Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDerealization in Panic AttacksDepersonalization in Panic AttacksHow to CopeGetting HelpFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
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Table of Contents
Derealization in Panic Attacks
Depersonalization in Panic Attacks
How to Cope
Getting Help
Frequently Asked Questions
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Depersonalization and derealizationare two symptoms that can sometimes occur with panic attacks. They can leave you feeling uneasy, disconnected, and out of control, which can be a frightening experience when combined with other symptoms of panic.
The mental and emotional symptoms that accompany these bodily sensations can be equally frightening. Many people who have panic attacks describe feeling as if they’re going insane, losing control, or even dying.
This article discusses depersonalization and derealization in panic attacks, some of the signs, of each, and what you can do to cope. It also explores what you can do if you’ve had a panic attack and still struggle to feel normal afterward.
Derealization involves feeling detached from your surroundings. You may feel disconnected from external objects in your immediate environment, including other people. Even your closest family members or friends may seem like strangers.
What does derealization feel like?Often people describe derealization as feeling spaced out or foggy. People and objects in the environment may begin to seem unreal, distorted, or cartoon-like.
What does derealization feel like?
Often people describe derealization as feeling spaced out or foggy. People and objects in the environment may begin to seem unreal, distorted, or cartoon-like.
The hallmark of depersonalization is the sensation of being detached from your body—as if you’re no longer inhabiting your physical self but rather observing it from a distance.
Depersonalization can cause frightening physical sensations such as numbness or tingling. It also can be a symptom of another mental illness, such asdepression; a result of drug abuse; and a side effect ofanti-anxiety medications.
Coping With Depersonalization and Derealization
It’s not totally understood what causes depersonalization or derealization to occur during a panic attack. One theory is that these symptoms, alone or together, may serve as built-in mechanisms for coping with extreme stress and anxiety.
During a panic attack, they may allow you to put some distance between yourself and the unpleasant feelings you’re having.
There’s no treatment for either depersonalization or derealization alone, but it’s good to note that once a panic attack begins to subside, these symptoms also will fade away and there are things you can learn to do to help speed up this process.
Coping With Derealization During a Panic Attack
If you’re experiencing derealization try using your senses in any way you can to bring yourself back to reality. Some tips that can help:
Coping With Depersonalization During a Panic Attack
If you’re experiencing depersonalization, slow your breathing. Often during ananxiety attack, breathing becomes rapid and shallow, and that interferes with blood flow to the brain. Take very long, slow, deep breaths, focusing on sustaining the exhale as well as the inhale.
Since depersonalization causes feelings of detachment from others, reach out to a friend or loved one to talk to. Let them know what you’re feeling and ask them to keep talking to you: It doesn’t matter what you talk about as long as it keeps you grounded in the reality of the moment.
Getting Help for Derealization and Panic Attacks
As symptoms of a panic disorder, depersonalization and derealization may feel very scary and disturbing, but they aren’t considered either dangerous or life-threatening. Once the panic disorder is being treated, panic attacks and the symptoms they bring on should no longer arise.
If you or a loved one are struggling with panic disorder, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
If you or a loved one are struggling with panic disorder, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.
For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
A qualified mental health professional who you feel comfortable with (and who accepts your insurance or has fees that are in your budget) can help you deal with panic disorder. Your general practitioner or a local mental health referral service are good places to start to look for a therapist or psychiatrist.
Treatment for panic disorder typically involvesmedications for panic disorder, psychotherapy, or both. Sometimes it takes a bit of trial-and-error to get craft an effective treatment plan for a mental health problem such as panic disorder, so be patient. Simply seeking help will likely have you feeling better.
Depersonalization is a symptom of a panic attack and not the cause of it. When anxiety hits, people may dissociate from the experience as a way to protect themselves from feelings of anxiety. This can result in a sense of detachment in which you feel like you are watching something happen from outside of your own body.
However, anxiety attacks are not the only cause of derealization. Other causes can include trauma, drug use, depression, dementia, schizophrenia, and depersonalization/derealization disorder.
Some strategies that can help combat feelings of derealization and panic include deep breathing exercises and finding ways to ground yourself in reality. Focusing on sensations such as what you can touch, see, hear, and taste can be helpful.
SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Illnesses, 5th edition, 2013.
Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Illnesses, 5th edition, 2013.
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Illnesses, 5th edition, 2013.
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