[qbsbrown]

It's just ridiculous in stores. And even after. Can't speak, memory gone. Almost as if something was triggered. Wonder if it's neurological, or it's just because of our heightened sensitivity to the external, and our perceptual shifts.

I found out that one time i went in to a store while on my cell phone, and it worked, i did not even think about being in there. I know that sunglasses help me. But that's just covering up symptoms, whereas talking on phone is a distraction.

any helpful methods?

 

[Guest]

Hola,
I think you hit the nail on the proverbial head with the idea of "cell phone distraction" while shopping. You're on the right track. Here's an idea of how to turn a negative into a positive. Instead of trying to be distracted when you go shopping, take a written list of items you need and then go in completely FOCUSED on what you need, and where it is located in the store, then focus on getting the hell out of the store. This way your focusing on a task that you will complete, rather than a task that is problematic. It works for me and who knows, it might be worth a shot! Afterall, "attitude is everything".

I wish you well,

Tony

 

[Guest]

Hola,
I think you hit the nail on the proverbial head with the idea of "cell phone distraction" while shopping. You're on the right track. Here's an idea of how to turn a negative into a positive. Instead of trying to be distracted when you go shopping, take a written list of items you need and then go in completely FOCUSED on what you need, and where it is located in the store, then focus on getting the hell out of the store. This way your focusing on a task that you will complete, rather than a task that is problematic. It works for me and who knows, it might be worth a shot! Afterall, "attitude is everything".

I wish you well,

Tony

 

[Guest]

I know that what usually happens with my dp is that it will come on the split second I think about it...usually. In stores, especially department stores with the flourescents...it must be triggered by something in the environment because it happens almost before I know it is happening. And when the dp/dr strikes at these times, they are the most frightening for me (probably has something to do with loss of control of conscious experience). What I do? Nothing. Just let it pass. Think about something, anything at all. Act like everything is normal, like you EXPECT it will go away/decrease. Sometimes it goes away on it's own while I am still in the store but most times it is not until I leave.

It does, though, provide evidence for the theory that neurology/brain chemistry plays a large part in dp.

-S

 

[fingertingle]

Forcing concentration works for a second or two.. but I work in a drugstore, so I can't avoid it. I just deal with it. If you find out any soultion to this problem though.. let me know.

 

[David Kozin]

Blueblocker sunglasses will help eliminate some of the severity of the visual stimuli, and even any pair of sunglasses will do. Bringing a friend to shop, I am lucky to have someone close to me with visual problems as well, so we can even joke about the symptoms "WOW, did you see how that weird creature on the cereal box was creepy?" or how that row of perfectly placed cans just look weird, patterned, and geometrically illusioned?

Honestly, I have found the odd coping mechanism of humor for my constant visual distortions. However, these huge MEGAmarkets seem like the inside of a science fiction movie set. One drug free option: Try shopping at a local market, you can support your community and avoid the lights.

Generally, the overstimulation of lights are treated well with Blueblocker-type sunglasses. The advice I give for visual problems in general is:

Wear sunglasses as often as you need! It is drug-free! This may seem to be a silly idea, but wearing sunglasses outdoors (even if it isn't that sunny) will help lessen the impact of going from a bright environment to a dark environment when you go from outdoors to indoors. The reason is that when a person with visual perceptual problems like this go out in the sunlight, your brain tries to adapt to the large amount of visual stimuli it receives by lessening their impact. So, when you enter a darker room, the brain is still set to filter out lots of visual stimuli and it is difficult for you to see anything. Wearing sunglasses helps lessen the difference between the two environments.

Avoid taking stimulants before goigng to the store. This includes caffeine. Caffeine and other stimulants can aggravate your symptoms and even if not affecting your visual system, it will make you edgy.

If you do not have problems with obsessive compulsive behavior: Try adding your items together in your head while you walk (helps develop those cognitive behavioral neurons as well and help with mental focus) and reward yourself if you get the math right at check out by treating yourself to something extra.

Remember that you have this trigger, so try to come up with an emotional or cognitive technique that can work for you to combat this trigger from being set off. Perhaps playing a favorite song right before getting into the super market and then singing it in your head until you get past your trigger point. If you find that it does trigger again, but at least it triggers farther into the market - then you have made a success. Next time, see if you can go farther.

I think those should help!

Oh, to all of those who have e-mailed me: "I will get to them, tonight I had a special event to attend to."

Best,

David

- David

 

[peacedove]

Ok we all agree on the lights... but what about those fucking mirrors?! They're everywhere! Not at the grocery store, but the mall and clothing stores... I feel like I'm in a freakin' funhouse. Except it isn't fun. You know how many times I've nearly walked right into those things? They're everywhere you turn, it makes me dizzy and messes with my eyes bigtime. I think there's another aisle to look at, oops another mirror. Freaky. Maybe I'm just crazy.

 

[David Kozin]

On a neurobiological level, an enormous amount of light like this is overstimulating the visual cortex of your brain and this is a fact. Because the sensory and emotional sysems are connected (Example: Ever have a bad smell make you feel sick, a sound make you chill, and ever pay attention to how advertisements have the colors they do? You can check the research on colors and emotions (the advertising business has put their dollars into this topic, but it is obvious: Ever see a brown background for a toothpaste ad? No, it is white.), and off the top of my head I remember blue being the color that was tested to be most calming, so Rev is doing you a favor here).

Ok, that was a long tangent to get to my point: Overstimulation of one system can effect multiple systems and consequently overstimulate systems related to these DP symptoms. Exactly how this is mapped out? We do not know.

I think my best advice is to watch out for contrast. If you enter a bright supermarket after being in the dark, you have an initial stimulus load on your visual systems, whereas if you went from the sunlit outdoors to that same supermarket, your already light adapted neurons are not going to have such a shock in stimuli. Perhaps it is this shock[not taken literally] that could put some people over the edge with panic, etc. and cause problems.

Mirrors, let me think on that one. The best I can think are the cognitive behavioral techniques that have already been placed on this site.

best

- dk

 

[qbsbrown]

David, can these perception problems be fiexed, and/or go away? Or am i bound to wear sunglasses for the rest of my life.
I guees that is why you guys are conducting the study, to perhaps finally have some answers.

 

[Crumbles]

...so we can even joke about the symptoms "WOW, did you see how that weird creature on the cereal box was creepy?" or how that row of perfectly placed cans just look weird, patterned, and geometrically illusioned?

Funny, I never talked like that ever until after I took LSD! Are you trying to tell us something!

I point out stuff like that all the time now to my wife. And Heaven help me if someone old is doing something weird. Like yelling, or just looking creepy. I have a hard time looking at them. Then I think to myself (you're going to be old before you know it too...) then I start to feel sad... Ah yes, life...

Good news is, it's only a lifetime! Which reminds me of another Pink Floyd song... How long ago they knew about this crap. If I had only listened instead of thinking the music was great...

I have always been here
I have always looked out from behind the eyes
It feels like more than a lifetime
Sometimes I get tired of the waiting
Sometimes I get tired of being in here
Is this the way it has always been?
Could it ever have been different?
Do you ever get tired of the waiting?
Do you ever get tired of being in there?
Don't worry, nobody lives forever,
Nobody lives forever
I will always be in here
I will always look out from behind these eyes
It's only a lifetime