# Ego death; Not feeling real



## miguelmalato (Jan 9, 2012)

This is merely a transcript of a reply I wrote in a previous post. 
I think it is important that I write it again, so it may affect a wider audience, as new post.

"I frenquently think that I am not a real person. That I am a soulless, lifeless body, whose actions are merely a shadow of myself.

I don't feel real."

But I found that there is a mental truth that you can tell yourself, a quite insightfull rationalization that helps relieve that stubborn dogma of yours.

Take some time to reflect on the following:

How can you be dead, if you just wrote what you just did? You wrote something, you were at your computer's side, and you wrote in your keyboard.
It takes life and will to do something like that. In fact, it takes life and will to do anything at all.

Dead things, stay dead. Dead things, don't do anything. They are motionless. They don't do anything, they don't think, they don't act.

The slighest remnant of brain activity is PROOF that you exist.

You just can't FEEL that way, but just because you can't feel it's real, doesn't mean it isn't real. Of course, thinking of something is clearly not the same as feeling something.
All significance, all meaning, is attribued to what you feel instead of what you reason. Emotion is stronger than Reason. 
that is the way we function.

Think of it this way: If you you were feeling sad about your girlfriend dumping you, and suppose you would slip into a minor episode of depression.
Would you consider yourself sick?

Probably.

But you wouldn't be. Because if you were sick, then a couple of drinks and some shared tales with a friend wouldn't cure it.

Another example:
Suppose you had a little tummy ache. And you felt this sudden urge to rush into the bathroom and vomit.
The following words would probably cross your mind: Hell, I am sick. I feel so bad. I think I am going to die!!

Obviously not!"


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## emptybody (Jan 13, 2012)

Good post, that is how I feel at the moment. Does ego death have anything to do with DP/DR? What is it exactly? Is it something permanent? I feel like I went through some kind of realization about myself and the world and I'm just going to stay like this. It feels so natural, yet so uncomfortable at the same time. Does that make sense?


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## miguelmalato (Jan 9, 2012)

someone123 said:


> Good post, that is how I feel at the moment. Does ego death have anything to do with DP/DR? What is it exactly? Is it something permanent? I feel like I went through some kind of realization about myself and the world and I'm just going to stay like this. It feels so natural, yet so uncomfortable at the same time. Does that make sense?


"Ego death", is basicaly feeling as if mind is separated from body. Feeling as if your actions are not really your own, but someone else's. As if you are functioning on auto-pilot. Feeling detached from yourself, from your own body, not recognising yourself when your looking into the mirror.

It's basically a lost of your own ego, losing yourself. Losing your identity, your soul.

It's not something permanent, because Depersonalization goes away with time. Although you must be doing something to fix it during that time. You can't just sit around with your arms crossed and hope it fades away. It won't. It will worsen if you do that.


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## CameraEye (Dec 27, 2011)

quoting a very old saying - I think therefore I am.


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## Guest (Mar 8, 2012)

Nice post. It brings up the discussion of what is "life" exactly. If we somehow died, and are living in an afterlife, but yet still here we are typing away on this forum, which takes some "life" as you say, are we not still alive?


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## miguelmalato (Jan 9, 2012)

CameraEye said:


> quoting a very old saying - I think therefore I am.


I think I am, therefore I am.


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## miguelmalato (Jan 9, 2012)

miguelmalato said:


> I think I am, therefore I am.


It makes you wonder if the philosphers of old suffered from derealization too


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## miguelmalato (Jan 9, 2012)

Native said:


> Nice post. It brings up the discussion of what is "life" exactly. If we somehow died, and are living in an afterlife, but yet still here we are typing away on this forum, which takes some "life" as you say, are we not still alive?


If this was an afterlife, and we were dead. What what would be like if we were alive?
What would be the main difference?

The difference is, dead things are dead. They don't do stuff. 
They're dead.

For you to do even the slightest of things. Breathe. Think. Talk. It means you're alive.

Weather you feel like it or not, is a totally different thing


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## Midnight (Jul 16, 2011)

Thought is no proof. Sometimes thoughts arent there, do you exist when they go? Ofcourse you do! Obviously we exist, it just FEELS like we dont cos of dp.


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## Guest (Mar 10, 2012)

LOVE the post OP! That's a great way of thinking and I'm sure it'll help some people rationally face their DP/DR/Existential thoughts.

I believe some people are just prone to think philosophically, but, and I don't know the answer to this, have philosophical thoughts ever done anyone any good? My GUESS would be no. At least, I'm trying to stop myself from having my head in the clouds and get focusing on this thing we call life, and so far it's making me feel better!


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## miguelmalato (Jan 9, 2012)

Midnight said:


> Thought is no proof. Sometimes thoughts arent there, do you exist when they go? Ofcourse you do! Obviously we exist, it just FEELS like we dont cos of dp.


I'm sorry but your logic is flawed.

If you're saying that when there are no thoughts then that means we're dead. Then when we do have thoughts we're alive.

So that means we constantly ressurect from the dead whenever we think. We come and go from the afterlife.

It's one thing to feel that, it's another to believe it's true.

No. DEAD THINGS STAY DEAD.

We're either alive or dead. So even if we have 1 thought per day, that serves as proof of our existence. In fact, screw thoughts. Any kind of brain activity is proof that you exist. Turn your head around, move your arm, go to the bathroom, eat, talk, look at the sky, hear music.

All those things PROVE YOU ARE REAL.

You have to believe this is true. Tell yourself this small truth, it will help you rationalize what you can't feel right now


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## miguelmalato (Jan 9, 2012)

beth. said:


> LOVE the post OP! That's a great way of thinking and I'm sure it'll help some people rationally face their DP/DR/Existential thoughts.
> 
> I believe some people are just prone to think philosophically, but, and I don't know the answer to this, have philosophical thoughts ever done anyone any good? My GUESS would be no. At least, I'm trying to stop myself from having my head in the clouds and get focusing on this thing we call life, and so far it's making me feel better!


Well personally it helps, it relieves me. To think of these things.

Because I have my own irrationalities. By thinking them through, and thoroughly I am able to convince my subconscious of the underlying truth, and eventually I will assimilate this new reality and no longer suffer from it.

But I guess this may vary according to each of us. On the other hand, overthinking may contribute to an even worse depersonalization by sinking in into a sea of doubt and fear.


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## Midnight (Jul 16, 2011)

miguelmalato said:


> I'm sorry but your logic is flawed.
> 
> If you're saying that when there are no thoughts then that means we're dead. Then when we do have thoughts we're alive.
> 
> ...


No no, I was actually agreeing with you, but it was just a side point. Even when there's no thoughts, we exist... your not dead just because your not thinking. If you listen to a piece of music or something that takes your breath away and you stop thinking, your obviously still alive...


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## miguelmalato (Jan 9, 2012)

Midnight said:


> No no, I was actually agreeing with you, but it was just a side point. Even when there's no thoughts, we exist... your not dead just because your not thinking. If you listen to a piece of music or something that takes your breath away and you stop thinking, your obviously still alive...


exactly


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