Anyone else use DP to get on with life?

616 Views 2 Replies 1 Participant Last post by person3, Jul 29, 2005

Discussion Starter · Jul 29, 2005

Hi everyone, I am a 26 y. o. female and have had Menier's Diease since 10 years old and have somehow gotten over that but have now been diagnosed with BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo). Both diseases are of severe vertigo. I have been paralyzed to leave the house for over a year, with phobias of getting stuck outside dizzy with no one to help me. It is a horrible feeling having to have my husband do EVERYTHING "outdoors" for me. Because of this I cry all the time, I suffer from low self-esteem, have so much stress, and have had suicidal thoughts. I have developed DP a week ago and am wondering, is this my brain's way of saying "Thats it, I can't take it, Your on your own!" ? Whats amazing though is, I feel like this is a gift from God, which sounds absurd, but for over a year of being under "house arrest", I got so terrified and had so much hatred for this DP that I actually faced my fear and got in the car with my husband and went to buy fast food without the fear of being dizzy. Its amazing to go out again but it does suck doing it with the DP rushing through my mind. I just wish I could keep the intensity to get out in the world but not rely on my fear of DP terrorizing me to get out![/i]

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person3

· #2 · Jul 29, 2005

absolutely.

DP is a way of saying "hey, things have gone WAY wrong and are not coinciding with reality anymore."

Or as Janine says "too much reality trying to break through"

But yes, you HAVE to keep going out. If you are afraid it is your mind playing tricks on you, trying to convince you that you should stay inside. Your mind is doing that because it is not USED to you going out and about your day, therefore it sees it as dangerous.

So keep doing what you're doing. A lot of your seemingly crazy symptoms are anxiety based, and the best way to get rid of the anxiety is to do the things you fear most.

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person3

· #3 · Jul 29, 2005

let me also add that when you give in to anxiety and lock yourself in the house, you are giving in to a compulsion. Just like an alcoholic gives in to a compulsion to drink. That can't be healthy, can it? Compulsions are tools we use that we believe reduce anxiety. and yes initially they reduce anxiety but in the end they create much greater anxiety.

so if anything at all, remember that giving in to your fear is giving in to a compulsion; youve abused your "fear level" for now...you've become afraid of EVERYTHING instead of being selective (like, it's still ok to be afraid to walk down a dark alley at 3 AM! but your abuse of fear has gotten you to be afraid to go out in broad daylight! see what I mean?). And like an alcoholic must stop drinking if he wants to get better, you must stop giving in to fear.

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