Unreality, Depersonalization, and Derealization

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Another common but quite disturbing result of anxiety is the sensation of unreality, also known as depersonalization or derealization. If you sometimes feel a little bit spacey, disconnected, or as if your body and your environment are somehow unreal, know that this is an extremely normal sensation resulting from the introversion that anxiety cultivates. Anxious people tend to become so preoccupied with worrisome thoughts, body sensations, and adverse emotions, that most of their awareness is directed within. You're simply so focused on your inner world that the outer begins to take on an air of unrealness. The typical anxious response to this symptom is to become fearful that you're going crazy -- losing your mind. But know that there is a vast difference between the simple sensation of unreality caused by anxiety, and true insanity.