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Derealization on bright sunny days PanicEnd Message Board
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174 posts Artmuzz 174 posts
Artmuzz
Ever since my worst panic attack last year, I get weird derealization symptoms when it's a bright sunny day especially if I am in my lounge with the bright sun shining through the window. Once the evening comes and it gets darker I feel fine but the sun makes everything seem unreal, hazy and as if I am in a dream. It's like daylight has an effect on me but once it's dark I feel normal again. This is bothering me as I love the sun and love going for long walks in the sun but this feeling freaks me out.
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jeff Moderator 4,066 posts
jeff
Can you discern whether or not you are testing for this reaction? It would occur in an instant and you might not recognize it. But you cannot deny that you are now apprehensive about the sunlight and this does result in your nervous system being on alert for any change physical or mental that occurs even an innocent self-test like, "I wonder if the sunlight will affect me today?" With this test thought your nervous system goes into fight/flight mode and your brain returns the DP sensation to show you exactly what you are afraid of so you can run away.
This is how a normal nervous reaction to a threat processes. But you now have this sensitization to sunlight and you want the "test" to return no reaction. You will have to practice accepting this initial fear reaction and subsequent DP sensation without delving into it or trying to figure it all out. DP is only a sensation from extreme worrying and the accompanying hormonal dysfunction. It cannot harm you or turn into something worse. But because you deemed it a threat your brain catalogued it to protect you. I know many DP sufferers who fought it for over 10 years. But the answer is to accept it and ignore it. This is how you desensitize.
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Artmuzz 174 posts
Artmuzz
Thanks for the reply. It's strange because when I got out for a walk at night and it is dark I feel normal and don't have the light headed, woozy and derealisation feeling I have during the day. I think what you say is right that I am testing to see if I will feel strange when it is a sunny day and my mind takes this in hence why I feel strange with derealisation in the day especially during sunlight.
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Sarah2glory 1 post
Sarah2glory
I've had this exact same thing! This is the first time I have ever come across someone who's experienced the same! So interesting! In my case I fainted once because of heat exhaustion and have had other heat stress times that maybe have made me think that the bright sun is a monster and that heat is an enemy. Any advice would be brilliant!
Sarah.
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Palomar49ers 42 posts
Palomar49ers
Sarah, Jeff explained it perfectly. When you feel a scary thought or sensation related to your fear, acknowledge it, but don’t follow the negative storyline that will likely play out as a result of the initial fearful thought and/or sensation. Essentially, acknowledge it (accept) then ignore what follows. Do this a hundred times an hour if you have to, but as the days progress, you will feel better. It happens MUCH quicker than you would expect if you follow the course 
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jeff Moderator 4,066 posts
jeff
Thanks for the advice Palomar49ers!
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Artmuzz 174 posts
Artmuzz
I am the original poster who posted this almost 4 years ago. It’s interesting that Sarah has the same symptoms I had with bright sunlight. I can report that I am a lot better now since following Jeff’s advise and I accepted the feeling. Another thing is it could be migraines that cause it as I suffer from migraines from time to time.
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