altered states of perception and consciousness. And I’ll tell you this – establishing a level of insight and comfort with a nemesis is a great way to remove any potential threat. But, make sure you identify the true nemesis. In this case, it’s not derealization and depersonalization, rather our misinterpretation and overreaction to a foreign perceptual experience.

From tons of experience I can tell you that you must ride out episodes of derealization and depersonalization. As was said earlier, if and when they pop onto the scene, acknowledge they’re there and calmly tell yourself they’re not a permanent state of consciousness and will shortly pass – that is if you stay cool. Remind yourself that your mind is overloaded and it’s talking with you, asking for a little help. And do a friend a favor. Just use any intervention strategy and technique you’ve come across, including those presented in my book, and go on about your business and your day, as no one will have a clue as to what you’re going through. I’ll go you one better. I’m challenging you to welcome derealization and depersonalization as they arrive, and dive right in to some intrapersonal exploration in their presence. Wouldn’t that be an interesting twist? And how disarming would it be to the all out dread and fear these sensations traditionally generate.

Ah – the mysteries and miseries of derealization and depersonalization. Nothing with which we can’t peacefully coexist. Go get ‘em, tiger!

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Here is another article on panic attacks self help that you may find useful

Two of the most horrifying little goodies that so often accompany panic attacks and severe anxiety are derealization and depersonalization. Both can be absolutely crippling and take you right to the turnstiles of your perception of insanity. This article will discuss what these spooky phenomena are and what may cause them.

Coming from personal experience, derealization is a deep and disturbing sensation of unreality and detachment from one’s immediate world, rather an altered state of consciousness. It’s been described as feeling as though one is looking at the world through thick glass. I mean, you can see clearly, are fully oriented, and can function; however it’s like you’re operating in a very exclusive dimension. It is an absolutely terrifying experience and generally leads to the belief that insanity is at hand - especially if one hasn’t the knowledge as to what’s really going on. As derealization presents, one becomes extremely concerned about what to do and how to find help. See, it’s all about the fear of being, and appearing, crazy - or at the very least, extremely strange.

Now, just as derealization is an environmental perceptual issue, depersonalization is an equally disturbing self-perception phenomenon. During my junior year in college I walked into the house I shared with some buddies and caught a glimpse of a photograph hanging on the wall of the six of us. Though it was only a glimpse, something just didn’t seem right – that quickly. So I stopped, walked back to the photo and saw this person right in the middle of the picture. I knew who he was, yet I didn’t. But it was me! I can’t tell you how frightening that sensation was. Depersonalizaton holds the potential to snatch away your last morsels of identity and security, having any sort of concept of self relegated to the dumpster.

So, what actually causes these sensations? Recent research has suggested that extraordinary and frightening sensations, such as near-death and out-of-body experiences – which I believe are in the same ballpark as derealization and depersonalization – may occur because of stress-induced malfunctioning brain chemistry. For example, a structure in the temporal lobe (lower side) of the brain known as the angular gyrus, specifically the right angular gyrus, is believed to process sensory input in an effort to aid in the perception of our physical selves. Featured in one particular study was a seizure disorder patient participating in a course of electrical stimulation treatment. During a procedure the electrodes were applied to the right side of the patient’s head (right angular gyrus?), and guess what? When the juice was turned on the patient reported an out-of-body experience. Now, this research doesn’t specifically address the cause of derealization and depersonalization; however it begins to point some fingers. At least I think so.

The strange sensation of floating outside of the body during times of perceptual disorientation may be generated by any number of things, including panic, intense anxiety, major life stress, emotional and physical trauma, and brain disease or injury. As it applies to mental and emotional distress, perhaps as life circumstances begin to overwhelm us we become victims of transitioning consciousness as our minds react by generating custom-tailored out-of-body experiences known as derealization and depersonalization. V.S. Ramachandran, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Center for the Brain and Cognition at the University of California, San Diego, underscores the power of perceptual alteration by proposing there’s a shift in the very boundaries of self-perception when incoming sensual input doesn’t comply with what one perceives and requires as the norm. By the way, do whatever you can to read any of Ramachandran’s writings because it’s absolutely amazing stuff. This guy is the real deal.

