What is it, really?DPDR (Depersonalization / Derealization) is a state where:
- You look at the world — but it feels like you’re behind glass.
- You don’t feel fully inside your body.
- You can’t quite believe what’s happening is real.
- You feel disconnected from yourself.
This isn’t madness. It’s the brain’s adaptation mode — protecting you from complete overload.
How does it happen?
Usually — gradually and unnoticed.
- You push yourself to exhaustion.
- You live under constant stress.
- Anxiety, insomnia, burnout build up.
Then — a sudden collapse: the world starts to feel “not yours.”
Or — a strong shock, a panic attack, a trauma —
and suddenly: "I don’t feel like myself. Everything feels strange."
- Because you don't understand what’s happening.
- It feels like you're “going crazy” — but in reality, it’s a temporary state, and it’s reversible.
Because you don't understand what’s happening.
It feels like you're “going crazy” — but in reality, it’s a temporary state, and it’s reversible.
- Don’t analyze.
- Don’t fight it.
- Understand what’s happening with your perception — and gradually bring attention back to the body, the senses, and the world.
1. Am I going crazy?
No.
DPDR is the brain’s protective mode.
You’re not losing your mind.
You’re simply exhausted.
2. Will this stay forever?
No.
This state is reversible.
It fades — not through force,
but through restoring perception.
3. Why does everything feel unreal?
Because the brain dulls sensory signals
to prevent overload.
You’re not shut off —
you’re just in a safe, "low-sensitivity" mode.
4. Why don’t I feel like myself?
Your sense of self ("I") is temporarily disrupted.
It’s not a loss of self — it’s a pause.
It will rebuild as you recover.
5. Why am I so scared?
Because DPDR often comes with anxiety.
The brain can’t explain what’s happening — so it panics.
Understanding reduces fear.
6. Why aren’t advice, therapy, or medications helping?
Because DPDR isn’t just about emotions —
it’s about attention, fixation, and perceptual inertia.
You don’t need to fight it — you need to gently reset.
7. What if it’s schizophrenia?
This is one of the most common fears.
But in DPDR, your connection to reality remains intact.
You don't lose control, you don’t hallucinate, and you’re not delusional.
Schizophrenia is a different condition, with different signs.
DPDR is not psychosis — it’s the brain’s defense mechanism.
Unpleasant — but not dangerous.
8. What if nothing helps?
That’s a normal fear.
Doubt, protection, mistrust —
they’re part of DPDR too.
Even the tiniest bit of real response —
already starts the way out.
9. Can I fully recover?
Yes.
But not through fighting —
through returning to the basics:
sensations, body, action, trust in the process.
10. What if it feels like it’s coming back?
Don’t panic.
It’s not a relapse — it’s a phase of rooting in recovery.
You already know what’s happening —
and that knowledge is protection.
11. I don’t even believe what you’re saying. Is that normal?
Absolutely.
DPDR often triggers doubt even toward helpful information.
It’s just a protective filter.
You don’t have to believe —
you just have to test it. Gently.
Important
We share what truly helped us —
through lived experience and careful analysis.
These materials are not medical advice,
and we do not diagnose conditions.
If you feel more comfortable consulting a doctor —
that is also a valid and wise step.
The most important thing is:
you don't have to face this alone.
The key difficulty in recovering from DPDR
is that perception operates in a simplified, protective mode.
Even accurate recommendations can feel "wrong" or "too simple. "It’s like trying to read an important text in twilight — the letters are blurred, the meaning is hard to catch.
The invitation is to start moving — not out of belief, but as a way of returning.
The first small, personal response — even a tiny one — gives the sense: "this might actually work." And it’s from these tiny steps that recovery begins.
This isn’t disappearance.
It’s exhausted perception.
We’ve outlined the core phases of DPDR to help you sense where you are now — and gently show how the way forward might look.