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<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="3659057" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Bo-Burnham">Bo Burnham</keyword>'s "<keyword id="65017" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Inside">Inside</keyword>" includes the song lyric: "Googling '<keyword id="11400239" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="derealization">derealization</keyword>,' hating what you find."</li><li>The mental health term "derealization" describes the sensation that you're surroundings aren't real.</li><li>The number of searches for that term spiked on <keyword id="6355629" type="DEFINITION" weightage="60" keywordseo="google">Google</keyword> following the premiere of "Inside."</li></ul>In Bo Burnham's new Netflix special "Inside," a musical-comedy masterpiece <a href="https://www.insider.com/bo-burnham-inside-special-details-analysis-breakdown-2021-6">packed with details and references many probably missed upon first-watch</a>, he mentions Googling the mental health term "derealization" while singing a song about its manifestation in everyday life. And now a high volume of people are also taking to Google to find out just what "derealization" means. The Mayo Clinic <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depersonalization-derealization-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20352911">defines depersonalization-derealization disorder</a> as occurring "when you persistently or repeatedly have the feeling that you're observing yourself from outside your body or you have a sense that things around you aren't real or both. Feelings of depersonalization and derealization can be very disturbing and may feel like you're living in a dream.""That Funny Feeling" is a song about that mental phenomenon. Burnham's lyrics mostly comprise of a list of people, things, and events (like the "live-action Lion King" or "in honor of the revolution, it's half-off at the Gap") without much elaboration. But one line in the song has struck a chord with Burnham's at-home audience. "Googling 'derealization,' hating what you find," he sings in the third verse.If you look at Google's data for the number of people searching the word "derealization," there's a huge spike starting right around May 30 - the day "Inside" premiered on Netflix. "That Funny Feeling" lists events or actions or objects that could make you feel like you're living in a warped simulation or have totally disassociated from reality, or perhaps have begun to accept that we're at the edge of the collapse of civilization. Here's the full third verse, so you can see the mention of "derealization" in context of the song:Reading Pornhub's terms of service, going for a drive And obeying all the traffic laws in Grand Theft Auto V Full agoraphobic, losing focus, cover blown A book on getting better hand-delivered by a drone Total disassociation, fully out your mind Googling derealization, hating what you find That unapparent Summer air in early Fall The quiet comprehending of the ending of it allAs he performs the song, a light rig in front of him flickers with the warm glow of fake firelight, playing off a projected forest background behind him. The set-up plays right into his signature meta style, as he contrasts the sincerity of his voice and lyrics with the fake backdrop. For more analysis of "Inside," including the line in "That Funny Feeling" that could reference a seven-year climate change countdown clock, <a href="https://www.insider.com/bo-burnham-inside-special-details-analysis-breakdown-2021-6">read our full breakdown of the special here.</a>

Bo Burnham's new special has a lot of people Googling 'derealization'

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Barrie Miskin is a teacher and writer living in Queens, New York.</li><li>This is an excerpt from her memoir, "Hell Gate Bridge," which is her first book.</li></ul>Seven hundred and fifty dollars out of pocket is on the cheaper end for a consultation with a "repro psych," and waiting lists can be months long. When we had asked our OB-GYN for a referral for a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/finding-therapy-when-youre-black-pregnant-and-depressed-2021-3">reproductive psychiatrist</a> early on in the pregnancy, he gave us the number for a physician who prescribed nutritional supplements and a grain-free diet plan with no nightshade vegetables — and no medication. She cost $1,500 per session.Reproductive psychiatrists are wealthy, well-educated white women. If you are lucky enough to pay the entrance fee into their exclusive club, you are probably a wealthy, well-educated white woman, too.<h2 id="85ff03a2-6c9c-47f9-aa4b-a638ddbe3be5">I tried to find a reproductive psychiatrist I could afford</h2>As mandated, I went to see the reproductive psychiatrist assigned to me by the social worker a few days after I had returned from the hospital. I took the subway to her hushed penthouse office suite on the Upper East Side. It was a January day when the city was all gray and stone, the tall buildings leaning in on me. I'd <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-york-city-life-disappointing-photos-2023-3">lived in New York City</a> for nearly 20 years — it belonged to me. But that afternoon, I felt small and lost in the city's cold maze.The doctor had the brusque demeanor unique to chic New York women who are used to getting what they want. Even so, she was sympathetic, and I could sense that beneath her all-business exterior, she was a little afraid for me. I repeated my story, now with the addition of my brief institutionalization.My daughter's due date was on April 6, 2017 — the day after my birthday. I had 13 weeks to find a way to reverse the course of my insanity and get ready to be a mother. The doctor understood our urgency. She also understood that I would not be able to afford her. That afternoon, she spent most of our 45-minute meeting on the phone with other psychiatrists in her network, fast-talking in a broad, Long Island accent, like she was a day trader and I was a stock to sell. No luck.No one would take me for under $500 per session. As our time together came to a close, she did promise to keep trying to find me help. She would put my case on a message board where psychiatrists throughout the city could read about the undiagnosable pregnant woman who was too poor to afford their treatment and bid on me online instead.Before I left her office, I told her I <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/health/conditions-symptoms/what-is-insomnia">still wasn't sleeping</a>. It had now been almost a month and a half, and the most I had slept was three hours per night — and that had happened only once."OK." She leaned in closer. "I'm going to prescribe you something that is gonna Knock. You. Out," she said in the manner of someone offering up a line in the bathroom of a Downtown loft party. "You'll be sleeping like a baby in no time."I left the appointment with no psychiatrist to treat me, still no real diagnosis, but I did have a new prescription for 50 milligrams of Seroquel. An antipsychotic. And knock me out, it did. The next morning, Patrick had to lightly slap my face several times so I could wake up, get out of bed, and go to work.<h2 id="ab4b064e-7ddc-4d26-bf6b-0f18912cc502">The antidepressants didn't work, and I kept searching for answers</h2>I don't believe in God, but I prayed like an earnest schoolgirl for what Dr. Abrams had told me in our therapy session to be true: that in three weeks' time, the medicine would kick in, and I would be feeling back to normal. At the three-week mark, though, I was worse than ever. If the Zoloft wasn't working, then I probably <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/health/mental-health/what-is-depression">wasn't depressed</a>. If the Seroquel only seemed to help me sleep, then I probably wasn't psychotic. What was wrong with me?I searched for pregnant women who have been treated in psychiatric hospitals (a few), pregnant women who have experienced suicidal ideation (more than a few), and reviews of psych wards (many — there are a number of sites heralding themselves as "A Yelp for Psychiatric Facilities," as well as several actual Yelp reviews of psychiatric facilities). Most reviews begin with the patient's often grotesque mistreatment by ward staff and end with how much more traumatized and unwell they felt when they were released.My greatest fear was that I was hurting the baby, through my stress, through the medications I was taking. When you are pregnant, the internet is not your friend, even if you are in the soundest state of mind. My OB/GYN constantly implored me to stop self-diagnosing, saying that if I wanted to find research articles that stated, "Apples cause autism in unborn children," they existed. I couldn't stop though: Each day, I went deeper down the hole, reopening the wound.My searches kept landing on a disorder I had never heard of before: depersonalization-<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bo-burnham-inside-derealization-meaning-that-funny-feeling-2021-6">derealization</a> disorder. And I kept finding my truth. The feeling that you're observing yourself from outside your body or you have a sense that things around you aren't real, or both… you may feel like you're living in a dream . . . alienated from or unfamiliar with your surroundings... feeling emotionally disconnected from people you care about, as if you were separated by a glass wall… surroundings appear distorted, blurry, colorless, two-dimensional or artificial… distortions in perception of time… distortions of distance and the size and shape of objects.Scrolling down the pages for the treatment plan, my heart pounded with longing, but I was always met with the same death knell: There are no medications specifically approved to treat depersonalization-derealization disorder. Contact your primary care provider.Unable to help myself, though, I dug deeper. Peeking through my fingers like a child watching a horror movie, I sifted through articles, Facebook groups, threads on Reddit, books on Amazon.The books had titles like "Stranger to Myself" or "Feeling Unreal." On their covers were pictures of crying clowns, black tears dripping down painted-white faces. The Facebook group greeted visitors with a blown-up picture of Edvard Munch's The Scream as its cover photo.Images posted at the tops of articles showed young men and women trapped inside hallucinatory fractal designs, like darker versions of a poster you might find on a college dorm room wall.I learned that DPDR was a dissociative disorder. The only dissociative disorder I had ever heard of was <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dissociative-identity-disorder-signs-amnesia-multiple-voices-disconnect-brain-body-2022-4">dissociative identity disorder</a>, more commonly known as multiple personality disorder. I knew that once you had a dissociative disorder, there was no coming back.I compared the sites on dissociative disorders with the pages and pages of peripartum and postpartum mood disorders. The pictures I saw there were of pretty, long-haired women wearing yoga clothes and dejected faces as they cradled plump babies. There were lists of medications, support groups, doctors, promises that things would get better. Please, I thought, please let that be me.But the world of dissociative disorders continued to reach out its long, sharp-nailed and crooked finger, beckoning me to come and join them where I really belonged."Please, God, no," I silently begged. And I slammed my computer shut.Excerpted from Hell Gate Bridge by Barrie Miskin. Copyright 2024 Barrie Miskin. Published by Woodhall Press.

