# are these symtoms typical of depersonalization?



## 28039 (Mar 14, 2008)

Hi, when I was 19 I experienced the worst feeling I have ever suffered.... one day all at the sudden after eating I felt extremely dizzy. It is not the typical dizziness when everything spins around you or after being in a roller coaster. It was different than that. The symptoms were the following: brain fog, lightheadness, the reality seem distorded (similar to the feeling when you wear other person's glasses kind of deal). It seemed that I had a buzz for ever - the similar buzz when you drink a couple of glasses of wine with an empty stomach. Feeling of having a semi jet lag. I don't know if any of you smoke, but the symtoms are the same of the buzz you get when you smoke for the first time. Everything I was seeing felt like a dream, kind of. I could control everything I said/did but for some reason it was really hard to concentrate.... It was like living in a continuous light deja vu. If I go to sleep and I try to think of what I did the day before, I can remember perfectly, but the memories are sort of blurry in my mind, as if it was 3 years ago when the stuff happened.Well, at first I thought the dizziness would go away, but no way. They became permanent for 6 or 7 years. At one point when family members asked me about them I couldn't tell if they had dissappeared completely or if I finally learnt to cope with the dizziness. 3 weeks ago I was diagnossed with moderate depression, but I felt more sad because of the death of my father, so the Dr. gave me a prescription for Celexa (20 mg) as soon as I took it, the dizziness came back. I took the medication for one week, but I freaked out and I quit - Now it seems that the dizziness has come back once again. It is constantly there. I am 32 years now and I don't know what to do. I had a cat scan done when I was 20 but nothing was found and the Dr. told me that probably they would go away since I was under stress because of school - whatever, I was an Education major  
I have done a ton of research online and I have read that it might be anxiety or a weird kind of epilepsy. 
By the way, the sympthoms get worse if I sleep a lot or if I don't get enough sleep. Also, and this is kind of freaky, but if I look at different objects or different circumstances they make my dizziness even worse. For example, looking at a plate of spaghetti, a pizza, the motor of a car, the components of a computer, etc. etc. are a no-no. Fluorescent lights make things much worse and so does being in an ackward situation or place. 
I am seeing a neurologist once again in 3 weeks. Any similar experiences? Any ideas what this sh*tty feeling might be? Are these symptoms typical of depersonalization?
I posted almost the same post somewhere else, but I haven't gotten any responses so far. I would appreciate any responses or suggestions.
Sorry for the grammar mistakes - ESL here.


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## therese cowen (Oct 2, 2007)

Hi, 
I have just read your symptoms. Mine are exactly the same, except I call it spaciness. Mine started after having anaesthesia over 2 years ago and have been with me constantly since. I too feel like I have had too much to drink, lightheadedness, feeling like I am in a dream, and things I have just done 5 minutes ago seem like months or years ago when I recall them. I have also noticed that it gets worse with too much or too little sleep. I joined this forum because I could not get a diagnosis from the medical profession (and I have been to just about every specialist there is), so I hoped I would get some answers here. 
From reading other posts I THINK it is DP. 
I am sorry I can't give you any answers except to try not to dwell of it (which I know is very hard when you feel so out of it), and try to live your life as you did before. I only come to this forum every so often for a couple of hours, because for me, it makes it worse if I sit here too long. Being outside seems to help a lot also. 
If you read the 'On the Road to Recovery' section, you may find something that helps you as different things have helped different people.
You say that once you started taking Celexa the dizziness came back, so therefore it must have gone away during those 7 seven years you had it.
So if it went away once, it can again.
Good luck.


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## 28039 (Mar 14, 2008)

Thanks so much for your reply, I really appreciate it. I am "glad" somehow to hear that I am not the only one who is going through this. Actually, I wish I was the only person in the world, since I wouldn't with these symtoms to anyone. 
YEP! I agree 100% about the passing of time, some stuff that I did 10 minutes ago, it seems to me it happened days or years ago and viceversa. Thank goodness, I still have a very good memory, but yes, the concept of time seems a little bit vague.
Another thing that happens to me that intensifies these feelings is sleep. If I sleep on the bus to go to work for 5 minutes or even less and I wake up, the dizziness of the feeling of being drunk seems much worse. Geez! 
Another thing that happens to me and I didn't get the feeling it happens to you is the light. I feel HORRIBLE when it is sunny out! I feel much better if I am home with indirect or dim lights or even candles - that seems to help me a lot.
By the way, is there any medication out there for this DR/DP thing? 
Horrible, horrible feeling! 
I


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## alan hagger (Jan 15, 2008)

Fore the first time since looking at this site I have read something that accords closely with the feeling I am having and actually think I have always known. I dont thinkI have had major traumas. I was happy as a child and still am ok. Although I dont think I have ever been at peace happy.


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## hurricane12 (May 22, 2008)

i relate to so many of you guys symptoms
and i explained it the same way as it feels like the first time when you smoke a cigarrette or being extremly drunk
i remember i was so drunk that everything looked so dream like and fake and i couldnt concentrate on shit i was doing
(awwwwww those were the good times) now i feel like that everyday except without the good effects of feeling buzzed just the dream like state and bad memory of things that happened recently
if i didnt have a concussion i wud b drinking everyday but since drinking and smoking can affect the healing of the brain im stuck sober and i cant do shit to cope with these feelings


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