[Guest]

I dont get DR only moderate DP, but i found this statement really comforting and ive rehearsed it off by heart;

"What is depersonalization?
Depersonalization is a change in an individuals self-awareness, during anxiety disorder, such that they feel detached from their own experiences, with the self, the body and mind seeming alien or distant.

Although incredibly disturbing to experience depersonalization is quite harmless, it just feels dreadful. It is caused by a shift of perception in the part of the brain that provides us with awareness of our environment an disappears after anxiety levels have been reduced back down to a 'normal' level. Anxiety disorder is the primary cause of these symptoms"

Hope this may help others too :wink:

 

[Guest]

If only it felt as harmless... :?

 

[Guest]

Hi there,
I wish I could completely agree with this. I do believe that anxiety plays a huge role in DP, however, what about the ppl that I have seen on this board that has had it for 10 YEARS or longer? Is it that their anxiety persists? Or do they need to just change their lifestyle? I know for myself, I've only had it for 2 and a half years, and even when the anxiety levels are low, I still get pretty "spaced out". What to do?

I wish you well,

Tony

 

[Guest]

What to do?

Please tell...

 

[Guest]

Theres 3 main causes of DP; Severe anxiety, brain injury, drug abuse. I can only speak about my DP from an anxiety point of view.

Addres and try to eliminate the anxiety and DP WILL follow (if anxiety is the main cause)

Toni; the people you talk about who had DP for 10 years without any anxiety? my guess is that when their DP first started they probably became really tuned into themselves, analysing every thought, emotion or bodily sensation. DP is frightening as hell as its natural to be sensitive, i am. But its so easy to maintain a ritualistic thinking pattern which will prolong the DP so you will never know if you have a DP problem or if its you playing with your own head. As my psychologist told me, its relatively easy to creat a self-induced DP state. The key is to keep busy busy busy, this helps my DP a lot.

Again, im only speking about anxiety related DP, and not DP resulting from drug abuse or injury. Thats a whole heapa different fish

 

[Guest_]

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[Martinelv]

My doc claims that my chemical balance has been conditioned that way. Up until this point, my chemicals were comfortable and copable. Then, after some drugs and a huge panic, my chemical balance went a little crazy, and now my chemical balance makes too much cortisol, the stress hormone, and too much serotonin

This makes perfect sense to me. I've always been puzzled as to why non-drug DP can persist in people who seemingly have 'dealt with' their initial trigger, and no longer have any anxiety specifically related to that trigger. My only guess is that it's some kind of learned behaviour, not controlled by the conscious mind. Why, or how, certain people get 'stuck' in the DP/OCD cycle remains a mystery. I still don't believe that it's a permanent state of mind though, for anyone, regardless of how long they've had it. I just can't believe that brain chemistry and patterns of thought cannot be returned to something like normal.

 

[Guest_]

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[Monkeydust]

I agree with Poonany. Chemicals and thoughts are interconnected, in my view. Different thoughts, feelings, and activities use different parts of the brain. Any long-term changes in your thinking in this area are liable to cause some kind of physical change. But this works both ways. It can be the slippery slope to suffering, or the key to recovery. In nearly all cases it should be fully reversible. It was with me.

 

[Martinelv]

Yes, absolutely. People need to be reminded of this; that their condition is not (in the vast majority of people) permanent. And even if they are cursed with it for a long period of time, they can still recover a decent quality of life. I may be an emotional retard with all the common-sense of a lettuce leaf, but (thank the lord), I am completely DR/DP free, and have been for years. And if I can manage it, after frying my brain in a vat of drugs, then everyone else can. And will.

Sorry to sound so upbeat. I don't know what's the matter with me.

 

[jc]

my dp is pure anxiety driven but every now and again i go out and get drunk and i know it is going to make me feel like death but i still do it....im sure if i stayed clean for a year i could beat this,but the thought of staying in for a year just terrifies me,or even joinning some club that doesnt involve a good booze up

 

[Martinelv]

my dp is pure anxiety driven but every now and again i go out and get drunk and i know it is going to make me feel like death but i still do it

There's nothing wrong with that JC. I mean, you still have to have a life. Defeating DR/DP doesn't mean you have to live like a saint. Yes - we all know that boozing isn't good for your mental health, but neither is sitting indoors doing fuck all. There's no point telling someone that they have to take up xyz hobbies or to change their complete lifestyle to beat DR/DP, because it's not going to happen. The solution to this is very simple. Understand and manage the trigger, be it anxiety or whatever, and the rest will follow.

On the contrary, I'll be fucked if DR/DP is going to stop me doing what I want to do. Sure, everything in moderation, but by allowing yourself to be ruled by this illness is a shocking waste of life. And it is when DR/DP begins to rule your life, to dictate what you can and cannot do, that we are at our most miserable and feel the most hopeless.

 

[Kelson12]

my dp is pure anxiety driven but every now and again i go out and get drunk and i know it is going to make me feel like death but i still do it

There's nothing wrong with that JC. I mean, you still have to have a life. Defeating DR/DP doesn't mean you have to live like a saint. Yes - we all know that boozing isn't good for your mental health, but neither is sitting indoors doing flower all. There's no point telling someone that they have to take up xyz hobbies or to change their complete lifestyle to beat DR/DP, because it's not going to happen. The solution to this is very simple. Understand and manage the trigger, be it anxiety or whatever, and the rest will follow.

On the contrary, I'll be flower if DR/DP is going to stop me doing what I want to do. Sure, everything in moderation, but by allowing yourself to be ruled by this illness is a shocking waste of life. And it is when DR/DP begins to rule your life, to dictate what you can and cannot do, that we are at our most miserable and feel the most hopeless.

Buuuuuuut, if it has been proven that alcohol is one of the leading depressants, then why do we still think we can drink it and not expect it to affect us? I to am guilty of still drinking some, but I really do wish I could become 100% clean. Because honestly, it's not making the situation better. If someone had a broken foot and hated the pain and were told if they drank alcohol it's going to make the pain 10x worse, more than likely they won't want to drink. Why we can't think like this with our disorder(s) is beyond me.

 

[jc]

this is the hard part for me im afraid,during the week im constantly washing,cleaning,decorating etc.....and i feel pretty damn good so i treat myself to a night out but the day after i feel like crap....and its very difficult for a single man to stay in and watch tv especially on a weekend,and i suppose im to blame for most of the guilt i feel for having a good night out...i kinnda beat myself up about it