# feeling so floaty and unreal



## mirah (Oct 8, 2021)

Hi all..new to the forums. I've had a pretty rough week. I'm only in my teens and was diagnosed with GAD at around age seven. only about a year ago was when I started to experience the worst of symptoms - derealization & depersonalization. Fortunately , my drdp are completely anxiety-induced (I do not have the disorder), but they have still bothered me on almost a daily basis. within the last few months , I thought id found some ease, but they still come back especially during times of elevated stress. I have noticed that bright fluorescent lights are the main trigger and have really exacerbated the symptoms. walking into a brightly lit grocery store is the absolute worst!!!

i went to walmart yesterday and had a panic attack (panic attacks aren't anything new for me), which i think was triggered by the lights. my stress had been building up from school, and the stress added from having to deal with these symptoms brought it on. felt extremely unreal, like i was floating and the ground was shifting. I felt off-balance (but not exactly dizzy), swaying side to side like gravity couldn't support me. i felt as though i was going to faint or collapse (wobbly/jelly legs). My hands were tingling and my eyes were twitching. Almost thought i was going to stop breathing because my throat tightened up. I felt queasy to my stomach and sounds were amplified and lights were brighter than they seemed. Any kind of fast movement seemed to bother me.

Once i got home i felt better but was of course tired from everything that had just occurred. i drank the now-warm mountain dew and put an ice pack on my forehead. the dpdr and off-balance feeling have not yet subsided, although i am used to it being this way because i know from past experience that it can last days after the attack. Can anyone relate to these feelings?? if so what have you done to remedy them? FYI I've been on 50mg of sertraline for a while now, definitely helping but not so much with the dpdr and other symptoms. At this point ive been checked for anything physical that might be causing these symptoms..and everything has come back clear. So it cants be a brain tumor or any other irrational fear i have, it has to be my anxiety!!


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## Stevegalvez (May 12, 2014)

Hey Mariah, welcome to the forum. I truly admire your bravery being able to explain your experience with detail. I know how scary this is and you worded it perfectly, this is all anxiety based.

I’ve experienced everything you worded, you are not alone in this. No matter how scared, detached, unreal and trippy everything looks you are alive and this is all a natural coping mechanism your brain put up for itself to protect you from long term stress and anxiety.


You are safe and you are real. depersonalization/derealization is REAL.

Sunglasses help me out a lot especially in stores like Walmart. I don’t want to sound annoying but plzz cut out all caffeine and sugary drinks from your diet.

I know you will get better, I’m happy you went to the doctor, now you know there is nothing physically wrong with you.

It’s all anxiety and all reversible!!! You will recover!! 🙌🏾😊


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## mirah (Oct 8, 2021)

Stevegalvez said:


> Hey Mariah, welcome to the forum. I truly admire your bravery being able to explain your experience with detail. I know how scary this is and you worded it perfectly, this is all anxiety based.
> 
> I’ve experienced everything you worded, you are not alone in this. No matter how scared, detached, unreal and trippy everything looks you are alive and this is all a natural coping mechanism your brain put up for itself to protect you from long term stress and anxiety.
> 
> ...


steve , thank you for your response. i am glad to hear I'm not alone


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