# Constantly feel like I'm dreaming/nothing is real.



## spacepilot (Aug 23, 2012)

I've had this feeling since I was maybe 13 years old. I have a history of generalized anxiety disorder/panic attacks and obsessive compulsive disorder. 

It's really hard to explain how this feels but the best way I can describe it right now is that it's hard for me to distinguish my dreams from reality a lot of the time in terms of the way I experience them visually and just the general feeling I have when moving around. It's like I'm constantly in a daze and I can't really think clearly. 

Caffeine seems to help (two cups of coffee every morning now.), and various stimulants I've tried- particularly MDMA which I've found to be very therapeutic when used responsibly (I know at one point before it was made illegal it was used in psychotherapy sessions with positive results). Other than that though I seem to have no luck in getting out of the fog without just waiting for the occasional couple of random hours or day where I actually feel like I exist. I also find that I feel much better at night and in cooler temperatures. 

I also get physical effects of feeling "blah" that stem from my generalized anxiety issues. 

Anyone else have a similar problem or advice for other things I can try? I'm trying to focus on things I can do without using long-term medications.

Thank you!
Alex


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## paperdreams (Jun 28, 2012)

I don't know if my experience is the same, its the kind of thing thats difficult to articulate. But I do often feel like I'm living a dream. I'm a pretty bad Insomniac, it takes me a very long time to fall asleep. During the school year I'll be in a kind of daze every day because I'm so tired, I'll often even mention it to my friends. I tell them that this day feels like a dream, its kind of weird that they often agree.

I also get the feeling anxiety has something to do with it. The more time I spend in my head the less I am actually paying attention to the world around me, it makes everything seem a little more surreal. I also daydream a lot, another thing that sucks me out of real life.


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## tehuti88 (Jun 19, 2005)

Do you think depersonalization or derealization might be the issue...?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derealization
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depersonalization
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depersonalization_disorder


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## HarryHaller (Dec 23, 2011)

Definitely sounds like depersonalization/ derealization. Very hard experiences to describe: strange perceptual alterations, feeling detached or unreal, emotionally numb, "blah", "foggy", dreamlike, etc. They often go hand in hand with anxiety symptoms, but can also be present by themselves. I get this all the time- so strangely annoying. Be careful with the MDMA.  And cannabis- that stuff is notorious for exacerbating these kinds of symptoms.


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## Solomon's Tomb (Aug 14, 2012)

Hmm... I think I've been experiencing the same thing as the original poster. I feel like reality is only real when I'm asleep and dreaming and that my waking hours are the dreams. Whenever I read a book, take, "The Catcher in the Rye" for instance, it feels more real to me than actually taking a walk around the park. I don't dislike this feeling, though...


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## Amorphousanomaly (Jun 20, 2012)

Did somebody give you Klonopin? That's what that junk does to me.


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## moya (Feb 16, 2012)

Derealization! I have it. It's like I'm walking around outside and everything around me makes the impression on me that it's a picasso painting.. like it's totally surreal, even though everything looks normal.

It can be a symptom of an anxiety disorder so pretty "normal".


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## flower2blossom (Apr 12, 2009)

I can relate. I often feel I'm isolated and being in a different world. The feeling was much worse in the past, and I'm better but still feel in the way.


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