Venting How can I psychologically derealize/dissociate?

[KillingPain267]

I'm tired of being hyperaware of existence

 

[EvisceratedJester]

I am pretty sure that more extreme forms of derealization and dissociation usually stem from severe trauma or stress, so those are out of the picture. More mild forms of dissociation, meanwhile, such as daydreaming, getting loss in a book, or zoning out are things you can look into. I mostly just engage in immersive daydreaming when I don't feel like focusing on shit, like existence (and just in general since it's basically how I process a lot of my thoughts and feelings at this point). I even have multiple plotlines, universes, and characters in them, most of which are in some capacity connected with each other.

You can also try achieving a state of flow, which is a mental state where one is completely immersed in a particular task. Basically, it's when you are in the zone. It's a great way to distract to distract yourself from existence and it can also be pretty productive. Most of the drawings I do usually involve me being in a state of flow for hours on end, too absorbed in that task to focus on anything else. It's a pretty good way to distract yourself, esepcially if you have any hobbies that you like to engage in.

That's all I've got.

 

[dontwakemeup]

I don't think true dissociation is something you can learn. I think it's something the body does when something is too painful and it's way of preserving itself. I just learned I been doing this for years but had no idea it had a name.

It's not as simple and easy as it sounds. It's complicated. I lost track of a lot of time, I barely remember my childhood, I forget a lot and basically just surviving. The things I want to forget, I can't

What you can possibly do is play virtual reality and escape this life. Play online games, read books, and anything that will take you away from this life. My favorite is putting my airpods in and crawling up in bed and listening to a audio book and falling asleep. You can try those and hopefully that helps.

You don't want dissociation, it sounds great but I promise you it's not.

 

[NormallyNeurotic]

As someone with a severe dissociative disorder, it ain't always what the media portrays. You are aware, but it's almost like a layer of fog. I regularly hurt myself of accident or forget to eat and drink, only realizing during a sudden moment of clarity in which the sensations are VERY overwhelming. It is not fun. There is no way to make it fun. You can't just "not be aware" unless you mean dissociative catatonia, and that... just isn't possible to mimic outside of certain drugs.

 

[death_bed221]

Drink a lot of alcohol and take Xanax and meditate . That works for me. U feel like u are not a part of this world. But beware. U will do a lot of things u regret

 

[KillingPain267]

Drink a lot of alcohol and take Xanax and meditate . That works for me. U feel like u are not a part of this world. But beware. U will do a lot of things u regret

That just makes me sleep for a long time

 

[yowai]

Ketamine or meditation if you don't want to become a junkie lol

 

[Forever Sleep]

Do video games work for you at all? I find city builder or simulator games pretty good for taking up my attention. Because there's a never ending stream of things to do and think about to prevent other horrible things happening. A bit like life really.

I'm playing Farming Simulator at the moment. It sounds so dull doesn't it? But, I've always enjoyed them. I feel a sort of connection to tractors in real life now.

 

[KillingPain267]

Do video games work for you at all? I find city builder or simulator games pretty good for taking up my attention. Because there's a never ending stream of things to do and think about to prevent other horrible things happening. A bit like life really.

I'm playing Farming Simulator at the moment. It sounds so dull doesn't it? But, I've always enjoyed them. I feel a sort of connection to tractors in real life now.

For me I am trying to see reality for what it is: an actual video game, and all of us are just game characters scripted to complete a story. No free will, we just experience things. Unlike regular simulation theorists, I don't believe we can ever escape the game and there are no glitches either.

 

[Forever Sleep]

For me I am trying to see reality for what it is: an actual video game, and all of us are just game characters scripted to complete a story. No free will, we just experience things. Unlike regular simulation theorists, I don't believe we can ever escape the game and there are no glitches either.

You could well be right. I don't know. Maybe the only thing I'd worry with is if it became too passive. So- just expecting things to happen for us. Whereas, I think (unfortunately,) every damn thing in this damn life takes effort. A career, relationships, friendships, staying fit and healthy, even fun! They all require vast amounts of input from us. After that though- maybe you're right. Maybe it's either destined to succeed or fail. Can we really be destined to not try though? That's a choice- surely? To some extent anyway.

I suppose I've always thought the 'danger' with predestination is that it could become too permisive to being lazy. In that: 'I can't control my future, it's clearly been fated to be bad thus far so- I'm simply not going to make any effort moving forward- it won't help anyway because I'm cursed.' Type of thing.

I suppose the one thing I feel certain of is- if we don't try, we have even less to no chance of success. The chances feel kind of small anyway though to be fair! I'm leaning more towards that really- that effort won't equal enough reward. As in- whatever I think I want now is going to require varying amounts of effort. Seeing as the rewards for all the effort I've previously put in haven't really been that brilliant- why am I even bothering?!! I actually believe we do have some control over our fate. It's more that I feel like even my best case scenario looks kind of shit!

A lot of what we do are small choices though. (With limitations- some debilitating of course.) Like now- as for the past few weeks- I should be tidying. That would be constructive. That would make me feel happier in the long-term. But- because I detest it so much in the short-term, I find every excuse not to do it! Hence, I'm back to procrastinating. But, I'll try and take my own advice and get back to it.

Honestly though- a strategy game of some sort- might be worth a shot for a bit of mindless distraction.