[Guest_]

.

 

[brett88]

i'd definetely say some sort of chemical imbalance or maybe even brain damage. At least in my case, that is. My DR and DP wasnt triggered by stress, drugs, etc. It just hit me one day out of no where. Well, I had tried drugs in the past but was not under the influence when it hit. But anyways there is a PET scan that shows a major difference between a normal brain and a brain with DP. You can find it on one of the posts

 

[Guest_]

.

 

[bright23]

For me ? no desire to deal with life, the real world, on "it's own terms."

 

[Guest]

I think the brain can damage itself when you have a panic attack

 

[orangeaid]

I tottally agree with the post above me. I hear a lot of people complain that their dp/dr sets in after a panic attack that does not seem to go away for a while, or a series of attacks.

First off I think that the brain starts with a chemical imbalance. Once that sets in for a while i think that will initally affect a person. But I think there is a second phase. I believe that once youa re under this imbalance your mind and your thoughts create phobias, or anxiety over certain things.

I believe that I did have dr/dp from chemical imbalance, after a while though I think that my mind traps me in this state. I feel that my mind has come up with phobias of going places or doing things or basically what I am most worried about is expecting the feeling. I feel that my mind also sets my whole body alter and sometimes if I think about it I can relax myself, its like my body is always hyped up. I just think that the mind and thoughts plague you at some point. and in doing so i think it can further throw off balances in yoru brain while its under stress.

 

[fingertingle]

Defense
Brain damage.

 

[widescreened]

If you are clever or articulate enough,you can argue and justify anything.a highly skilled expert on freudian psychology will sell his/her idea very convincingly.5 minutes later,a neurologist,backed up with slides and case studies eill have you bought.a cognative could then come along and userp your oppinion once again.the problem is that all of them are diametrically opposed to each other.my point?im not even sure myself!!!

i believe its all chicken and egg stuff.syncronicity of experience,life events,brain development,personality type,society etc etc.a trancendency of experience and development.

the whell of karma maybe,or should that be in a different section?

 

[Guest]

Society, since this "disease" seems to be something relatively new and inherit to this age, perhaps in combination with individual chemical brain imbalance...
The amount of social interaction these days is way higher than it has ever been. I think it plays a part somehow.

In my personal case brain damage is impossible. I had a lot of tests that indicate there is nothing wrong with my brain or its activity. I can only speak for myself here.
Also, to say that panic attacks causes brain damage is folklore. Ask any neurologist. No offense.
In the long run however chemical imbalance cannot be favorable. Maybe indeed our brain does change over time because of this imbalance. I dunno.

 

[Martinelv]

I think the brain can damage itself when you have a panic attack

To quote a famous french politician, 'that is bollocks'.

If it were the case that you 'got' brain damage from a panic attack, then every person on this planet would have brain damage. It's a silly and scarey thing to say, because it implies that you can never recover, which you can.

The first thing they tell you when you go to councelling regarding Panic, it that it does you NO PHYSICAL HARM. What's the worst that could happen? OK, someone with an existing heart complaint might faint, or something like that...but that's it.

 

[Guest]

I was under prolonged stress, simply, then I suddenly experienced DR and have remained that way since that day, now, I come on here because I get very depressed when I think what if I am stuck this way, because in truth although I remain positive and get on with my life and smile where possible, I am VERY unhappy in this state of DR, and my brain feels positively tired, so it helps me very much to come on here and see people say "it is your brains natural defence when things get too much" "don't worry just focus outward and ignore the DR and it will fade over time" etc etc, now, when I come on here and read something like this thread, it fuels a mass feeling of deep depression, I am now going to go and be really upset and miserable, because I am now convinced I got stressed enough to cause brain damage and I am gonna feel like shit for the rest of my life so whats the point?

bye.

 

[kchendrix]

Hey,

Remember these are just opinions and you know what they say about opinions. You don't have to believe anyones opinion, you should only formulate your opinion based upon your experience with your Doctors and your Therapist. Just because someone says it here doesn't mean they are right or wrong, it is their opinion..

So Somebodyelse... don't get too upset.. The other day people were talking about if this was psychosis or not.... I got really scared, but then I remembered you know what who do I believe, What do I believe, everyones opinion,or what I know to be factual from my experiences and doctors and therapist... No need to get so down about it peoples opinions are just that, and I think that is all this thread is about ,, is what people think causes this. And if we did know the exact cause would it matter?

