[Guest]

So I've been trying to follow Janine's advice and "turn away" from DP/DR etc. by reading, talking on the phone etc. when my crazy thoughts strike. However, today I was out (I forced myself to go out yet again) and I thought that I saw a dog far away but then realized that it wasn't a dog and that it was just a stationary object. Of course due to my intense anxiety I was thinking "oh no I'm officially hallucinating" so then I thought I saw weird things everywhere. I thought I saw a person far away but then realized it was just a big box when I approached it etc. Silly, I know.

But...

How do you turn away from that? How do you ignore something so odd when you're out, surrounded by people and engaged in a conversation? Do you just accept it?

 

[Guest]

So I've been trying to follow Janine's advice and "turn away" from DP/DR etc. by reading, talking on the phone etc. when my crazy thoughts strike. However, today I was out (I forced myself to go out yet again) and I thought that I saw a dog far away but then realized that it wasn't a dog and that it was just a stationary object. Of course due to my intense anxiety I was thinking "oh no I'm officially hallucinating" so then I thought I saw weird things everywhere. I thought I saw a person far away but then realized it was just a big box when I approached it etc. Silly, I know.

But...

How do you turn away from that? How do you ignore something so odd when you're out, surrounded by people and engaged in a conversation? Do you just accept it?

WHAT

(I'm high... where's soulbrutha)

It was the DOG. It twas cos you SAW THE STUPID DOG FIRST...
Love me LORD, someone love me... Ghostt...

You freaked after you saw the DOG thing...

After you saw the dog thing, you should have walked home. You over-analysed the fact that the dog thing was real/I'm nuts etc.
Uh... who CARES if it twas a dog or NOT, anyway... Are you like hyper-alert to your ENVIRONMENT when you're out and about.
:shock:

I WANT SOME CHOCOLATES, NOW.

 

[terri*]

Hi Tidal,

I continue to do that weird kind of "seeing" an object and then realising it is something else. I do exactly what you suggested as an option. Take the dog thing...Internal Dialogue:

Oh, there's a dog.

That's not a dog, it's a fire hydrant.

Looked like a dog to me. (shrug) Just another part of this Dr crap. (head shake)

And then I move on. No thinking of the why's and how's anymore. They really don't matter. They just keep you stuck and get that good old anxiety ball rolling. Yes, definitely move past it and proceed with a different thought pattern.

Driving used to flip me out because I feel like I'm driving from the backseat and everything looks so weird. Nothing is in balance. Now I take what is for what is, meaning this is the way I now see things but it is okay. I don't have to get myself all worked up and stop driving...which I did at one point.

The more power you give DP/DR the more of your life it will take from you. You can get it down to a tolerable level.

Hope this helped.
terri

 

[Guest]

Yep, the only thing to do that will work is to FORCE your attention onto something else.

You won't want to do that, however. You are convinced you need to "reassure" yourself that you are not delusional. You are positive you need to either:
look closer for visual reconfirmation, or
analyze precisely how the confusion came about, or
look at some other object to see if IT looks like something else, too, or
keep looking FOR a real dog to see if a real dog looks anything like the mistaken object, or
etc
etc
etc.

NONE of those things are going to help.

They are going to solidify your symptoms. They are making a huge deep hole for all your obsessions to reside in.

The ONLY acceptable thing to do is to say ONE sentence, like Terri suggested, i.e., "oh, this is just dp" or "oh, eyes play tricks" VERY VERY BRIEF...and then force your attention elsewhere.

And this is so important: You will FIGHT doing that. You will want to do ANYthing besides what I'm suggesting. You will be compelled to keep doing some kind of "Checking" or "verifying" that the delusion was not anything to fear, etc.

that's why they call it obsessive/compulsive, folks. Just because you're not checking the stove 100 times to be sure it's turned off, don't kid yourself that what you're doing is any different.

You are obsessed with the "delusionary moment" or "distortion" and you keep obsessing until you are COMPELLED to go through certain mental motions to reaffirm your own sanity for yourself.

Obsessive.
Compulsive.

The exact same thing as washing your hands a hundred times a day. And everytime you LET yourself wash them 100 times, you're setting the stage tomorrow to need to wash them 101.

Get it?

Peace,
Janine

 

[Guest]

As usual, thank you everybody=)

I just remember how about a year ago (when I didn't have DP/DR), my friend and I thought that we saw a mouse on the street so we both jumped ... but it was just a paper bag. Of course, we just laughed about it and kept on going about our business.

However, I have to realize that due to my anxiety a silly thing like that gains in significance and becomes a "problem" when it shouldn't.

Thanks=)

 

[Guest]

I had a very strange experience yesterday that was very similar to this situation but a little more severe.

This is what happened:

At around 8:30 in the morning the phone rang, and I thought to myself, who would be phoning at this time here (usually no one does). I looked at the number and saw that it was the same area code as my sister's cell phone (I didn't know my sister's actual cell phone number), so I thought, maybe it's my sister, but why would she be calling me now? I picked up the phone. At first, I thought it was a prank call or something, I thought I heard weird staticky voice sounds, but couldn't really make anything out. Then I heard the sound of a buzzer like when a car door opens and then the sound of a car door shutting. Then the whispering staticky sound starts again and I think that I hear a scared "help me." I listen on as my heart starts beating very fast and I start shaking. I hear it again, I hear the car door buzzer and the car door shut 2 more times. I am really freaked out by now, tears rolling down my eyes and shaking really badly. I rush downstairs to rev to have him listen. Anyhow, we ended up phoning 911. I was absolutely petrified, convinced I had heard someone say "help me," thinking the worst case scenario ever, thinking "why don't I know my sister's number?" I have never been more scared in my life.

