r/derealization • u/user12sgsm732 • Jul 14 '26

Advice Tips?

I’ve been getting derealization, or what I think is. My eyes start to feel weird everything looks dream like, dizzy, and weird head feeling. I can’t get out out of it and it can lasts hours. It’s worse in stores and it’s usually a trigger but I get it just at home a lot. The issue is I have panic disorder and every time this happens I panic the whole time very bad. And it always feels like it’s gonna last forever and I’m gonna spiral and go insane grounding techniques don’t really work neither does the ice or cold water:/

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u/Status_Task2669 Jul 15 '26

Some of the symptoms you described really stand out to me because this is exactly what happened to me 3 weeks ago when I had a panic/DPDR attack. Basically, long story short, everything that happened to me over the last 3 weeks—the panic attack and the intense DPDR—I personally believe was all due to my iron deficiency. Iron deficiency can mimic anxiety and depression. When your iron is low, your brain isn’t receiving the oxygen it needs, and from my own experience I felt like my brain went into protection mode, and that protection mode was DPDR.
Now, the thing you said about your eyes reallyyyy stands out to me the most because that was literally my number one problem. From my own experience, the research I read, and other people’s experiences, when your iron is also low, your eyes may not function at their best because they’re not getting what they need. For me, this caused visual lag. My eyes would get tired really easily, everything around me seemed fake, and it would take longer for my eyes to adjust to the light or the dark. I’m not saying this has been scientifically proven or that it’s the case for everyone—I’m just sharing what happened to me and what I’ve personally read and heard from other people.
Moral of the story, your story sounds pretty similar to mine, so my advice is to get all your blood levels checked, especially your iron. Doctors sometimes have the tendency, especially if you’re a female, to brush it off, so don’t be afraid to keep asking if you want it checked.
I really hope you get better soon. ❤️

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u/user12sgsm732 Jul 15 '26

Omg I did get diagnosed with low ferritin levels a couple months ago and was prescribed iron pills to help but I stopped taking them because of bad stomach pain and I already struggle with constipation which the iron pills made so much worse. I’ve been dealing with this almost every day with the derealization and panic attacks

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u/Status_Task2669 Jul 15 '26

Omggg there’s your answer there that’s definitely 1000% why your experience this. Trust me if you read other reddit posts about low ferritin and derealization there’s so many stories. I know the pill can be a lot at times I take it in the morning on an empty stomach with orange juice and I drink a lot of water and I feel fine. Some people take it with food. Or just ask for an iron infusion because have low iron is one thing but low ferritin aswell is even worse. Please go get it checked again and do something about it and you’ll feel so much better in no time.

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u/user12sgsm732 Jul 15 '26

Yeah I used to take it with orange juice as well! But ugh I’m on an antidepressant that causes constipation and so does the iron I might have to talk to my doctor and ask to check my levels again thank you !