I knew something was wrong when I was pregnant, but I couldn't afford the psychiatrists I was sent to. I looked for answers on my own.

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="7325833" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Phoebe-Bridgers">Phoebe Bridgers</keyword> wants to make us all even more sad by copying <keyword id="3659057" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Bo-Burnham">Bo Burnham</keyword>'s "That Funny Feeling."</li><li>The song is from his <keyword id="128682" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Netflix">Netflix</keyword> special, "<keyword id="65017" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Inside">Inside</keyword>," and is about <a href="https://www.insider.com/bo-burnham-inside-derealization-meaning-that-funny-feeling-2021-6">the uncanny feeling of "derealization."</a></li><li>Bridgers would be the perfect artist for a recreation of the song's beautiful-but-depressing vibes. </li></ul>Grammy-nominated artist <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/phoebe-bridgers">Phoebe Bridgers</a> is a big fan of Bo Burnham's new special, "Inside." On Wednesday evening, the singer posted a screenshot of herself listening to a song from the new musical-comedy on Spotify, and said she wanted to copy it."Every bone in my body wants to plagiarize this," Bridgers wrote, referring to "That Funny Feeling."The song is an acoustic ballad, and uses plenty of proper nouns - just like many of Bridgers' signature songs from her first two albums. "That Funny Feeling" is about a vague sense of discomfort and <a href="https://www.insider.com/bo-burnham-inside-derealization-meaning-that-funny-feeling-2021-6">mental disorder symptoms like "derealization."</a><div type="image" title="A screenshot of Phoebe Bridgers' Instagram story showing her listening to a Bo Burnham song called &quot;That Funny Feeling.&quot;" height="1350" width="1800" msid="83622047" hostid="261"></div>Burnham's lyrics mostly comprise of a list of people, things, and events (like the "live-action Lion King" or "in honor of the revolution, it's half-off at the Gap") without much elaboration. But one line in the song has struck a chord with Burnham's at-home audience."Googling 'derealization,' hating what you find," he sings in the third verse.If you look at Google's data for the number of people searching the word "derealization," <a href="https://www.insider.com/bo-burnham-inside-derealization-meaning-that-funny-feeling-2021-6">there's a huge spike starting right around May 30</a> - the day "Inside" premiered on Netflix.Now Bridgers has joined the cohort of fans who fell in love with Burnham's new special and this song in particular. Her style fits perfectly with it's beautiful-but-depressing vibes, and we think she should not only plagiarize it but also just straight up do a cover of "That Funny Feeling." It's what all of her Sad Girl Summer fans deserve.You can <a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/7uCq4vBPffjaTMlE8EQzJD?si=c8514f308a6b474b">listen to Burnham's "That Funny Feeling" here</a>, and read <a href="https://www.insider.com/bo-burnhams-inside-songs-ranked-2021-6">Insider's ranking of every song from "Inside" here.</a>

Phoebe Bridgers wants to 'plagiarize' the saddest song from Bo Burnham's new special, and we fully support this

