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Mental health

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Original poster

Derealisation, disassociation - what help is out there in UK?

30 replies

BuryingAcorns · 14/10/2022 17:26

DS (aged 20) has suffered MH issues before and I've always been able to help as I have experience of dealing with severe depression. But now he is having frequent attacks of disassociation/derealisation brought on by severe anxiety. I really want to help but I don't even understand exactly what he is going through. He's tried to describe it and said it is terrifying but I didn't really follow why.

Has anyone had it? Does anyone know what the best form of help for it is? He is prepared to try something like Sertraline as a last resort (never tried anti-depressants before due to his age as we'd heard too many horror stories of them having very adverse affects on teens.) Are any talking cures effective? Are there any support groups or would he be better off not focusing on it too much?

OP posts:

Original poster

BuryingAcorns · 15/10/2022 13:11

Icannoteven · 14/10/2022 22:21

Maybe I shouldn't say this but another thing I found helpful was a mild trip I had from a psychedelic truffle. It contained a small amount of psylocybin apparently and it definitely reset something in my brain. I would love to try this again one day - maybe when my kids are grown up and I can go back to being irresponsible 😬

Seriously though, there are research trials going on at the moment with psychedelics and dissociation. It's something to look into 🤔

That's very intreresting. I know a bit about the psylocybin trials for depression but not for derealisation. I will look at that. Not sure it would be right for him. Not until we've exhausted other options.

OP posts:

Original poster

BuryingAcorns · 15/10/2022 13:12

parietal · 14/10/2022 22:07

There is a mall charity called Unreal which can advise.

linktr.ee/unrealcharity

And there are researchers at KCL studying it but not much is known.

Activities that involve physical body movement and other people are all helpful. So swimming or dance classes etc that strengthen the connection between brain and body.

Thank you. That is very helpful. I'll send him a link to the charity. he said he had done some yoga this morning so that might help.

OP posts:

Original poster

BuryingAcorns · 15/10/2022 13:18

A huge thank you to everyojne who has taken the time and trouble to reply to this thread. I was tryig to reply to everyone individually but am feeling a little overwhelmed and want to spend time with him, supporting him.

i really appreciate thos eof you who have explained how it feels. He too says it feels like he will be trapped in it forever. We have been trialling breathing techniques and grounding with some CBT-style ways to talk down his anxiety as it does seem to be triggered by anxiety.

Your insight - all of you - has been massively helpful. Lots of it connects with stuff we'd both found out already.

OP posts:

Ch07 · 23/07/2024 01:04

Hi OP I don’t know if you will see this message as it’s an old post. How is your son doing now? My son is 16 and he is going through the exact same thing he has had it 24/7 for 2 months and he is so scared

HangingOver · 23/07/2024 08:16

Hi @Ch07

2 months was about average for my episodes. I know it's so difficult to believe when you're in it but it WILL go away. It 100% will. But it happens gradually. So gradually he may not notice at first. Tiny little moments of being "back".

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