Hey everybody. I haven't posted on the forums in a while, but I just wanted to say that it is 6 weeks out from the injury now and I am feeling a lot better. I just completed my first full week of work, and this did wonders for my self confidence. The only symptoms that persist for me now are dissociative symptoms. It's very difficult to describe, but I feel like I'm just not entirely connected to the world in the same way I was before. I think it is derealization/depersonalization, which could just be a result of underlying anxiety, but I am not certain. It comes and goes, but at times it can be terrifying and it messes with my memory too. Can anyone else relate to this? I am definitely concerned that this could be a permanent problem, but I am trying to trust the statistics and hope that it will go away with due time. Can anyone give me advice on coping with this problem? Also, have any of you struggled with this and seen that over time it subsided? Any comments are appreciated and I am thankful for this forum.

Relax, You are still VERY early in the recovery process. If you have done so well with the other symptoms, this symptoms will likely improve, IF YOU GIVE IT TIME.

Continue to get good rest. Minimize stress in your life. Eat healthy and avoid bad stuff like MSG and processed soy.

You have six weeks of anxiety to recover from. It will require that you change your thinking. No more worry, etc. Say to yourself, "I am getting better" anytime to want to get anxious.

My best to you.

i have that feeling that i'm not conected to the world.. i couldnt describe it earlier but now an thanks to you
i have so much difficulty finding the right words people look at me like as i am an idiot because it takes sooo long to tell simple sentence..
but i'm not sure you were talikng about this.. is it just that feeling like everything is just a dream from the moment u open your eyes till u go to sleep ? its just like you're not here for real...
and i cant get rid of this feeling that its all in my head because the injury wasnt so bad..

i'm happy for you and your succesful week, hope u'll just get better and better day after day
enjoy the weekend

I can definitely relate. I got depersonalization when I increased my activity level and starting interacting in social situations again. I genuinely felt like my life for the past 6 months had been a dream. I felt like I didn't have a soul and was observing myself from outside my body. Luckily this only lasted a week!

I also get a 'detached' feeling sometimes when I am having a conversation with someone for an hour or so. It usually happens when there is also some background noise, so I'm assuming the effort it takes to focus on the conversation is very taxing on my brain.

It's an awful feeling, but it certainly won't be there forever. Your brain still has healing to do. Just keep resting and doing the right things for your brain.. It will subside over time.

When I start feeling confident is usually a scary time for me because I tend to think I'm invincible and can handle ANYTHING. Just recognize that this is part of your concussion symptoms and your brain's way of telling you to slow down. If I would've been smart 6 weeks after my injury, I would've prevented 8 months of hell.

Just don't want anyone to make the same mistakes as me.. Good luck and hope you feel better!

I think I have emaild my family almost the exact as at least these last couple replies. Is there a word insted of dreaming like night maring? Lately I keep feeling like I am so close to it just being done and that I am ok and then when my brother walks in the room I just still can not talk. I think that is actually worse now then before. Or maybe i just can not remember if I have been able to talk to any one in long time but I think I could. That is one of the things that is hard because I am not sure what was real or what maybe I imagined or was dreaming?
But Friday I was feeling better I know I even ate dinner with my brother instead of in this bed room by my self.
But then yesterday I almost killde his dog. he was pulling a trailer out of his garage and I walked out with his dog and she just kept walking to the tire and I could not even get my self to say "come here" or to tell him to stop. i just kept looking at her and back and forth at my hand that was slapping on my leg wondering why it did not seem like it was making any noise like a nother slow motion night mare that I could not stop. the tire did run over her foot but she seems ok. I had to just get right back to this bed room I felt such a retard and needed to throw up.

I have to ad that I have only found this site a few days ago but some times I do not even think it is real. How can so many people just now have so many of the same things happening to them after a head injury but I feel like I have been telling the doctors and every one this stuff and it seems like they all just think I am crazy or lying and that a head injury just gos away in a few days or the pills should just fix it.

I've been this way too much of the time since my wreck April 2010. Interesting that since I'm on Google+ I'm connected to more people with PCS/TBI. I like that!

This is by far the most difficult thing to deal with. I have been to several doctors who have had this same reaction, and my parents think it's all in my head too (no pun intended).

Thanks Kelly50179, it's nice to hear that I'm not alone with this symptom. For me I wonder if it is caused by the excessive anxiety, or if it is actually a symptom related to the organic injury itself.

Thanks everybody for the responses, it is much appreciated.

For me personally, I am constantly comparing my perception of "consciousness" with what it was before my incident. I wonder if my constant over-analyzing is just causing me to think my reality feels different, when in reality it just feels different because I'm thinking about what it feels like? It's an interesting struggle for sure...I wish it were as easy to diagnose as a broken leg or something.

Also...has anybody else had mood swings? I have had some bouts of pretty bad depression here and there.

yeah i'm also over-analyzing, have to have tlk to myself to stop doing it mood swings.. ha, i'm angry for such small things.. i never used to be like that.. its all so annoying.. i feel like crying so many times but i still didnt..
i dont even think depression is uncomon, most of us spend time alone, by ourselves, give up some things, its different for everybody..
but that doesnt mean, that this experience is all just bad.. maybe just focusing on good things and good days would make such an difference..

but if your depression is bad you should talk to your doctor.. if not you can write here, many here understand you