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Dissociation describes a disconnect between a person and their emotions, surroundings, or memories.</li><li>Some people use the term to casually describe zoning out in the face of something boring or difficult.</li></ul>Dissociation is a mental process where someone feels disconnected from their emotions, memory, and sense of self, according to <a href="https://www.mhanational.org/conditions/dissociation-and-dissociative-disorders">Mental Health America</a>.Mild dissociation might occur if you get lost in a book or find yourself zoning out of a conversation. Occasional dissociation as a behavior is not harmful, but in more severe cases, it can be a defense mechanism to protect the brain from <keyword id="12230144" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="trauma" source="Orion">trauma</keyword>, psychologist Rebecca Semel told Insider.Persistent dissociation is a feature of a few psychological disorders, including <a href="https://www.insider.com/dissociative-identity-disorder-signs-amnesia-multiple-voices-disconnect-brain-body-2022-4">dissociative identity disorder (DID)</a>, <a href="https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Mental-Health-Conditions/Dissociative-Disorders">dissociative amnesia</a>, and <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9791-depersonalizationderealization-disorder">depersonalization disorder</a>. Dissociative amnesia may occur suddenly in relation to specific events, while depersonalization (also known as derealization) is an ongoing sense that oneself or one's surroundings are not real, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.Between 1–1.5% of the global population has DID, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK568768/">according to recent estimates</a>, which develops when someone experiences trauma which causes their mind to fracture. DID is characterized by the involuntary creation of altered states of consciousness, which may present as distinct personalities, according to <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dissociative-disorders/symptoms-causes/syc-20355215">Mayo Clinic</a>.People who are diagnosed with DID and other dissociative disorders may find that it impacts their daily functioning and puts stress on their relationships, as they may seem distant, confused, or forgetful.Feeling "out of it" for one day doesn't mean you have a dissociative disorder, but if you find yourself losing chunks of time or feeling like you're outside your body several times a week, it could be something to discuss with a professional, Semel said.<h2>You find yourself 'losing time'</h2>Dissociating may be conflated with "zoning out" because in both cases, people can forget a period of time as if they were never there.Also known as "losing time," this feature of dissociative disorders is often associated with traumatic events. A clinical diagnosis of dissociative amnesia must be specific to a certain time, and it may occur suddenly, according to the <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dissociative-disorders/symptoms-causes/syc-20355215">Mayo Clinic</a>. "Someone might have been trying to talk to you, and you suddenly look like you don't know what they're saying, or you might lose those few minutes of time that you have dissociated," Semel said. "It's like you're not present in your body at that time."<h2>You find yourself going 'outside your body' in times of stress</h2>Some people describe looking down at their hands as if they belong to someone else, while others feel like they are floating above their bodies and watching life on the ground, Semel said.For instance, someone with a history of <a href="https://www.insider.com/emotional-abuse">emotional or verbal abuse</a> may find themselves "out of body" mid-argument, to the point where they feel like they're watching actors in a movie. Even if the argument doesn't specifically relate to prior trauma, it still has the potential to trigger deeply rooted anxiety. As a clinical psychologist, Semel's job is to ask questions about what feelings preceded the moment of dissociation so she can help patients work through those emotions."If you really feel like you're outside of your body multiple times a day or every day in a week, then that's probably a sign something more serious is going on," she said.<h2>You feel emotionally numb</h2>People who dissociate also report feeling disconnected from themselves and their emotions, Semel said. The brain may be defending itself from emotions associated with traumatic events, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, unless it becomes chronic."It's almost like a shield going up," Semel said. "It's your brain sort of protecting you from negative feelings, from trauma and traumatic experiences."<h2>The world around you doesn't feel real</h2>Other symptoms of dissociation include <a href="https://www.insider.com/9-years-after-acid-trip-man-has-persistent-anxiety-visuals-2022-4">feeling like the world around you is not real</a>, or derealization. This may feel like time is either slowing down or moving fast, Semel said, or the people around you may appear distorted or unreal, according to Mayo Clinic.If you have symptoms of dissociation that are keeping you from your loved ones, work, or school, it could be time to see a <keyword id="11902572" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="mental-health" source="Orion">mental health</keyword> professional, Semel said.

4 subtle signs you're dissociating, according to a psychologist

<ul class="summary-list"><li>People with dissociative identity disorder (DID) experience fractured parts of their identity.</li><li>A person develops DID to cope with early and repeated <keyword id="12230144" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="trauma" source="Orion">trauma</keyword>, like sexual assault or violence.</li></ul>Dissociative identity disorder, formerly called "multiple personality disorder," <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK568768/">affects 1.5% of people worldwide</a>.The condition, which causes a person to enter an altered state of consciousness, is often <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK568768/">misdiagnosed and misunderstood</a>, according to <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/contributors/anthony-d-smith-lmhc">Anthony Smith</a>, a licensed mental <keyword id="11894571" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="health" source="Orion">health</keyword> counselor with 17 years of experience diagnosing mental health conditions in the Massachusetts court system.Dissociative identity disorder stems from a child's upbringing and early-in-life relationships, Smith told Insider. But it's not a personality disorder, like <a href="https://www.insider.com/defining-traits-of-borderline-personality-disorder-2022-4">borderline personality disorder</a> and narcissistic personality disorder, because it has nothing to do with a person's character.With dissociative identity disorder, someone who experienced extreme and repeated trauma as a child will learn to dissociate from a triggering situation to protect their mental, emotional, and physical well being. When they disassociate as adults, they subconsciously enter protective and altered states, Smith said."Basically, it's dissociation from the vulnerable stage into the identity that's going to take care of the situation," Smith said.On-screen portrayals of dissociative identity disorder, like in the movie <a href="https://www.insider.com/living-with-split-personality-disorder-2017-2">"Split"</a> and Hulu series <a href="https://www.insider.com/nine-perfect-strangers-psychedelic-retreats-facts-versus-fiction-2021-9">"12 Perfect Strangers,"</a> suggest people with the condition have uncontrollable violence or evil streaks, which add to stigma about the personality disorder, Smith said. In fact, <keyword id="11949108" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="psychology" source="Orion">psychology</keyword> experts changed the clinical name of the condition <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/conditions/dissociative-identity-disorder-multiple-personality-disorder">from "multiple personality disorder" to dissociative personality disorder</a> in 1994 to reduce stereotypes and better explain how it affects people who live with it.In reality, the signs of dissociative identity disorder are often subtle and can take years to diagnose, said Smith.<h2>It's impossible to recall certain memories</h2>Most people with dissociative identity disorder seek help because they experience amnesia, not because they realize they could have a disorder, according to Smith.Though <a href="https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Mental-Health-Conditions/Dissociative-Disorders">75% of all people will dissociate</a> — when your brain and body feel disconnected so you <a href="https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/dissociation-and-dissociative-disorders/causes/">temporarily lose awareness of your thoughts</a>, actions, and surroundings — at least once their lifetime, but people with DID experience it much more frequently.As a result, they find themselves forgetting what happened during chunks of time, or not knowing how they arrived at a certain place. Sometimes, friends and family have to point out their memory deficits, according to Smith.<h2>It feels like you're watching a movie of yourself and your life</h2>People with DID also experience <a href="https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Mental-Health-Conditions/Dissociative-Disorders">depersonalization and derealization</a>, which are other altered states, when they're under stress, according to Smith.Depersonalization is when it feels like you <a href="https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Mental-Health-Conditions/Dissociative-Disorders">aren't connected to your thoughts,</a> feelings, or bodily sensations. It's like you're watching a movie of yourself.Derealization is when a person <a href="https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Mental-Health-Conditions/Dissociative-Disorders">feels like the world around the isn't real.</a> For example, one of Smith's patients told him it felt like they lived in a Salvador Dali painting, he said.<h2>Multiple "voices" are competing in your head</h2>People with the disorder have at least two "alters," or fractured parts of their personality with distinct qualities.As a result, someone with DID may feel as if various voices are competing for attention in their head. These aren't full-blown personalities that someone creates and allows to consume them, said Smith. Rather, they're fragments of a person's full identity.Smith gave the example of a patient who seemed to notice something in the room while speaking. He couldn't tell what she was looking at, so he asked if the patient was OK, and she said she was hearing voices.Over more sessions with the patient, Smith identified three alters. He said one was teenage-like and would talk to the patient about the crush she had on Smith.In successful treatment, a person with DID can <a href="https://psychcentral.com/lib/can-you-recover-from-dissociative-identity-disorder">learn how to unite their fractured alters</a> so they can work together as one core personality, Smith said.<h2>Mannerisms change seemingly out of nowhere</h2>Diagnosing someone with dissociative identity disorder <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK568768/">can be a years-long process</a>, since symptoms are often subtle and similar to certain personality disorders, like borderline personality disorder, according to the National Institutes of Health.When a person with the disorder enters an altered state, a loved one may notice there's something off, but are unable to pinpoint exactly what's wrong, Smith said. He said only in extreme cases will a person with DID switch to a vastly different alter.He gave the hypothetical of dating a new person. One day, you notice they have a pronounced childlike quality to them, but it's not because they're in a silly or playful mood. In fact, they're talking about something serious."They're the same person, but they're not. It's just kind of that way for some reason that day," and then they aren't like that the next day or week, Smith said.

