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A Story from a sufferer of Depersonalization:

I was 12 when I first experienced depersonalization, and although it was almost 20 years ago I remember that day like it was yesterday. For me depersonalization occurred suddenly, and was relentless for the next few years. I'm not sure what triggered it but I didn't know what it was at the time. My friends and I were having a water ballon fight, and as I bend down to fill my ballon from an outdoor hose I noticed everything felt strange.

I stood back up and looked at the kids playing and it felt like a dream, a separation had occurred between me and the world around me, I no longer felt as if my body was directly connected to any of it. I really thought I was going crazy.

My friends and I would all get together occasionally to sleep over my house but in the mornings I never felt like myself, the closest thing I could name this feeling to would be social anxiety disorder. The strange thing was that it only lasted for the first few hours after waking up. I began feeling as if depersonalization and social anxiety were feeding off of each other, each making the other more profound. My depersonalization became worse in social situations, new places, and anywhere I felt as if I was not in control of what was happening around me. My social anxiety was the worst when the DP feelings were strong. It was as if these feelings of being detached were making it very difficult to gauge social interactions, and making me more prone to examining everything I was saying and doing; as if I was an improv actor thinking about what my next line should be.

Stories like this can be found on many depersonalization forums so lets talk about things I've learned from dealing with DP. First, lighting can play a role in making symptoms better or worse. Try staying away from florescent lights like the types found in grocery stores, as well as high power stadium lights like the ones found on tennis courts. If you must be around them a hat helps.

Too much sleep contributes to my depersonalization, I'm not sure of the cause but I have had the most relief from dp when I miss a night of sleep entirely. I'm not sure why sleep depravation helps but its not a good long-term solution. What can be learned here simply not oversleep. A nap in the middle of the day can relieve stress and anxiety and therefore may be beneficial in its own right. I feel that more studies should be conducted on the sleep-wake cycle and its affects on depersonalization.

Since dp is considered an anxiety disorder some people may find relief from certain anti-anxiety medications. For me being in control of my surroundings is the best treatment. I have not experienced dp nearly as bad as I did those first few years. It has gotten much better as time goes on.

In previous articles we have talked about the fight or flight response and how it primes the body to take action. One effect of stress hormones is to release glucose into the blood so that it may be picked up by the cells of the body and used for energy. In a person with diabetes this increased level of glucose can remain in the blood due to a lack of, or insensitivity, to insulin. While this is more prevalent in people with type two diabetes, it can occur in either type 1 or type 2.

anxiety also may cause someone to be less concerned with exercise and eating healthy, which will also impact glucose levels.

keeping a diary of your glucose readings along with your stress level at the time of the reading, on a scale of 1-10, will help you begin to gauge the role stress and anxiety plays in your personal glucose levels.

A new study published in the Journal of Paediatric and perinatal Epidemiology has found that chronic anxiety during pregnancy has an impact on baby size. The study found the strongest correlation during the third trimester but notes that chronic anxiety can have an affect during any stage of pregnancy.

The study shows that it is important for expecting mothers to become aware of their level of anxiety and take the steps necessary for reducing stress and anxiety during pregnancy.