It turned out to be someone who rev's parents worked with who had our number on speed dial and must have accidentally dialed it in his car. So, that made me a tad relieved, but what still is bothering me is the fact that I genuinely heard something that wasn't there. I heard a voice in the static. I don't think it was a hallucination but rather an auditory illusion (like hearing music or a certain song in the rustling of leaves) that was a product of what I thought the situation was (which was that someone might be in trouble).

It is so strange what the mind can conjure up.

 

[smog]

Oh..Thats quite a shivering story Sarah..Gives me the chills just reading about it

I dont know if this phonecall wake you up or something? I have on occations experienced audiory illutions when waking up. A fan suddenly sounds like the tv is on ect.. But your're probably right that we can hear pretty much what we listen for in a static, like when i'm listening to a catchy tune on the radio when driving into a tunnel and i'm able to faintly hear the chorus repeating over and over again from the car engine :lol:

 

[Guest]

Yet another comment:

When during this week I attempted to do what Janine advised and force myself to focus my attention on other things, I realized just how little attention I paid to anything other than anxiety/DP/DR over the past 3 months. It seems like my "symptoms" became my life, like I was scared to let them go. I used to go to museums a lot, to read obsessively, to see friends and I stopped all of that when I got DP/DR and just sat at home waiting for new symptoms, for explanations, for a cure.

I did freak out a little over the whole "I thought I saw something that wasn't there" episode but then I forced myself to read a book and almost forgot all about it.

I just wanted to point out that it's shocking to me how DP/DR/anxiety became the center of my life.

Janine, I feel as if your advice is brilliant. I forget how much worse my symptoms used to be weeks ago or how little hope I had.

Thanks again.

 

[shadowness]

Yet another comment:

When during this week I attempted to do what Janine advised and force myself to focus my attention on other things, I realized just how little attention I paid to anything other than anxiety/DP/DR over the past 3 months. It seems like my "symptoms" became my life, like I was scared to let them go. I used to go to museums a lot, to read obsessively, to see friends and I stopped all of that when I got DP/DR and just sat at home waiting for new symptoms, for explanations, for a cure.

I did freak out a little over the whole "I thought I saw something that wasn't there" episode but then I forced myself to read a book and almost forgot all about it.

I just wanted to point out that it's shocking to me how DP/DR/anxiety became the center of my life.

Janine, I feel as if your advice is brilliant. I forget how much worse my symptoms used to be weeks ago or how little hope I had.

Thanks again.

that is great that you are forgetting about it...

it is still something that i cannot seem to do...

suppose it is all the fear and obsessive thinking...i cannot seem to tear away from thinking about dp and dr....dp especially...

it will come to me...

i hope...

 

[Guest]

Shadowness,

You seem like such an intelligent person that I know you can do it!

FORCE yourself. I almost wanted to cry when on Friday night I was about to go out with a friend since I was imagining how I'd feel, whether I'll freak out or not etc. And you know what? The first hour was pure hell. I was afraid of everything etc. But then we got into an interesting conversation and I forgot all about DP/DR for the rest of the night.

Just FORCE yourself to do a couple of things that could distract you.
I believe you mentioned once that you are creative. Use your art to distract you, watch a movie, talk to people about something unrelated to DP/DR, read a book.

Don't let your mind slip into DP/DR and the condition will fade away.

 

[shadowness]

Shadowness,

You seem like such an intelligent person that I know you can do it!

FORCE yourself. I almost wanted to cry when on Friday night I was about to go out with a friend since I was imagining how I'd feel, whether I'll freak out or not etc. And you know what? The first hour was pure hell. I was afraid of everything etc. But then we got into an interesting conversation and I forgot all about DP/DR for the rest of the night.

Just FORCE yourself to do a couple of things that could distract you.
I believe you mentioned once that you are creative. Use your art to distract you, watch a movie, talk to people about something unrelated to DP/DR, read a book.

Don't let your mind slip into DP/DR and the condition will fade away.

oh i do know...i force myself every moment of everyday but i obviously am not forcing enough....

i am doing all i can when i can as much as i can, forcing as much as i can...

but still the dp/dr over powers...

i am trying as best i can...i honestly am...but still the days just drag by in dp/dr hell...

 

[Guest]

Well I'm in the same boat but I remember from reading Dr. Weekes' book that you're not supposed to watch and check if DP/DR is still there. A while ago I spoke to someone who experienced it as well and he said that he just told himself "well maybe this is the way I'll be for the rest of my life, so I might just as well start doing things that make me happy and live"... and he said DP/DR took a few weeks to leave but it did leave. He didn't even think about it. One day, he just thought to himself that it's been a while since he last felt it.

I think sometimes we (and I'm speaking mainly from my own experience) force ourselves to do things and look for solutions and say that we won't tune into this but we do by asking ourselves if we still have it or by comparing whether it's less or more intense.

It's tough but I think that we CAN get out of this hell.

 

[Guest]

They are going to solidify your symptoms. They are making a huge deep hole for all your obsessions to reside in.

Yeah... as I said. It was a STUPID DOG THING... Go over and KICK THE GODDAMN HYDRANT...

Damn those STATIONARY OBJECTS! Enough..ta..drive..Yoo..CRAZI

 

[Guest]

Then the whispering staticky sound starts again and I think that I hear a scared "help me."

ALRIGHT! I'm into THIS Goddammitt...
TELL ME MORE

Who cares if that wrong number person NEEDED help. Let them DIE. Next time... turn into Bette Davis AND START LAUGHING...
:|