4 signs of dissociative identity disorder, according to an expert working with people who have the condition

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Callen Ghahramani says he has had persistent visual distortions since trying what he thought was acid as a teenager.</li><li>His symptoms — severe <keyword id="12047214" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="anxiety" source="Orion">anxiety</keyword> and depersonalization — reflect the common features of rare but debilitating hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD). He has not received an official diagnosis.</li></ul>I was a lost soul after my dad died when I was 14. I stayed in my room for two years straight playing video games, and only came out to get the pizzas I ordered. Even before I developed hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD), I had lost all hope for a normal life.I started out in search of something more. What should I do with myself? What is my purpose? Before the age of 18, I had tried to find answers in over-the-counter cough medicine, shrooms, and <keyword id="12062428" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="lsd" source="Orion">LSD</keyword>.At the time, I was under the impression the worst thing that could happen to you from drug use is death. I was wrong. I'm 27 now, and I'm permanently scarred by my experience with what I believed was acid nine years ago.I still see the world about 20-25% smaller than it should be — this includes everything from cars to my own hands. Everytime I blink, lights bend like I'm squinting at them. My only solace comes when I sleep or use my computer, but this means I tend to isolate myself away from my family.My goal now is to spread awareness so people consider the risk of <a href="https://www.perception.foundation/">HPPD</a> before trying <keyword id="13605350" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="hallucinogens" source="Orion">hallucinogens</keyword>. Even if some people can benefit from these substances, I think if they knew it could mess them up until the day they die, a certain portion wouldn't do it.<h2>I experimented with hallucinogens in my teenage years</h2>The first drug I tried was DXM (dextromethorphan), an over-the-counter cough suppressant that can deliver a high if you drink a dangerously large dose.I was hesitant at first because I swore I would never get into <keyword id="11915064" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="drugs" source="Orion">drugs</keyword>, but I was willing to try anything at that point. I got a bottle of <a href="https://americanaddictioncenters.org/dextromethorphan-dxm">Delsym</a> and drank the whole thing — roughly 888 mg of DXM — and I felt happy and hopeful for the first time in a long time.I continued to trip on DXM almost every weekend to maintain the "positive outlook" in my head. I also tried "magic" mushrooms a few times without any issues.But at around 17 or 18, I got some <a href="https://www.insider.com/why-acid-lsd-trips-last-so-long-2017-1">acid</a> from a friend of a friend. It was some sort of pink substance smudged on the back of an Altoid, and I just popped the whole mint in my mouth.Looking back, I'm pretty certain that what I tried was not LSD. Synthetic psychedelic compounds called <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7054380/">NBOMes</a> were getting manufactured around that time, and what I tried looked different from typical acid tabs. But at the time, I was naive and didn't think to test it.<h2>My whole mouth went numb, but that was nothing compared to my second trip</h2>After I got past the metallic taste and numb feeling in my mouth, I felt a sense of inner peace and connection set in. It was everything I was looking for.The next day, my friend was preparing to move across the country and wanted to hang out. I told him what I had, and after a quick search for "what happens if you take acid 2 days in a row," I thought I was in for a less intense trip.I took two doses this time, and my friend took one. Everything seemed to be going OK, and then something hit me.I could feel the synapses in my brain breaking like tree branches. The pain was indescribable. Looking into the mirror, I pleaded to whatever God exists to let me live, and I'll take whatever consequence comes along with it. Well, I got what I asked for.<h2>My world has shrunk since then</h2>Along with my visual distortions, my social world has felt smaller since I got HPPD. At the onset, I dealt with severe <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depersonalization-derealization-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20352911">depersonalization and derealization</a>. Depersonalization felt like forgetting who I was. My personality seemed to disappear, so I had to relearn how to be myself and how to navigate social situations.The derealization is just an overall sense of life feeling fake, along with everything looking smaller than it should. I didn't fully recognize my loved ones — I knew who they were, but our shared pasts were almost nonexistent in my mind.I've learned to cope with my symptoms, even though the doctors I've seen haven't been much help. These days, I take a low-dose sedative for my anxiety along with <a href="https://nida.nih.gov/drug-topics/kratom">kratom</a>, a plant-derived substance with similar effects to opioids. While they can't erase my symptoms, the meds help me care less.The only true break I get is when I sleep — sometimes, I don't even want to get out of bed because my dreams can feel more real than life itself. But I have a six-year-old daughter and a girlfriend and supportive parents at home, so I can't keep isolating myself.Editor's note: Hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD) is a rare neuro-psychological condition that is underresearched and often misdiagnosed, according to the <a href="https://www.neurogroup.org/hppd/misdiagnosis/">Neurosensory Research Foundation</a>. Ghahramani told Insider that he gave up on getting an official HPPD diagnosis after seeing several doctors who diagnosed him with <a href="https://www.insider.com/bipolar-symptoms">bipolar disorder</a>. There is currently no cure for HPPD, and doctors recommend seeking medical advice before self-medicating; kratom, which Ghahramani uses, carries <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/in-depth/kratom/art-20402171">serious health risks</a>.

