Depersonalisation can feel strange - as if you're in another world. I had this too, and it felt as if my head was in a goldfish bowl and I was looking out at the world, watching others go about their life feeling normal and happy, and I so longed to be able to join them.
Some people refer to it as if being in a dream, feeling detached from reality, a dull head, fuzzy thoughts, sluggish brain or brainfog. They are all the same thing.
Worrying about this feeling is pointless - its a side effect of anxiety, and to worry about it causes tension, dread, fear of it which all then causes more anxiety, keeping you in the constant anxiety loop. But its hard not to get frustrated with it, as it seems the harder you try and escape from it, the harder you'll feel stuck in it.
So what is it exactly?
When you have anxiety your thoughts will start to turn inwards - your mind will constantly be trying to work out what's wrong, will try and find ways to 'fix' things, will no doubt be consumed with intrusive thoughts which the mind will also try and solve, you'll constantly think about all the other things you're feeling ie the racing heart, panic, lump in your throat, fear of leaving your home ....... and so many other thoughts that constantly crowd your mind. This is tiring.
Everyone in the world has constant thoughts, but their thoughts are usually about things outside of their body, of things they need to do, work, friends, exciting hobbies, holidays etc etc ... the general everyday thoughts you used to have. These thoughts flit in and out with some are hardly noticed and others usually forgotten about. Though people have the same amount of thoughts as an anxious person does, the difference is they don't dwell on them, they don't constantly over analyse why they have this symptom or that symptom, and above all, they don't constantly think of themselves and how to fix things.
This is what makes our mind so tired, and this is what begins to make you feel detached from the world. We become so consumed by the way we feel and think that we find it hard to think of anything else, concentrate on anything, read a book, watch TV or even hold a conversation with someone.
Understand this feeling will go as the anxiety eases. Its a side effect.
But what can you do in the meantime? The way to move forward is to try not to obsess about the symptoms that anxiety is producing. They are only present because you have anxiety (like a runny nose accompanies a cold). Worrying about the side effects will just cause more anxiety, so just try and let those side effects be there, nothing will happen to you - understand that they will disappear as you recover from anxiety.
Take the feelings with you, work with them there, have small conversations with others even if it feels a little odd, don't beat yourself up and be impatient with yourself - it takes time to recover, don't try and escape from this feeling - just let it be (you'll find it'll disappear by itself), understand this is temporary and it'll go as anxiety eases, if you need to retreat at times and be by yourself - that fine, we all need our own space, so again don't beat yourself up about it - but try not to isolate yourself too much / too often, try not to over analyse every little symptom you have - again let things be.
As you become less aware of yourself the brainfog will lift. That's a promise.
So stop worrying about the brainfog, as that worry is causing it to remain.
As you become less aware of yourself the brainfog will lift. That's a promise.
So stop worrying about the brainfog, as that worry is causing it to remain.