who here /derealisation/?
I believe it is literally the scariest thing one can experience. And I've discovered exactly what it is, and why it's so terrifying.
Ultimately, it isthe act of literally staring fear in the face.
I'll expand largely on this if anyone's interested.
Tell me more about your experience with derealisation. I have a great desire to learn more
>>29465690
what is it? it sounds impossible because fear doesn't have a face.
Here's a post I wrote explaining it:
>http://www.dpselfhelp.com/forum/index.php?/topic/54389-you-feed-the-fear/
Essentially, a sufferer of derealisation has conditioned themselves to associate total dissociation as being a threat, perhaps by being in a situation whereby they were unable to escape a fear-trigger (say, a really bad drug trip), and thus they observed their surroundings, which were radically altered in their fear-based perception of reality (though few know this happens, since the fear-based survival mechanism is quick and seamless), superimposing the fear onto the fear-based visual reality around themselves (which was never designed to be experienced and feared directly, but only to serve quick survival-based action).
Since visual reality can't be escaped, one is forced to stare fear in the face; and since fear can take any form, in this case it takes the form of everything.
>>29465898
It is the direct experience of reality in a fear-based mindset (say if you were being chased by someone with a knife, that's a fear-based mindset) as if you were trying to just go about your day, yet you can't get away from the fear-trigger because you've superimposed it into everything you see, since reality is drastically altered in a state of fear-based dissociation, so everywhere you look you're essentially seeing your wildest fear, and you rationalise it by believing that you've lost your mind.
>>29465956
You're completely fucked m8
>>29465690
if derealization scares you it's because you a fucking pussy.
end of story
>>29465983
Read the link I posted. What if I told you you've technically experienced it, but you didn't pay it attention because of survival purposes?
>>29466009
Great post, chap! You basically just said if anything scares you it's because you're a pussy, since derealisation is essentially seemingly-unescapable fear
>>29465690
sounds like a panic attack
>>29465690
>>29465899
I've read the post and I still don't quite understand. When this derealisation happens, you go through your life in moral fear of everything and anything because of some traumatic event?
Can someone dumb this down for me?
>>29466210
>>29466254
It essentially is a panic attack caused by subconsciously conditioned fear of mental dissociation which naturally arises from fear, though we don't realise this happens since our focus is normally always on nothing other than getting away from the threat.
It's conditioned by observing surroundings in a dissociated state (due to not being able to escape some sort of traumatic trigger of fear), superimposing the fear onto the fear-based reality around you. Hence, it can be understood why the fear feeds the mental dissociation (which really is all derealisation is, until you condition yourself to see it as a fear-trigger) in a vicious cycle: increasing fear of the mental dissociation directly increases mental dissociation since mental dissociation is a biological survival mechanism which is a byproduct of fear, a survival mechanism.
>>29466338
Oh it's clearer now. Sounds terrifying
>>29466528
By definition, it is. It's like trying to put out a fire with more fire. But if you realise exactly what's going on, you can break out of it, like I have.
All I can advise you is that you never consciously observe your surroundings if you're both fearful and dissociated.
>>29466589
How long does that last?
derealisation is looking into the abyss and seeing it mirrored in your soul.
>>29466611
Depends on how hard you fall into the trap. For most people it seems to last a few months. For others who weren't as able to handle it, it never goes away. I've read stories of people living in a dissociated fearful reality for 10 years, completely disconnected from the world, but still living as a "functional" human being. Though I believe everyone can be cured from it if they learn the right principles.
Is this what you're saying?
>anon is exposed to something he fears
>anon dissociates because of that fear
>anon is also afraid of dissociation, so anon derealizes (for some reason?)
I also felt like derealization was just extreme dissociation. It's comfy as fuck on its own but around other people its fucked because they expect you to be on the same wavelength as them.
>>29466689
Basically don't know where you're getting this idea that derealization always has to be frightening
Also gave me kind of a flattened response except in certain instances
>>29465690
I know what youre talking about, I have bouts of it, but its a bit different for me, for me its like im in a constant state of shock for 5 minutes as i continually realize ( and am perpetually shocked by) the fact that i am not observing myself. Its weird to describe, but it feels like ive been reading a story about myself as someone else, and it happens when i realize that im not reading the story, i AM the story, and while i am shellshocke by that i look up and 5 or 10 minutes has gone by.
>>29466689
Kind of. It's more like
>anon is exposed to something he fears
>dissociation is a natural byproduct of fear but goes away once the fear-causing agent has been escaped
>anon can't escape the fear-causing agent
>anon is stuck in a limbo-state of fear and, of course, dissociation
>anon tries to rationalise what's going on
>anon observes the dissociation and superimposes his initial fear onto the dissociation because it's very strange and hasn't been consciously experienced before
>the anchor is set
>anything can trigger the anchor since dissociation encompasses everything you see/hear/feel etc
>the fear of the trigger feeds the trigger and increases the fear, a vicious cycle
>>29466800
That's more depersonalisation. They're both linked. I guess they're the same thing except with yours you focus more on your physical body than the external world
>>29466851
>anon observes the dissociation and superimposes his initial fear onto the dissociation because it's very strange and hasn't been consciously experienced before
I'm not sure I understand this.
You mean the dissociation makes the fear worse so that the fear ups the dissociation again which just ups the fear again in a vicious cycle that ends in a very derealized panic attack, instead of not caring about the initial fear as a result of the dissociation like he's "supposed to"? That's interesting, I think something like this may have happened to me once. Only happens in situations requiring social reciprocity because otherwise the dissociation just makes me feel great.
>>29466945
Exactly that. And I've experience dissociation before as a kid also, and never feared it much. It was more of an annoyance. It's when fear gets attached to the dissociation that it becomes derealisation
