What is derealisation? Signs to watch out for

From feeling disconnected to watching ourselves as a third person, here are a few signs of derealisation that can seem scary.

Derealisation is a mental state that makes us dissociate from the body and the surroundings. Often it feels like we are in a dreamlike state because we are not able to completely have a grasp over the happenings of life. Sometimes we feel that we are emotionally disconnected from the ones whom we used to deeply care about, and our surroundings can seem colourless and blurry. "Derealisation can feel scary, but in actuality, these thoughts are harmless. Did you know that derealisation and OCD are related? People with OCD go through prolonged periods of anxiety and stress, which can cause derealisation," wrote Therapist Maythal Eshaghian as she explained how derealisation and OCD are interlinked.

What is derealisation? Signs to watch out for (Shutterstock)

What does derealisation feels like? The Therapist noted down:

Disconnected from others: We feel that we are in no form or way connected to the people around us.

Unreal surroundings: We often get into the mental state where we start assuming that the surroundings are unreal, and we are in a dreamlike state.

Watching ourselves as a third person: We dissociate from ourselves, our bodies and our lives, and we feel that we are watching our life unfold like a movie being a third person.

Dissociation from body: We do not have any grasp over our body, and we feel we are floating, with no control over the physical state we are in.

Time has stopped: The concept of time changes in derealisation. We feel either time is going too fast or too slow. Objects around us seem blurry.

How do we cope with dealisation? The Therapist shared a few tips.

Defense mechanism: Even though the symptoms of derealisation may feel scary and unreal, we should delve deeper into the thoughts and try to understand that it is actually a way for the mind and the body to defend against high distress or anxiety symptoms.

Wait for it to pass: Instead of trying to fight the thoughts, we should try to distract ourselves with things and people that may comfort us in such times. Slowly the symptoms will pass.