Is Feeling Detached Since Childhood Normal?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around experiences of feeling detached or having episodes of déjà vu, particularly following concussions. Participants share personal accounts of their symptoms and seek advice on whether these feelings are normal and what steps to take next. The conversation touches on psychological and neurological aspects, as well as the impact of medical consultations.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant describes feeling detached from life, likening it to watching a movie, which has recurred since childhood and intensified after a concussion.
  • Another suggests researching dissociative disorders as a potential match for the symptoms described.
  • A participant expresses skepticism about the effectiveness of professional help, feeling that doctors may not take their symptoms seriously.
  • Concerns are raised about the long-term effects of multiple concussions, with a reference to a study linking concussions to increased risk of major depression.
  • One participant shares a detailed account of experiencing intense déjà vu episodes, accompanied by physical symptoms, and expresses frustration over not being taken seriously by their doctor.
  • Another participant notes similarities in their experiences following cluster headaches and mentions that their doctor has observed similar cases in others.
  • There are suggestions to seek specialist help, particularly from neurologists, to better understand the symptoms and their potential causes.
  • Some participants question the adequacy of medical consultations and encourage seeking second opinions if initial assessments are unsatisfactory.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the need for further medical evaluation, particularly from specialists, but there is no consensus on the nature of the symptoms or their underlying causes. Multiple competing views on the significance of the symptoms and the effectiveness of medical advice remain present.

Contextual Notes

Participants express uncertainty about the relationship between their symptoms and past concussions, as well as the adequacy of their medical care. There are indications of varying interpretations of symptoms and their implications, reflecting a lack of clear understanding in the medical community.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals experiencing similar feelings of detachment or déjà vu, particularly following head injuries, as well as those seeking to understand the psychological and neurological implications of such experiences.

theloraxtsc
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can someone help me?

im not sure if anyone has ever heard of this but

it feels like I am detached kinda
like I am watching life as a movie
its very strange
a little freaky
been happening since i was 13 but almost went away entirely till i had a concussion. now its back.
anyone ever heard of this??
thanks.
 
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Last edited by a moderator:
no. I've thought about it. but i don't think there's anything they can do
 
the hospital doctor brushed it off like it was no big deal."its normal to feel strange after a concussion."
 
A recent study indicated that people who suffer 3 concussions are 3 times more likely to suffer from major depression at some point in their lives.

In general, brain damage brings out the more negative side of humanity. Fortunately, our brains can heal themselves to a certain degree. Your symptoms may well dissipate with time.
 
See a doctor!

The symptoms which you described suggest damage to your cerebellum, or rather the coordination centre of your brain (I'm no expert at neurological disorders, so don't go by me). The best thing to do would be to see a neurologist, or just go to your local medical practice.
 
Hey, i feel the almost that way. I am depressed for almost 2 days after i get an attack of cluster headache. I have told my doc this and he said that he has observed this in others too.
I feel like everything, everyperson i am seeing is new, when in fact they are very familiar.
 
Hi, I am hoping some one can help me?

It all started when i was about 13 years old, when i was out hanging around as you do and fell so hard backwards on to concrete that as i had hit the floor so fast i received what felt like a bolt of electricity up my spine and into the back of my head. The day after i started getting what i can only explain its as deja vu.. It started happening upto 10 times a day and the symptoms explained as good as possible were, a sudden race in my heartbeats, pale white face almost green, an overwhelming feeling of nausea whilst water sprays are starting up in my mouth to make me feel sick, at the same time it makes me feel like i need to go the loo for both :o( all whilst my mind is feeling like i have been here before, however i have had simple deja vu which lasts seconds before so i know it feels different to what i get now. I can be sat watching tv and all of a sudden everything around me starts blurring a little but i can still talk but slower than usual. I become very hot in tempreture and feel like i could vomit and go to the loo for both all in one go, this episode can last approx 5 to 7 mins leaving me feeling very disturbed yet giddy at the same time. I hate it yet i find my self on the deja vu days trying to look at things to set it off again. It is very hard to explain as i can understand it sounds so strange. I am not a believer in ghosts,supernatutral nor do i drink or take drugs ever which leads me to believe it has to be something to do with the accident where i banged my head hard from the back. I have spoke to my doctor about this and he slightly overlooked and ignored my ongoing explanation , whilst writing a perscription for anti depressants. I do not suffer depression so i know that this isn't the case and i explained this also to my doctor but he would not listen, infact he looked at me as if i was off my head and infact om quite the oppsite in that i am more sain than some i know. I had about 2 years of the deja vu's before my little boy was born, i seemed to get some peace from these episodes for about a year and then they came back as normal and i get them for one day sometimes overlapps to the next day depending when it started in the first day. They are usualy a week before my period leaving me to wonder if it is just a hormonal imbalance, however I have not found anyone to talk to with the same problem nor have i had an explanation from my doctor.
I can wake up during the night with the deja vu episodes also, they are strong feelings which after a few a day i start feeling like my brain is fried with all the acctivity and then i develop my headache. On these days when i am having the episodes, my stomach feels a little tender and my appettite is completely gone. If i force something to eat and the deja vu comes over me, the food in my mouth has no taste and my reflects want it out!
I sometimes can be sitting talking to my mam or friends and feel like I've done it before exact to what is happening there and then and i have also saw what's going to happen next on tv or out and about and 9 out of 10 it does and when I am right it makes me feel even more sick and i talk to myslef in my head saying "no not again" i don't believe in anything special other than chemicals playing games.. but clever ones as i can be spot on with what's coming next. Sometimes what i feel whilst having the deja vu is that i have done all these things in my dreams,and then it brings back memories of people i met in my dreams but that can't be right because they are on tv talking as I am having the episodes.. very odd? I would really appreciate any info or for some one to shed some light and tell me I am not a mad women.
 
How many doctors have you seen so far? Are they supposed to be experts in their field?
I don't have a clue about brain sciences n all, but it seems to me your brain goes into some kind of loop when it encounters something vaguely similar that might have occurred in the past. Could certainly be something to do with the spinal injury. Have you consulted a neurologist regarding the accident?
You do seem desperate and depressed, as might be expected having dealt with this condition for such a long period. However all the anxiety and stress could well aggravate the situation.

My advice to you would be to get specialist aid as soon as possible.
 
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  • #10
If you have only seen one doctor in all these years, it's time to seek a second opinion, possibly get a referral to a neurologist.
 

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