“Break” from reality?

[ScarletTanager]

Is it having a "break" from reality if I feel like nothing is real? I've been having a really rough week. Now I feel like the world is only existing in my mind. Like mentally I'm cracking from how I was before. And I seen these crazy videos about Solipsism. And I just am not feeling okay, like this life is all made up in my head, and I'm having a bad dream and I need to end "me". And I've been having actual nightmares when I'm sleeping. I suspect my family will have me committed. I do not believe even anyone on this site is real, nor is the world. Yes, I'm not okay since my son died, and his birthday is this week, so I must be having a complete MENTAL BREAKDOWN. Does reality exist outside our own minds even? If it does not, and this is a bad life, shouldn't I end it?

 

[dissociatedmess]

Generally feeling like nothing is real would be derealization instead of a total break from reality.

From mayoclinic on Derealizaton/Depersonalization symptoms:

Symptoms of derealization include:

• Feeling that people and your surroundings are not real, like you're living in a movie or a dream.
• Feeling emotionally disconnected from people you care about, as if you were separated by a glass wall.
• Surroundings that appear out of their usual shape, or are blurry or colorless. Or they may seem like they only have two dimensions, so they're flat with no depth. Or you could be more aware of your surroundings, and they may appear clearer than usual.
• Thoughts about time that are not real, such as recent events feeling like the distant past.
• Unrealistic thoughts about distance and the size and shape of objects.
  
  Cleveland Clinic on Psychotic Breaks
  ​
• Psychosis is disconnection from reality. People may have false beliefs or experience things that aren't real. Psychosis isn't a condition. It's a term that describes a collection of symptoms.
  
  Two important types of psychosis include:
  
  • Hallucinations. These are when parts of your brain mistakenly act like they would if your senses (vision, hearing, touch, smell and taste) picked up on something actually happening. An example of a hallucination is hearing voices that aren't there (auditory hallucination).
  • Delusions. These are false beliefs that someone holds onto very strongly, even when others don't believe them or there's plenty of evidence that a belief isn't true. For example, people with delusions of control believe someone is controlling their thoughts or actions remotely.

So they are different things, but derealization is also a really frightening feeling and I'm sorry for your loss and what you are experiencing. I would not advise rash decisions while not clear-minded, but I know you must be in unfathomable pain.

When my derealization episodes are severe, I try to put myself outside with other people, or do tactical things that engage a different part of my brain. I do a lot of crossword puzzles, or puzzle games in general. Singing, reading, running, drawing/painting, binging a show to get focus elsewhere, going to a cafe, book shop, grocery store for a snack, are all things that could help shake it off. And sometimes, screaming and crying into a blanket or pillow as hard as I can until my body gets tired is the fastest way to get it out.

I also keep ice handy for these episodes (and for panic attacks) because sucking on the ice cubes stimulates the vagus nerve, which controls the parasympathetic nervous system to help bring down feelings of fight or flight.

I hope things can get easier for you.

 

[lastappleonearth]

Is it having a "break" from reality if I feel like nothing is real? I've been having a really rough week. Now I feel like the world is only existing in my mind. Like mentally I'm cracking from how I was before. And I seen these crazy videos about Solipsism. And I just am not feeling okay, like this life is all made up in my head, and I'm having a bad dream and I need to end "me". And I've been having actual nightmares when I'm sleeping. I suspect my family will have me committed. I do not believe even anyone on this site is real, nor is the world. Yes, I'm not okay since my son died, and his birthday is this week, so I must be having a complete MENTAL BREAKDOWN. Does reality exist outside our own minds even? If it does not, and this is a bad life, shouldn't I end it?

My condolences, I'm very sorry about your son

 

[ScarletTanager]

Generally feeling like nothing is real would be derealization instead of a total break from reality.

From mayoclinic on Derealizaton/Depersonalization symptoms:

Symptoms of derealization include:

• Feeling that people and your surroundings are not real, like you're living in a movie or a dream.
• Feeling emotionally disconnected from people you care about, as if you were separated by a glass wall.
• Surroundings that appear out of their usual shape, or are blurry or colorless. Or they may seem like they only have two dimensions, so they're flat with no depth. Or you could be more aware of your surroundings, and they may appear clearer than usual.
• Thoughts about time that are not real, such as recent events feeling like the distant past.
• Unrealistic thoughts about distance and the size and shape of objects.
  
  Cleveland Clinic on Psychotic Breaks​
• Psychosis is disconnection from reality. People may have false beliefs or experience things that aren't real. Psychosis isn't a condition. It's a term that describes a collection of symptoms.
  
  Two important types of psychosis include:
  • Hallucinations. These are when parts of your brain mistakenly act like they would if your senses (vision, hearing, touch, smell and taste) picked up on something actually happening. An example of a hallucination is hearing voices that aren't there (auditory hallucination).
  • Delusions. These are false beliefs that someone holds onto very strongly, even when others don't believe them or there's plenty of evidence that a belief isn't true. For example, people with delusions of control believe someone is controlling their thoughts or actions remotely.

So they are different things, but derealization is also a really frightening feeling and I'm sorry for your loss and what you are experiencing. I would not advise rash decisions while not clear-minded, but I know you must be in unfathomable pain.

When my derealization episodes are severe, I try to put myself outside with other people, or do tactical things that engage a different part of my brain. I do a lot of crossword puzzles, or puzzle games in general. Singing, reading, running, drawing/painting, binging a show to get focus elsewhere, going to a cafe, book shop, grocery store for a snack, are all things that could help shake it off. And sometimes, screaming and crying into a blanket or pillow as hard as I can until my body gets tired is the fastest way to get it out.

I also keep ice handy for these episodes (and for panic attacks) because sucking on the ice cubes stimulates the vagus nerve, which controls the parasympathetic nervous system to help bring down feelings of fight or flight.

I hope things can get easier for you.

Thank you DissociatedMess for these informations and explaining all of it!
Just getting the feeling I'd like to sleep for a trillion years…wouldn't have to wake up and be "me"…