9 years after an acid trip, I still have anxiety-inducing visual distortions that only stop when I sleep

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Myths about DID paint it as a rare, untreatable condition that involves extreme personality changes.</li><li>In reality, people with DID switch identities because they don't have a single unified identity.</li></ul>When experiences like long-term <a href="https://www.insider.com/guides/health/mental-health/child-abuse" target="_blank" rel="noopener">abuse</a> or neglect prove too traumatic to bear, some people cope with their distress by involuntarily escaping reality, or dissociating. Dissociation is a mental process that involves disconnecting from your own thoughts, memories, feelings, and sense of personal identity. If you have <a href="https://www.insider.com/dissociative-identity-disorder-signs-amnesia-multiple-voices-disconnect-brain-body-2022-4#:~:text=People%20with%20dissociative%20identity%20disorder,and%20depersonalization%20are%20often%20subtle." target="_blank" rel="noopener">dissociative identity disorder (DID)</a>, dissociation also involves switching between alternate identities or states of consciousness. According to <a href="http://www.sharibotwin.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shari Botwin</a>, a licensed clinical social worker in private practice who has treated people with DID for over 26 years, this complex mental health condition is massively misunderstood, in large part due to <a href="https://www.insider.com/moon-knight-gets-right-and-wrong-dissociative-identity-disorder-2022-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">inaccurate media portrayals</a>.Note: Until 1994, DID was known as <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK568768/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">multiple personality disorder</a>. Botwin says the name change emphasizes the fact that people with DID don't switch personalities — rather, they lack a single unified identity.Botwin says many of the misconceptions about DID tend to perpetuate the stigma around this condition. Below, she dispels some of the most common myths.<h2>Myth #1: DID is rare</h2>In reality, DID affects about <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK568768/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1.5% of the global population</a>. This percentage may seem like a small portion of people, but to put that into perspective, that's <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/schizophrenia">more than four times</a> the amount of people diagnosed with schizophrenia worldwide. What's more, since DID often <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK568768/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">goes undiagnosed, or misdiagnosed</a> as a personality disorder, the true prevalence of this condition may be even higher. Botwin says DID may affect certain groups more often. For example, as many as <a href="https://journals.lww.com/hrpjournal/Fulltext/2016/07000/Separating_Fact_from_Fiction___An_Empirical.2.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">6% of highly traumatized people</a> in inner city hospital settings have a DID diagnosis. Researchers believe this may relate to the fact that people in inner cities, especially people with marginalized identities, experience high rates of oppression and <a href="https://www.insider.com/guides/health/mental-health/cptsd-vs-ptsd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trauma</a>.<h2>Myth #2: Identity switching is the only symptom</h2>People with DID have two or more distinct identities, known as "alternates" or "alters." Each alter usually has its own name and personal history, along with a unique personality, mannerisms, and preferences. If you have DID, these alters can take over your thoughts, actions, and behavior at different times, and you may or may not have an awareness of these identities. Very often, you won't <a href="https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Mental-Health-Conditions/Dissociative-Disorders" target="_blank" rel="noopener">remember what happened</a> while an alter was in control.Movies and TV shows tend to dramatize switches between alternate identities. In reality, Botwin says these switches happen subtly enough that other people who don't know you well may not even recognize they're happening — especially when the alter doesn't have noticeably different speech patterns, mannerisms, or body language.While alters remain the most well-known aspect of DID, Botwin says other equally <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dissociative-disorders/symptoms-causes/syc-20355215" target="_blank" rel="noopener">common symptoms</a> include:<ul><li>Amnesia, or gaps in memory</li><li>Derealization, or feeling detached from yourself or your emotions</li><li>An inability to cope with stress</li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/guides/health/mental-health/what-is-depression" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Depression</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/guides/health/mental-health/what-is-anxiety" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Anxiety</a></li><li>Suicidal thoughts or self-harm</li></ul>Important: If you're having thoughts of suicide, help is available right now. You can get free, confidential support from compassionate crisis counselors by calling <a href="https://www.insider.com/guides/health/mental-health/988" target="_blank" rel="noopener">988</a> to reach the <a href="https://988lifeline.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Suicide and Crisis Lifeline</a> or texting "HOME" to 741741 to reach the <a href="https://www.crisistextline.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Crisis Text Line</a>.<h2>Myth #3: Dissociation is just another term for DID</h2><a href="https://www.insider.com/signs-of-dissociation-psychologist-explains-dissociative-identity-disorders-2022-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dissociation</a> can also occur with other dissociative disorders, like:<ul><li>Dissociative amnesia: This dissociative disorder involves gaps in memory about personal information — such as things you've done, things that have happened to you, or even skills you've learned.</li><li><a href="https://www.rethink.org/advice-and-information/about-mental-illness/learn-more-about-conditions/dissociation-and-dissociative-identity-disorder-did/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Depersonalization-derealization disorder</a> (DPDR): This dissociative disorder involves strong out-of-body experiences, where you may feel as if you're observing your thoughts, emotions, and actions from a distance.</li></ul>But experiencing symptoms of dissociation doesn't mean you have DID — or any other dissociative disorder, for that matter. In fact, Botwin says she's worked with dozens of clients who developed a tendency to occasionally dissociate after <a href="https://www.insider.com/guides/health/mental-health/am-i-being-emotionally-abused-by-my-parents" target="_blank" rel="noopener">experiencing abuse</a> from family members or after witnessing abuse during childhood.Dissociation can <a href="https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.ajp.2017.17010025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">also happen with</a> other mental health conditions, including:<ul><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/guides/health/mental-health/do-i-have-ptsd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Post-traumatic stress disorder</a> (PTSD)</li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/guides/health/mental-health/what-is-ocd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Obsessive-compulsive disorder</a> (OCD)</li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/guides/health/mental-health/panic-disorder-symptoms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Panic disorder</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/defining-traits-of-borderline-personality-disorder-2022-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Borderline personality disorder</a> (BPD)</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/living-with-schizophrenia-2016-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Schizophrenia </a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/guides/health/diet-nutrition/binge-eating-disorder" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Binge eating disorder</a></li></ul>Some <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-96494-2_4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">research</a> also suggests dissociation can happen as a symptom of <a href="https://www.insider.com/guides/health/mental-health/adult-adhd-symptoms#:~:text=Attention%2Ddeficit%2Fhyperactivity%20disorder%20(,acting%20impulsively%20and%20feeling%20hyperactive." target="_blank" rel="noopener">attention deficit hyperactivity disorder</a> (ADHD). Also, people with epilepsy may <a href="https://www.scielo.br/j/anp/a/Ycyj7Bryxtgg9DSmNczwMxq/?