If you find the match that started the fire, the fire still has to be dealt with not the match.

So relax and don't get upset..
Peace
Kc

 

[Martinelv]

Somebodyelse, did you read what I said? Panic attacks do not cause permanent brain damage. 'Brain damage', with the implication of it being irreversable, is entirely different from having DR/DP. DR/DP is (for the vast majority) a symptom of emotional trauma/depression/anxiety. And this is treatable. I've recovered, thousands of people have recovered, so it's not brain damage. I've had about a zillion panic attacks, and apart from being a wanker, I'm fairly sure I haven't got brain damage. And even if I do, I don't care, because I haven't got DR/DP.

 

[g-funk]

Ask yourself this, if it is brain damage, how come thinking about it being brain damage can make it worse?

......

 

[kchendrix]

How's it going..... It took me this long , even though you have said it before, to have the light go off in my head that you are recovered.....Congratulations on that , I hope I can join the club one day soon. My major problem is I can't tolerate Any SSRI's at all , the one med that was working sent my Liver Functions sky high that they took me off. Now the only one I have seen that said they recovered without meds was Janine,, Do you know of anyone else? Do you attribute your recovery to meds?

KC

 

[Martinelv]

Hiya,

No, I don't really attribute my recovery to medication. The first time around I took no medication whatsoever, and recovered, slowly, in about a year. Second time around I recieved medication, but my DR still lasted for a year. I think it was 'easier' to cope with the second time around, because I discovered the occassional pleasures of Benzo's, but I really don't think SSRI's made the slightest bit of difference. I'm still taking them now, really, only because I'm terrified of going through withdrawal again, or becoming depressed. Silly really.

But honestly, there are thousands of people who have recovered from DR/DP. It's not a life sentence, please believe me. DR/DP is FAR more common than people think. It's only when it becomes chronic that people gravitate towards sites like this.

I don't think SSRI's, or any drug, is a cure for DR/DP. Far from it. I think that they can make it more bareable, in the case of Dreamer for instance, but a cure? Don't think so. Sure, I do recommend using them if they make your life livable, and give you time to get your head together, but I think that's defeating the object if you're really determined to get rid of this crap. HOW you do that....well, don't ask me....I really don't know.

 

[g-funk]

Drugs only help you cope. Janine did take meds but insists they only made her able to function, they didn't take away her DP/DR. I've heard of people get better on only meds/only therapy/both.

Everybody is different but if you are suffering on and off for years, I would suggest getting to the trigger. You don't need to know the trigger to stop it, but you do to not keep getting the experience out of nowhere

 

[Guest]

Ye sorry I know this is only opinion but when I am as lost as I am without any help at all, because doctors round here dont know what it is, I doubt they would prescribe meds even if I wanted any, which I dont yet, I had my first session with a counsellor a couple of days ago and she did not really have much of a clue what I was talking about and just gave me some breathing excercises to help me relax, this site is my one and only place for help with DR, so sorry for the over reaction but I come here and look for possitive help, I feel lost and I feel you guys know 10 times more about this than I do, all I know is one day there I was sitting at my PC and my head went funny at the exact same time I got really stressed and I have seen the same way since, detached, surreal, dream-like, thats it! thats all I have to go on! and a whole stack of physical tests that tell me I am physically OK.

I feel like I have been told "you can walk, you can talk, so be on your way! and stop moaning!"

I wish I could for 1 minute let the doctor look through my eyes.

 

[fingertingle]

I don't think brain damage is the cause of most dp/dr..
I think it's the cause of mine.

 

[Scattered]

The first thing they tell you when you go to councelling regarding Panic, it that it does you NO PHYSICAL HARM. What's the worst that could happen? OK, someone with an existing heart complaint might faint, or something like that...but that's it.

Panic attacks/prolonged periods of extreme anxiety release excessive amounts of cortisol into the brain. Short term effects of stress lead to increased functioning, faster reaction, detailed memories. Long term stress has the opposite effect on the brain and studies have shown that prolonged periods of anxiety/stress may actually shrink the hippocampus. Therefore, very long periods of anxiety can in fact cause brain damage.

Edit: As for the permanence of this damage I don't think researchers are entirely sure. Some damage is reversible up to a point, but I believe longer periods of damage cannot be reversed.