Anxiety is the problem?

2790 Views 21 Replies 6 Participants Last post by Shelly, Mar 3, 2005

Depersonalized

Discussion Starter · Feb 11, 2005

The first time when I had this DP trip was when I smoked marijuana, gee that was the worst panic attack at the same time that I have ever had.

I could feel that my conciousness has left the body and death was awaiting for me somewhere nearby. It all seemed very true, although I still could think rationally, questioning myself - WTF is going on. Because of all those side effects I could never experience the real high from smoking marijuana, if such exists, maybe some people seem to enjoy these DP trips, but I don't. Last time I smoked pot was about 3-4 months ago and experienced pretty much the same thing again, except now I knew what it was and how to cope with it.

One website suggests that DP's primary cause is constant anxiety, if you cure it, DP will dissapear. I can see the link between those two, the more anxiety I get the stronger DP symptoms become over me.

I got prescribed to take Xanax. 0.25mg twice a day. I ve been taking it only for 2 days and feel some relief from anxiety.

Has anyone else here had a positive experience with XANAX to cure DP?

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jft

· #3 · Feb 11, 2005

Hey. It seems your questions and comments have differing answers, but mine is that if dp has a total relationship with anxiety, then xanax would have cured me years ago. Anxiety has a relationship with dp, but what it is someday I would like to know definitively. Is it causal? Does it only exacerbate? Did it do its part to casue dp/dr and when dp/dr was entrenched, anxiety is no longer needed to keep it going? Is anxiety only part of the equation? Inquiring minds want to know. Xanax calmed things down for me and took some of the edge off of dr/dp but never satisfactorily treated it for me so I got off it and use it now only when I am feeling real bad or anxious. Also a person does not have to "feel" anxious in order to be suffering from anxiety problems. Anxiety disorders exist without the typical anxiety symptoms.

Pot causes dissotiative states, that is part of what makes it fun for people. But I wonder if pot produces something more in some people, such as myself, that is unique only to us. I.e., my high on pot is of course different from everybody's, but because I am one that was predisposed to getting dp/dr (my backround and psych makeup) that what I experienced while high was dp/dr in its classic sense. The first couple years of smoking was fun for me, but the last couple only through me into introspection, hypervigalence, paranoia and etc.....it was always uncomfortable and somewhat familiar to what my dp/dr is like now.
Thos are jsut my thoughts. I bet pot and especially hallucinogens can cause dp/dr without any predispoition.

Good luck with what you do.
jft

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jft

· #9 · Feb 12, 2005

I hate to say it, but I found beer to be a friend when nothing else worked. I am fairly ignorant of neurochemistry, but I assumed that alcohol "worked" the same brain parts as benzoes. Beer does not necessarily cure the immediate symptoms for me, it seems to alter them to a manageable level.

I have not understood when folks say booze makes dp/dr worse. It jsut ain't the case with me. Hangovers yes.

I went five years without a drop and have at different times abstained for months jsut to see if it made things better. No change for me.

Problem with booze is that one gets dependent on it if used medicinally and you open up the floodgates for all kinds of secondary problems. And it is poison too. I know.
jft

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