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">experience dissociation</a> during <a href="https://www.insider.com/guides/health/what-causes-seizures" target="_blank" rel="noopener">seizures</a>.Finally, you might also dissociate after using <a href="https://nida.nih.gov/publications/research-reports/hallucinogens-dissociative-drugs/what-are-effects-common-dissociative-drugs-brain-body" target="_blank" rel="noopener">certain psychedelic drugs</a>, including:<ul><li>PCP</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ketamine-drug-depression-antidepressant-effects-special-k-clubbing-medicine-2019-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ketamine</a></li><li>The cough suppressant dextromethorphan (DXM), in amounts higher than directed on the label</li></ul><h2>Myth #4: People with DID are violent</h2>Hollywood portrayals of DID often involve a dangerous or aggressive alter. "This myth further contributes to the stigma around DID," Botwin says. According to Botwin, no documented evidence supports a link between DID and increased criminal activity or violent behavior."In actuality, many clients with DID focus their anger inward with behaviors like cutting and <a href="https://www.insider.com/guides/health/mental-health/eating-disorder-treatment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">disordered eating</a>. Some clients report hearing voices from their alters that tell them things like, 'You're a bad person,' or 'You deserve to feel pain.' Trauma survivors with DID are at a much higher risk of harming themselves than harming others," Botwin says.Note: Botwin expands on the impact of traumatic experiences in her book, <a href="https://affiliate.insider.com?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FThriving-After-Trauma-Stories-Healing%2Fdp%2F1538125609" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Thriving After Trauma</a>.<h2>Myth #5: DID is a personality disorder</h2>Because DID used to go by the name multiple personality disorder, Botwin says it's often misconstrued as a <a href="https://www.insider.com/personality-disorders-traits-compared-from-narcissism-to-bpd-chart-2022-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">personality disorder</a>. And it's true that DID and personality disorders do share a slight <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4959824/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">overlap in symptoms</a> — for example, both may involve:<ul><li>An unstable sense of self</li><li>Difficulties coping with distress</li><li>Self-harm and suicidal ideation</li></ul>Botwin also emphasizes that both personality disorders and DID can develop in response to traumatic experiences.However, the <a href="https://psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/practice/dsm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders</a> classifies DID as a dissociative disorder, not a personality disorder, and the two conditions do involve many distinct symptoms. People with personality disorders:<ul><li>Tend to have trouble regulating their emotions</li><li>Typically <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9636-personality-disorders-overview" target="_blank" rel="noopener">start showing symptoms in their later teen years</a> or early adulthood</li><li>Usually <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4959824/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">remember and feel connected</a> to their actions, regardless of their emotional states </li></ul>Meanwhile, people with dissociative disorders like DID:<ul><li>Often lose touch with their identities and memories </li><li>Usually <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9792-dissociative-identity-disorder-multiple-personality-disorder" target="_blank" rel="noopener">start showing symptoms in childhood</a>, between the ages of 5 and 10</li><li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4959824/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Typically experience amnesia</a> when switching between alters</li></ul>All that said, it is possible to have <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24377974/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">both a DID and a personality disorder diagnosis</a> — and if you do, you may experience even more overlap between these sets of symptoms.<h2>Myth #6: DID can't be treated</h2>While there's no "cure" for DID, Botwin says <a href="https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Mental-Health-Conditions/Dissociative-Disorders" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the right treatment</a> can help manage, even significantly reduce, symptoms.Psychotherapy is the most common approach to treating DID. Through therapy, many of Botwin's clients have learned to:<ul><li>Work through traumatic memories associated with alternate identities</li><li>Reach for alternative <a href="https://www.insider.com/guides/health/mental-health/stress-relief" target="_blank" rel="noopener">coping strategies for stress</a> so they dissociate less</li><li>Merge some of their separate identities, or at least find ways for them to coexist in harmony</li></ul>For instance, one of Botwin's clients recognized that some of her younger alternate identities had been fueling her eating disorder. During their therapy sessions, she recalled childhood memories of feeling unheard, unseen, and unprotected. She eventually realized the alters contributed to her eating disorder in an effort to help get her parents to notice her.A number of different types of <a href="https://www.insider.com/guides/health/best-online-therapy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">therapy</a> can help treat DID. Some of the most common methods include:<ul><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/guides/health/mental-health/dialectical-behavior-therapy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dialectical behavioral therapy</a> (DBT): This approach teaches skills to help you regulate your emotions, stay grounded in the present, and self-soothe — all of which can help you cope with distress so you're less likely to dissociate.</li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/guides/health/mental-health/cognitive-behavioral-therapy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cognitive behavioral therapy</a> (CBT): This type of therapy can help you recognize and change negative thought patterns that may contribute to dissociation, which can then help reduce symptoms. For example, Botwin says CBT may allow you to shift negative beliefs about certain identities so you can gradually integrate them.</li><li><a href="https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2010/01/psychodynamic-therapy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Psychodynamic psychotherapy</a>: Experts believe people with DID often dissociate as a way of "shutting off" and <a href="https://www.mcleanhospital.org/essential/did" target="_blank" rel="noopener">separating themselves from emotionally overwhelming experiences</a>. Psychodynamic therapy emphasizes gaining a better understanding of unhelpful beliefs, thoughts, and feelings — so, for example, if you tend to <a href="https://www.insider.com/why-its-dangerous-to-bottle-up-your-emotions-2018-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">avoid or suppress troubling emotions</a>, your therapist can guide you in learning to accept and express them. </li><li>Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR): With this method, a therapist directs your eye movements in a specific way while you <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK568768/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">access traumatic memories and the alternate identities</a> associated with them. The goal involves <a href="https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Mental-Health-Conditions/Dissociative-Disorders/Treatment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">replacing negative beliefs</a> around those triggering experiences with neutral or positive ones, so you no longer need to dissociate to avoid those memories.</li><li><a href="https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-1-4419-1428-6_1861" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Schema therapy</a>: This approach involves uncovering and understanding your "schemas," or unhelpful coping mechanisms you may have developed in response to <a href="https://www.insider.com/guides/health/mental-health/am-i-being-emotionally-abused-by-my-parents" target="_blank" rel="noopener">childhood neglect or abuse</a>.</li></ul>Hypnosis <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9792-dissociative-identity-disorder-multiple-personality-disorder" target="_blank" rel="noopener">may also have benefits</a> — in fact, a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149763422002408" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2022 study</a> found that people with dissociative disorders often prove easier to hypnotize than others. Hypnosis may help you <a href="https://www.merckmanuals.com/home/mental-health-disorders/dissociative-disorders/dissociative-identity-disorder" target="_blank" rel="noopener">access alternate identities</a>, encourage communication between them, and find ways to regulate the shifts between them.Note: While your doctor may prescribe <a href="https://www.insider.com/guides/health/mental-health/do-antidepressants-work" target="_blank" rel="noopener">antidepressants</a> or other medications to help relieve symptoms like depression and anxiety, medications <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK568768/#" target="_blank" rel="noopener">can't directly prevent or treat dissociation</a>.<h2>Insider's takeaway</h2>DID is a complex and widely misunderstood condition that most often stems from traumatic experiences in childhood. While it does involve shifting between multiple identities, other symptoms can include lapses in memory, depression, and feeling detached from yourself or the world around you.Even though no specific cure for DID exists, Botwin emphasizes you do have options for managing and easing your symptoms. A variety of treatments like therapy, hypnosis, and medication can all make a difference."Many of my clients who have DID are also professionals, parents, and partners. People with DID can go on to live happy and fulfilling lives," Botwin says.

