Have you ever felt like you’re somehow “outside” of yourself? Maybe you’ve felt like you’re floating or that your actions weren’t really your own or like you’re living in a dream state. Some people call it an “out-of-body experience,” while others aren’t entirely sure how to describe it.
This is a phenomenon called depersonalization.
Depersonalization is described as a disruption in self-awareness. It’s a state of consciousness that makes you feel disconnected from yourself. Unfortunately, it can often be hard to describe beyond that, which is why it’s so important to understand that it’s a very real thing if you’ve ever experienced it.
Anxiety can actually contribute to depersonalization, especially during extreme moments of fear or during a panic attack.
Let’s take a closer look at the connection and what you can do to prevent depersonalization caused by anxiety.
Dealing With Severe Anxiety
Anxiety is the most common mental health condition in the world. It can affect people in different ways and in different severities. However, people who suffer from extreme anxiety tend to deal with a lot of overwhelming fear and panic.
It’s those individuals who are most likely to experience depersonalization. While it’s considered a symptom of anxiety, it can also create a vicious cycle by fueling your anxious thoughts even more.
While more research needs to be done on exactly what causes depersonalization, it’s clear that anxiety and stress are common triggers.
Why Does Depersonalization Occur?
So, why exactly would someone feel like they’re floating outside of themselves in a moment of severe anxiety? Many mental health experts believe that it’s a coping mechanism. When your brain is overly anxious or stressed, depersonalization acts as a way to separate you from those feelings, providing immediate relief.
While that might not seem like a bad thing on the surface, depersonalization takes you away from reality and disconnects you from your emotions. This emotional disconnection can however increase your anxiety.
It’s also important to note that in moments of extreme anxiety or when you’re having a panic attack, the neurotransmitters in your brain are working overtime. Some professionals believe these neurotransmitters are actually affecting the parts of the brain that contribute to depersonalization.
What Can You Do to Treat Depersonalization?
As you might expect, the best way to manage depersonalization is to first focus on managing your anxiety. However, if you can’t seem to get your depersonalization under control, one of the best ways to immediately reduce its impact is to accept it. It might be tempting to fight back against it, but until you can manage your anxiety, accepting what is happening can make it easier to calm down faster and get back to normal that much sooner.
When it comes to dealing with anxiety, there are plenty of things you can do to manage your symptoms on a daily basis.
Things like deep breathing exercises, mindfulness, meditation, yoga, and journaling are all great ways to deal with anxiety symptoms and feel more in control of your thoughts.
However, the best thing you can do is to get to the root cause of your anxiety. While it’s a manageable and treatable condition, it rarely goes away on its own. Discovering the underlying cause is the first step in finding freedom from your fear.
Therapy can help with that. It’s not always easy or possible to dig beneath the surface and get to the root of your anxiety on your own. A therapist can help to guide you through that journey. You’ll be equipped with coping skills and mindfulness techniques along the way until those anxious thoughts don’t control your every move and you don’t struggle with depersonalization to cope.
If you’re regularly experiencing depersonalization, don’t let it trigger your anxiety further. We at Mindworthy Therapy are here to help reconnect and put you back in control. Feel free to reach out and set up an appointment soon.
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