psyche
Derealization
Adverse effectDerealization is classified as an adverse effect involving the psyche. This reference treats it as an unwanted outcome rather than a benefit or intended result.
A focused look at Derealization and its place among psyche-related effects.
These are research findings, not promises. Most options have little evidence, and results differ from person to person.
What can cause it
How likely each one is to cause it, most likely first.
MeditationpracticeUnclear
Based on 2 studies.
Pharmacology references note that prolonged or intense meditation may bring feelings of unreality or detachment from surroundings, especially in susceptible individuals. This effect was mentioned in 2 of 322 Reddit reports discussing it.
Open the Meditation pageFocused Attention Meditationpracticesimple.meter.userReports
Based on 2 studies.
Open the Focused Attention Meditation pageMindfulness Meditationpracticesimple.meter.userReports
Based on 2 studies.
Open the Mindfulness Meditation pageBinaural Beatspracticesimple.meter.userReports
Based on one study.
Open the Binaural Beats pageBreathworkpracticesimple.meter.userReports
Based on one study.
Open the Breathwork pageTranscendental Meditationpracticesimple.meter.userReports
Based on one study.
Open the Transcendental Meditation pageYoga Nidrapracticesimple.meter.userReports
Based on one study.
Open the Yoga Nidra page
The expert view shows every study, dose protocol and source.
What can cause it
Interventions reported to bring this on7 listedHighest probability
- →PracticesMeditationCertaintyLowSourceReference knowledge2 other sources
Pharmacology references note that prolonged or intense meditation may bring feelings of unreality or detachment from surroundings, especially in susceptible individuals. This effect was mentioned in 2 of 322 Reddit reports discussing it.
Open MeditationStudy result
Prolonged or intense meditation may induce feelings of unreality or detachment from surroundings, especially in susceptible individuals.
- →PracticesFocused Attention MeditationCertaintyLowSourceAnecdotal2 other sources
Some individuals report transient feelings of unreality or detachment, particularly during intensive retreats.
- →PracticesMindfulness MeditationCertaintyLowSourceAnecdotal2 other sources
Some practitioners, especially during intensive practice, report feelings of unreality or detachment from surroundings.
- →PracticesBinaural BeatsCertaintyLowSourceAnecdotal1 other source
This effect was mentioned in 2 of 313 Reddit reports discussing it.
- →PracticesBreathworkCertaintyLowSourceAnecdotal1 other source
Prolonged hyperventilation-style sessions can produce transient dissociative feelings such as unreality or detachment, usually resolving after the session.
- →PracticesTranscendental MeditationCertaintyLowSourceAnecdotal1 other source
Similar to depersonalization, a sense that the external world is unreal or dreamlike can occur in susceptible individuals during intensive meditation practice.
- →PracticesYoga NidraCertaintyLowSourceAnecdotal1 other source
This effect was mentioned in 4 of 298 Reddit reports discussing it.
How to read the evidence
Evidence tier — overall strength of the evidence for the whole compound
- StrongWell established — backed by strong, consistent human research.
- ModerateSome genuine support, but mostly from small or lower-quality studies. Promising, not proven.
- PreliminaryEarly-stage evidence — a promising hypothesis, not an established effect yet.
- LimitedVery limited evidence — treat this as a hypothesis, not proof.
- InsufficientNot enough good evidence to draw conclusions yet.
Certainty — how sure we can be that the effect is real
- Very highVery sure — strong, consistent evidence
- HighFairly sure — consistent evidence from good studies
- MediumModerately sure — new studies could change this
- LowNot sure — little or mixed evidence
- Very lowVery unsure — almost no usable evidence
Source — where the data comes from
- Meta-analysisPooled analysis of many trials — the strongest evidence
- RCTRandomized controlled trial — a strong human study design
- ClinicalA human clinical study
- Reference knowledgeFrom general health-science or pharmacology references, not a study of this exact claim
- Animal researchStudied in animals, not humans
- Community reportsAggregated user reports — anecdotal signal, not evidence
- TheoreticalMechanism-based reasoning, not yet tested
Study grade — quality of each underlying study (A best, D weakest)
- AHigh-quality — strong, consistent human trials
- BGood — solid evidence with some limitations
- CModerate — limited, small, or mixed-quality studies
- DWeak — preliminary, indirect, or animal-only
Confidence — how strongly the sources back a finding
A 0–100 score from study quality and agreement
Most supplement evidence is graded C–D. Read it as preliminary signal, not proof.
Full write-up
What is it
Derealization is classified as an adverse effect involving the psyche. This reference treats it as an unwanted outcome rather than a benefit or intended result. The available description does not define its subjective features further.
How interventions help
There is no grounded basis here for describing any listed intervention as improving derealization. Instead, the available information consists of anecdotal reports associating several supplements and Meditation with derealization experiences. These reports do not establish that the interventions cause the experience, nor do they show that any intervention treats or reduces it.
No dose, duration, onset, treatment schedule, or persistence after stopping is provided for these associations. The reports also do not identify a defined group of people who might benefit, or establish whether effects differ with occasional versus continuous use. Meditation-related experiences are described as sometimes occurring during or after intensive practice and as usually transient, although they may persist in vulnerable individuals; this should not be interpreted as evidence that Meditation is a treatment for derealization.
Choosing guidance
These options cannot be meaningfully ranked for derealization risk from the information shown. The evidence is anecdotal, and the reports do not establish that any option caused the experience. They also do not show whether the effect depended on a particular amount, frequency, duration of use, or individual health status.
There is no reliable basis here for choosing one option as safer, faster-acting, or better suited to a particular person. The records do not provide controlled human comparisons, so differences between options may reflect the small number and source of reports rather than genuine differences in risk.
Meditation requires a somewhat different interpretation: derealization experiences have been reported during or after intensive practice, and these are usually described as transient but may persist in vulnerable individuals. That observation does not establish how much practice produces the effect or who is most susceptible.
For someone specifically concerned about derealization, the most relevant distinction is the uncertainty itself. None of the listed options has evidence here that can identify a dependable amount, time course, or personal suitability, so any choice would need to account for individual context rather than relying on the listed reports alone.