I've treated people with dissociative identity disorder for 26 years – here are 6 myths I want to clear up

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Claustrophobia causes symptoms like trembling, sweating, and nausea when you're in a small space.</li><li>It can be triggered by elevators, airplanes, tunnels, windowless rooms, and more.</li><li>To treat claustrophobia, you can try methods like exposure therapy, CBT, and medications.</li></ul>Have you ever been in a small enclosed space and felt extremely panicked? Maybe your heart was racing and you were short of breath. If so, you may have <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21746-claustrophobia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claustrophobia</a>, an intense and irrational fear of confined spaces. This <keyword id="12214543" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="phobia" source="Orion">phobia</keyword> is relatively common, affecting about <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK542327/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">12.5%</a> of the population. However, there are ways to overcome your fear. Here's how to tell if you have claustrophobia, what might be causing it, and how to treat it.<h2>Symptoms of claustrophobia</h2>A phobia is an anxiety disorder that makes you fear a specific object or situation — in the case of claustrophobia, the trigger is enclosed spaces, says <a href="https://yaldasafaimd.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yalda Safai, MD</a>, a psychiatrist in private practice."Individuals with claustrophobia experience heightened anxiety whenever they encounter these scenarios and frequently make efforts to try to avoid situations where they may be triggered," says Ben Eckstein, LCSW, founder and therapist of <a href="https://www.bullcityanxiety.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bull City Anxiety</a>. The fear is considered to be irrational, since the intensity of it is disproportionate to the actual risk of the situation. Eckstein says that many claustrophobic people don't necessarily find the small space itself scary, rather, it's the awareness that it could be difficult to escape that makes them feel trapped and anxious.Eckstein says some common examples of enclosed spaces that could trigger a feeling of claustrophobia are:<ul><li>Elevators</li><li>Airplanes</li><li>Tunnels</li><li>Driving over bridges</li><li>Windowless rooms</li><li>Being stuck in traffic</li><li>MRI machines</li></ul>Aside from intense fear and avoidance, the symptoms of claustrophobia are largely physiological. Safai says the symptoms of claustrophobia are similar to a panic attack, such as:<ul><li>Shortness of breath</li><li>Racing heart</li><li>Trembling</li><li>Sweating</li><li>Chest pain</li><li>Dizziness</li><li>Nausea </li><li>Numbness or tingling </li><li>Derealization (feelings of unreality)</li><li>Depersonalization (being detached from oneself)</li><li>Fear of losing control or "going crazy"</li></ul>Additionally, Eckstein says most people with claustrophobia also struggle with general anxiety, and they are more likely to experience co-occurring anxiety disorders and other types of phobias. <h2>Causes of claustrophobia</h2>There isn't a known singular cause for claustrophobia. Sometimes, there is no clear reason why someone is claustrophobic. However, some <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21746-claustrophobia#symptoms-and-causes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">possible causes</a> are:<ul><li>Experiencing a traumatic event: Some individuals can pinpoint the onset of their claustrophobia to a specific event such as being trapped in an elevator, having a panic attack on an airplane, or even seeing a news story about a bridge that collapsed, Eckstein says. This experience sticks with them and causes an irrational fear.</li><li>Family history of claustrophobia: You may be more likely to have claustrophobia if a family member has claustrophobia, which suggests there may be both genetic and learned elements to developing claustrophobia, says Eckstein.</li><li>Having anxiety: People with claustrophobia may experience higher anxiety sensitivity, meaning they experience thoughts and physiological sensations with a heightened fear response, Eckstein says.</li></ul><h2>Treatment for claustrophobia</h2>Thankfully, claustrophobia doesn't need to get in the way of you living your life to the fullest. Various treatment options are available to help you get your claustrophobia under control. <h3>1. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)</h3>CBT is a specific type of psychotherapy that helps to address maladaptive thoughts that cause anxiety and stress, says Safai. In CBT, you learn to look at your irrational, unhealthy thoughts and challenge them so you can create more rational and healthy thought patterns. Over time, these healthier thoughts come more naturally to you and you are better able to cope with the distressing thoughts.<h3>2. Exposure therapy</h3><a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21746-claustrophobia#" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Exposure therapy</a> is an aspect of CBT that is crucial because it helps you face your fear. It involves repeated exposure to triggers. "Patients initially practice with encounters that are less anxiety provoking. The patient then gradually confronts more challenging encounters as anxiety reduces at each step," says Safai. You can start really small with this, even just looking at claustrophobia-triggering pictures, watching videos, or trying virtual reality before moving onto the real thing, says Eckstein. For example, you can do this with pictures or videos of elevators if that is one of your main claustrophobia triggers.<h3>3. Interoceptive exposure</h3>Rather than exposing yourself to a physical trigger, Eckstein says you can try <a href="https://beckinstitute.org/blog/health-anxiety-and-interoceptive-exposure/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interoceptive exposure</a>, which exposes you to the physiological sensations of anxiety, so that you can better tolerate these sensations when they crop up."This could include simulating hyperventilation by breathing through a straw or mimicking chest tightness by using a weighted blanket," says Eckstein.<h3>4. Mindfulness</h3>"Mindfulness — the practice of allowing our internal experiences to exist without efforts to change or control them — can be a useful technique to build a more adaptive relationship with anxiety," says Eckstein. Mindfulness can help you learn to relate to anxiety indifferently, knowing that it's something they're capable of managing without avoiding it. <h3>5. Relaxation techniques</h3>Learning <a href="https://www.insider.com/emotional-regulation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">skills to reduce anxiety</a> such as <a href="https://www.insider.com/breathing-exercises" target="_blank" rel="noopener">diaphragmatic breathing</a> or progressive muscle relaxation can help people with claustrophobia. These techniques counteract their brain's fight or flight response by engaging the parasympathetic nervous system, says Eckstein.<h3>6. Medications</h3>A class of anti-anxiety medications called benzodiazepines can be useful for short-term relief of anxiety, says Safai. While these medications can help with your physiological symptoms, they won't address the root cause of the claustrophobia itself. Examples of these medications are:<ul><li>Xanax</li><li>Klonopin</li><li>Ativan</li></ul><h2>Insider's takeaway</h2>Claustrophobia is an intense and irrational fear of enclosed spaces. It may cause you to avoid many things, and the anxiety can get in the way of you living your life to the fullest. Thankfully, many treatment options ranging from therapy to relaxation techniques to medication are available to manage claustrophobia. Don't hesitate to reach out to a mental <keyword id="11894571" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="health" source="Orion">health</keyword> professional for help.

