I’ve been experiencing heavy derealization since that panic attack the other night in relation to the false trauma. Derealization is not a new thing to me, and neither is struggling with reality, delusions/voices/ etc., that “other world” as I call it, that so often consumes my attention more than the real one. Today I was wondering, (aside from obvious answers like meds or therapy) what helps ground you all in this world, in reality? What helps you feel connected and here?
For me I realized socialization is very important. The less human contact I have, the more absorbed I became in everything weird that happens. For example I was mentally detached from everything today until I went to a class I have that is incredibly interactive and requires you to work with your peers. It wasn’t a lecture where I could just zone out. I realized after leaving that I had been 100 percent focused on this world while in the class, and it had actually snapped me out of surreal mode.
I’m learning grounding techniques from my therapist before we work on my PTSD issues. You can describe the room you are in, in every detail. Focus on the temperature, colors, sounds, and describe everything you see. I carry a crystal in my pocket and feel every part of its surface. You can read backwards, focusing on each word. There are tons of grounding techniques that you can search. You should practice them when you feel fine so that they are second nature when you don’t feel fine. I’m sorry you’ve been feeling like this, I know how distressing it can be. Good luck!
I’m in the same boat as talking to others here in this reality and not spending all my time talking to my voices… taking a walk in a park and I do touch the trees and pinch the herbs and walk barefoot in the surf.
If I’m starting to lift out of my body, I get up and move around. I also have my sis or my friend around to help me get back into my body.
Sometimes eating something… a physical thing I have to think about will get back into my body.
I dont know - I guess when I dont feel well with my anxiety or mood shifts I will turn to some food - trying not to overeat.
I recently bought a guitar, and trying to get back into playing some - my dog grounds me for sure
i just go over it again in my mind and write down the reasons i am not telepathic. i know i’m not because i’ve seen the triggers that were used to make the voices talk about certain topics. yes sometimes you can get carried away with the notion that you might be but i know i’m not. you have to rationalize it to yourself really. i also know certain things that the voices used to tell me and still do are absolute crap or other people would remember them but they don’t and that would be very odd indeed if what the voices said were to be true. you just have to try a bit of critical thinking i think, which is difficult i know but it works if you try it long enough.
my dogs we have a routine and theyre always there its great because whenyou cant focus on things and you forget what your doing and dnt know whats going on they just give you a hug.
I find that work helps to ground me. I worked in the same field for many years. I find that connecting to the past, the time before the illness, seems to help to ground me temporarily. Going to school seems to temporarily help, too. I was significantly older before my non-reality experiences set in. This helps for some situations to help make me feel more grounded at times.
I agree with J. When I was knee deep in psychosis, I would take my shoes off and go outside and put my feet to the earth at night, looking at the stars. If it was cold, I used a heavy blanket.