As a past sufferer of this hocus-pocus, I view derealization and depersonalization, intense perceptual alterations, as the mind’s self-protective reaction to the ultimate perceived state of overload. It just seems to me that when the mind believes it’s mega-overwhelmed it flips the switch on a perceptual filter, believing even the slightest additional bit of stimuli may lead to various degrees of psychic meltdown. Yes - it’s the mind in a powerful state of defense. Within this theoretical framework, the mind is trying to give itself a fighting chance to sort and process that with which it’s already wrestling, so it chooses to inhibit the sensory messages streaming in from one’s immediate internal and external experience.

Now, unfortunately, the mind’s fear circuitry is chugging along very independently and just as efficiently as its perceptual filter. So off go the alarms because the sensations experienced as a result of the mind’s work to defend itself, which may include derealization and depersonalization, are causing the alarm circuitry to freak. As a result, one flips into all-out panic mode, desperately trying to reestablish a sense of perceptual orientation and comfort. And that only makes things worse because it totally interrupts the mind’s immediate mission of managing thousands of cars at rush-hour. And so one is left with this ever-building traffic jam caused by two vehicles: an overloaded mind on the verge of meltdown and a very agitated and loudly rebellious fear circuitry. Needless to say, no one’s going anywhere.

I might also suggest that derealization and depersonalization may also present as a result of the mind being so consumed by its present overload, it simply can’t deliver perceptual accuracy in response to what the senses are bringing to the table. Don’t ever forget – this is all about how we receive self and the world. And there’s only so much of the mind to go around. Yes – it does have its limits.

Dr. V.S. Ramachandran, from his book, A Brief Tour of Human Consciousness: From Imposter Poodles to Purple Numbers (Pi Press, 2004), sets the table for his thoughts on derealization and depersonalization by mentioning two fascinating neurological disorders. The first, Capgras Delusion, is characterized by the patient being convinced a close family member or friend is an imposter. The patient has no problem grasping familiarity of appearance and behavior; however the relational significance just isn’t there, and the patient is fully aware of the disconnect. Ramachandran then mentions Cotard’s Syndrome, a neurological disorder characterized by the patient believing she has lost everything, even parts of her body, and believes she may, indeed, be dead and is walking about as a corpse.

Ramachandran suggests derealization and depersonalization may well be caused by the same altered brain circuitry that brings on Capgras and Cotard’s, even to the point of referring to derealization and depersonalization as rather a “mini-Cotard’s.” In the face of a life-threatening emergency a piece of anatomy in the frontal lobe of the brain, the anterior cingulate (also involved in the processing of physical pain), becomes active. Its ensuing action pulls in the reins on the brain’s fear circuitry. As a result, disabling phenomena such as fear and anxiety fall by the wayside. But it doesn’t stop there, as the anterior cingulate then ramps-up alertness just in case we need to defend ourselves. Well, the bottom-line is we’re left in this emotionally void and hypervigilant state, and Dr. Ramachandran proposes we have but two alternatives to account for what’s happened: “The world just isn’t real,” presenting in the form of derealization, and “I’m not real,” presenting in the form of depersonalization. Go back several paragraphs to my description of my personal experience with depersonalization. One of my statements was, “I knew who he was, yet I didn’t.” Kaboom – what a fit.

I find all of this really very fascinating, especially when you consider that something that feels so horribly frightening, and that holds the potential to cause such major dysfunction, may actually be the mind’s naturally intended way of protecting itself. Indeed, the mind may be saying, “I’ve got a bit more than I can handle here – could someone please help me out?” To me, assigning a personality, if you will, to the mind gives its generated distressing phenomena a bit of softness and gentleness; making them seem so much less abysmal. I mean, it’s like the mind is this living, feeling being to which we can show compassion as it’s hurt, confused, worn-out, and desperately in need of rest and care. I really believe in this relationship with mind, and it’s my opinion the only thing that keeps us from realizing its fullest two-way potential is overcoming our misinterpretations and overreactions to the mind’s naturally occurring protective mechanisms. Yes - as soon as we sense the beginnings of sensations such as derealization or depersonalization, and the alarms sound, we think our way to exaggerated and inappropriate reactions. And it’s this dynamic that causes all the hubbub, not the perceptual alterations themselves.

Well, hey – that’s it for this writing. Hopefully you know a bit more than you knew coming in. And if derealization and/or depersonalization are tearing your life apart, here’s hoping for some insight and relief. Don’t ever forget – you are not going crazy! Keep an eye out for my article, Panic Attacks and Anxiety: Adios! to Derealization and Depersonalization. It’s a great bit of follow-up.

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