Anyone else experience intense déjà vu?

I have been wrestling with this particular issue for about a year now. I finally decided to reach out here in the hope that someone might have some insight. For the most part, my life was quite standard—aside from managing some OCD, which had actually stabilized—until a specific moment back in 2016 when I experienced an incredibly intense bout of déjà vu.
Initially, I didn't think much of it, but I quickly realized that since that moment, I’ve been living with a constant sense of déjà vu (though not in the traditional sense of the word; let me clarify). For various events—say, a conversation with a colleague, grabbing drinks with friends, or even listening to a new track—it feels as though they have already transpired. This sensation usually doesn't hit me in the heat of the moment; instead, it tends to surface shortly after the event concludes—perhaps 30 minutes later—though it can happen sooner, especially if I find myself ruminating on what just happened. Suddenly, I am struck by a feeling "Wait a second! This has all happened before! I distinctly remember experiencing all of this!" At times, the sensation is negligible, but occasionally I am hit with such a powerful feeling that I "remember"—and I use quotes there for a reason—exactly how I felt during a specific occurrence.
It isn't a universal experience for every minor detail of life; routine tasks don't trigger it. It seems reserved for more distinct moments. For instance, I might see a new music video on YouTube and initially feel genuine excitement, only to suddenly "realize" that the entire experience is familiar and that I vividly recall the song [which, logically, is impossible].
There was a brief window where this sensation largely subsided, but it has recently resurfaced. If anyone has encountered something similar or can offer any guidance, I would be deeply grateful. Lately, this preoccupation has become overwhelming, slowly eroding the quality of my daily life. 🙏

How much sleep are you actually getting?

Dealing with stress?

Are we talking about pure focus issues, or more of that feeling where you're trying to juggle ten different things at once and nothing is sticking?

To start with, I'd suggest an EEG, maybe even one after a night of pulling an all-nighter just to see how it reacts. It’s totally non-invasive, doesn't hurt at all, and you can find a clinic for it pretty much anywhere in the States.

Same here, except my focus is totally shot. My brain won't shut up, it's constant—it gets unbearable, and sometimes I feel like people are lowkey whispering about me behind my back.

velvetmoose9 said:How much sleep are you getting?

Stress?

Is it a matter of focus, or perhaps a case of trying to juggle too many responsibilities at once?

Lately, my schedule has been quite demanding during the week, leaving me with very little rest—usually no more than five or six hours a night. I also tend toward perfectionism; I have a habit of pouring an excessive amount of effort and time into even the most mundane tasks, which inevitably leads to increased stress levels. Sleep itself has become a struggle, as I often find myself lying awake for hours. Not too long ago, I went an entire night without any sleep at all, which left me feeling somewhat detached from reality the following morning. I apologize if I am drifting slightly off-topic here. 😕

Maybe try hitting up your doctor and seeing if they'll prescribe something to help you sleep through the night. Another thing—you could try getting some kind of exercise in later in the evening... I’ve had people tell me that once they actually tire themselves out with a run or something similar, they just crash.

If you end up trying any of that, maybe that whole déjà vu sensation will stop happening... I'm guessing it's all just being driven by how much sleep you're lacking.

Sent from my iPhone via Reddit

Matthew Thompson25 said:Lately, life’s just been hitting me with one thing after another during the week, so I’ve been getting pretty little sleep—maybe five or six hours at most. The thing is, I’m kind of a perfectionist, which is probably my own fault; I tend to pour way too much energy and time into even the smallest tasks, and it just ends up being a massive stressor. My sleep schedule is also a mess; sometimes I’ll just lie there staring at the ceiling for hours. Not too long ago, I actually pulled a total all-nighter, and by the time morning rolled around, I felt completely detached from reality, like I was moving through a dream. Sorry if I'm drifting a bit off-topic here. 😕

Don't worry about it being off-topic; honestly, what you're feeling is pretty much par for the course.

It’s all pretty much laid out there in what you said.

Maybe try dialing back the pace a little.

Get your priorities straight.

Start operating under the mindset that you come first.

You really need to bake this into your core values: you can only tackle your responsibilities effectively when you're:

1. rested
2. fed
3. hydrated (the opposite of thirsty, obviously 😬)
4. actually enjoying some small wins in life 😈

Otherwise, you're just fast-tracking yourself toward burnout.

We're talking anxiety and depression mixed with anhedonia, sleep disorders, somatic symptoms—like heart palpitations, night sweats, dizziness, shortness of breath, that stabbing sensation in your chest... and if it gets bad enough, you start looking at serious endocrine issues, high cholesterol, sexual dysfunction...

etc.

If you can swing it, go see a decent therapist. It might help to work through things and build a mental framework that lets you actually function in this cutthroat world we live in today.

Anyway, I’ll try to get my "crew" out of the house so they can catch some extra sleep, if I can manage it, and then we can figure out which day works best to get together.

Honestly, sometimes just getting a little peace and quiet is all you need to make things work. 😉