6 ways to cope with claustrophobia

The key differences between stress and anxiety and 21 tips to help you manage them more effectively

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Often as a child, I'd be lying in bed at night when everything around me would suddenly shrink and appear far away and tiny. </li><li>As I grew older, these odd illusions stopped happening, but I recently experienced the weird phenomenon again when I was tired and stressed.</li><li>A chance find of a newspaper article led me to discover that this is a rare neurological condition called <keyword id="124284" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="Alice-In-Wonderland">Alice in Wonderland</keyword> syndrome.</li><li>The syndrome is rare and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4302569/">not dangerous,</a> though the causes of it are still <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4302569/">unknown</a>. </li></ul>It would always happen late at night.I would be lying in bed and <a href="https://www.insider.com/ways-youre-ruining-your-sleep-2019-5">gently winding down into sleep</a>. My eyes would begin to feel peculiar, as though they were being squeezed. Suddenly, I would notice that the room around me had begun to appear as if I were looking at it down the wrong end of a telescope. My bedroom furniture, my posters and ornaments, and the walls looked tiny, as though they were dollhouse-sized. At the same time, I felt huge, like I could reach out and touch the ceiling with my fingertips.Everything I could see had a warped, fish-eye quality to it. If I turned on my bedroom light, the room would suddenly switch back to normal, but the only other "cure" for this odd phenomenon was falling asleep.<h2>The episodes weren't scary, but I couldn't figure out why they were happening or what exactly they were </h2>This happened to me frequently when I was a kid, most often when I was especially tired, ill, or stressed. I didn't have the words to explain what was happening to me at night, I only knew that it felt unusual and dream-like - but I knew that I wasn't dreaming. When I told my parents that sometimes at night "everything looked small" they took me to an optician, where I discovered that I needed glasses and my prescription meant that I had a problem with depth perception.Problem solved, I thought. But the episodes kept happening.<div type="image" title="dollhouse" height="2423" width="4025" msid="78777889" hostid="261"></div>I wasn't frightened by these episodes where everything around me looked like a reflection in a fun-house mirror. I loved fairy tales, and what I was experiencing didn't seem odd in the context of <a href="https://www.insider.com/how-cinderella-is-different-in-every-movie">magic wands, evil stepmothers, and kids being able to talk to animals. </a>As I grew older, the episodes became more infrequent and, eventually, I forgot they had ever happened. But recently one night I was lying in bed, feeling tired and stressed, and I felt the same familiar tightening around my temples.Suddenly, the room around me shrunk to dollhouse proportions.Amazed, I stretched out my seemingly giant hand and felt as though I could easily touch the far-off wall opposite my bed.<h2>Eventually, I found an answer that led to even more questions </h2>Later that same week, I happened to discover a <a href="https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/06/23/alice-in-wonderland-syndrome/">New York Times article</a> that finally had an explanation, a name, and a diagnosis for what was happening to me - I had Alice in Wonderland syndrome. Discovered in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4909520/">1955</a> by <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/alice-in-wonderland-syndrome">British psychiatrist John Todd,</a> episodes of this <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4302569/">rare</a> curiosity, also known as Todd's syndrome, tend to involve macropsia (objects appearing larger than they are), <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25160537/">teleopsia</a> (objects appearing further away than they are), and micropsia (objects appearing smaller than they are).Some people who experience this perceive their own body parts as being larger or smaller than in reality, and the whole episode can be accompanied by a sense of derealization (feeling like things around you aren't real) and depersonalization (feeling detached from your own body or mind). It's sort of similar to what Alice experienced when she ate the mushroom in Lewis Carroll's famous book "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and altered the size of her body - hence the name of the syndrome. The syndrome has been linked to migraines, epilepsy, strokes, head trauma, infections, drugs, and stress - but it's not known to be dangerous.It's also not yet clear what causes the illusions and distortions, although it's <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/alice-in-wonderland-syndrome#causes">not believed to be</a> a hallucination or an eyesight problem.<div type="image" title="alice in wonderland mushroom" height="821" width="1095" msid="78777891" hostid="261"></div>Some who have studied this under-researched syndrome believe it's caused by changes in the portion of the brain that processes how we see our environment, <a href="https://www.medicalbag.com/home/features/profile-in-rare-diseases/alice-in-wonderland-syndrome/#:~:text=of%20an%20episode.-,Dr.,other%20auras%2C%E2%80%9D%20she%20said.">possibly because of electrical activity which causes abnormal blood flow to that area.</a>Some doctors also believe it to be a type of <a href="https://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/alice-wonderland-syndrome">migraine aura</a>, which are sensory disturbances that can sometimes alter one's vision just before a migraine. <h2>A doctor who studied the syndrome said it commonly affects children - and it may be more common than we think </h2>Dr. Grant Liu, a pediatric neuro-ophthalmologist at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, said he's seen a lot of patients with "odd complaints" over the years."Kids complain of seeing things that are too small, too large, too close, and too far away," he told Insider. <a href="https://n.neurology.org/content/82/10_Supplement/S19.003">A few years ago, he conducted a study</a> into Alice in Wonderland syndrome where he examined and spoke to 48 patients who experienced symptoms between 1993 and 2013.He was able to link 33% of cases of the syndrome to exposure to infections (such as the flu), 6% to head trauma, and 6% to migraines. But in 52% of the cases, no cause was found.His research also found that although the syndrome typically affects young children, it continued until later in life for about a third of patients he studied. <div type="image" title="alice in wonderland" height="869" width="1159" msid="78777894" hostid="261"></div>But Dr. Liu said he was most fascinated by the familial link he's seen with the syndrome, which makes him think that it could be more common than people think. "For the study, we called families to follow up five to 15 years after diagnosing their children with Alice in Wonderland syndrome," he told Insider. "During those phone calls, lots of parents admitted that they too had experienced symptoms as children - but when they were in the exam room, they were too embarrassed to admit it."Although Dr. Liu said people experiencing Alice in Wonderland syndrome should see a specialist, as it can be a manifestation of a seizure or a migraine, he was quick to assure me that <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4302569/">"there's no treatment necessary, it's really just reassurance."</a><ul class="read-more-links"><li>Read More:</li></ul><a href="https://www.insider.com/people-less-lonely-if-they-have-empathy-compassion-wisdom-study-2020-9">People are less lonely when they embrace uncertainty and feel empathy, a study found</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/what-it-is-like-to-live-in-celebration-florida-2020-1">Disney once owned a town in Florida called Celebration, but the reality isn't very magical</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/breast-reduction-surgery-helped-me-lose-weight-2018-11">How getting breast-reduction surgery helped me lose 50 pounds and changed my life</a>

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