[Skynet]

Derealization is the main symptom of my Anxiety. It's truly debilitating. I've had this problem for almost 18 years non-stop. I know that it can be overcome because it happened to me one time as a teenager and I overcame it. I stared at one object in my room for 45 minutes straight. I did this to intentionally try to concentrate on something else besides my Anxiety. It actually worked. I calmed right down to a normal state of mind. The Derealization and Dizziness went away in an instant as if someone flicked a switch.

I've tried it since but have not had the patience to do it for as long. I also feel in the back of my mind that it would not work twice. But in all reality I may be wrong. If it worked once... then I should be trying non-stop to get it to work again. Maybe I've just got so used to the feeling that I have given up on it ever going away. I realize that's not the attitude to have though. I think I'm going to keep trying.

The trick is to focus on something else besides yourself. When focusing inward our anxiety gets worse. But focusing outward on something else will help.

Good Luck to us all. I know first hand that we CAN get better... INSTANTLY!

John

 

[Guest]

18 years eh...shit. Yeah, i stare are my computer screen for 5 or so hours a day and it helps a bit. I like to consider it an escape from my reality...and my reality is crap. I think we have to confront derealization head-on.

 

[rob]

which object did you stare at?

rob

 

[Skynet]

I had a Bumper sticker in my room. That's the object I stared at for 45 minutes to make my DP go away. I don't even think it matters what the object is as long as it's something to take your mind off the anxiety for an extended period of time.

I've learned that doing this is very different then just looking at something as a distraction. I can watch TV or spend hours on the computer and it doesn't make the DP go away.

You have to do my little "Stare Trick" in a quiet house with no distractions. The morning I did it was nice and relaxing. Nobody was home. I had a window open on a Beautiful warm day. I may have heard some birds but that's about it. Nothing stressful. That's the Key. Then I just stared at this Bumper Sticker. Then I walked into the kitchen and BAMN! Everything was back to normal. I actually said out loud...."WOH.... I'M NOT DIZZY ANYMORE! This was after a four month bout of DP.

So something about concentrating on one solid object for so long got my brain to relax to a normal resting point.

John

 

[nemesis]

I think what you were actually doing was meditating.

 

[Skynet]

Well I've had no training in how to meditate and I never looked at doing that as meditation. However perhaps you are right. Maybe I was doing a form of meditation without even realizing it.

Damn.... then we all should be learning how to meditate then. It may actually cure most of us.

John

 

[person3]

I will warn you all about meditation.

It very much varies, and none so delicate a topic it is as on this site. Seriously. Kind of like breathing excercises help most non-dp'd people, but some of us cannot benefit from breathing excercises because a) they focus on the body (as Janine once pointed out, when she told me why she didn't prefer them) and b) many of our anxieties are rooted in the unconscious from early childhood situations and cannot be fixed by breathing in any sort of way (not even by the stopping of breathing...because once you pass out from it you breathe again! J/K)

Well, with meditation, one person with milder anxieties can find a lot of relaxation in it, but maybe another person is already so involved with self-monitoring that meditation would induce anxiety (yes it involves a certain kind of outward focus, but for some people it's not necessarily the right kind of distraction.) Some people have acquired DP through meditation because of anxiety problems they had earlier on in their lives.

So...it is a nice post you made here, and it does help, but I urge everybody to talk to one of the recovered people/"experts" on this site before doing such a thing. In other words--- flood Janine's mailbox with useless meditation questions! she'll love it...seriously...she's all new age like that

 

[Guest]

you stared at something for 45 minutes and your DR/DP went away?

Am I the only person who finds this absolutely HILARIOUS?

 

[dreamcatcher]

i stare at this screen for about 45 mins a day if not more.....why the hell have i still got dp??????? :?:

i wish mine would go away by doing that......but i suppose different things work for different people

 

[Skynet]

you stared at something for 45 minutes and your DR/DP went away?

Am I the only person who finds this absolutely HILARIOUS?

I don't care how hilarious you find it. It's the truth. Perhaps the fact that you have such a closed mind is one of the reasons you are stuck in DP hell.

I just find it funny that someone comes here with a true story that could help people and you shoot it down like it doesn't matter. I have no reason to lie. I'm not selling anything. I'm telling you what happened.

I may be hilarious to you... but you are looking SAD to me. Speak up Son and tell me what's so funny?

John

 

[Chris]

Simmer down kids

 

[Phill]

Gee, what a thread!

 

[enngirl5]

skynet, pay no attention to the threads critisizing you. I can completely understand how what you did made your dp go away for a little while. You'll learn soon enough on this board there there are a few select people that its best just to ignore. Feel free to continue to add your input. The majority of us really appreciate reading about everyones experiences and tips on how they deal with the dp and anxiety.

 

[Skynet]

Trust me. I'm not going anywhere based on that exchange. I have sympathy for the mentally disadvantaged. So I hope that person sticks around and learns a thing or two.

John

 

[JasonFar]

Give me a break. No offense, but there is something called skepticsm -- SkyNet's post is about as humorous as seeing a seal getting clubbed -- and, let me tell you, that's hilarious!

No, but really, I'm not taking sides, but c'mon... As for "DP" as a particular symptom, I suppose staring at a wall for 45 minutes could take you out of the sort of sensation that you are, well, dp'd.... maybe.

I think if you're actually thinking along the lines of "if I do this, I could get cured", it's just a form of magical thinking.

Say this is the case -- DP is a result of emotional trauma, of a Self that has been buried for several years, of wants/desires going unknown, repressed, and unsought out.... Of a Self that has no ability to recognize its value of Life and its right to its existence. (additional psychobabble goes here)... I know a lot of people here either don't think DP/DR is the result of a massively complex and twisted psyche or don't even possess the ability to question this due to the severity of symptoms, but my case has proved true that, well, it is.

I only thought to post because though it might have been harsh responding to Skynet's post the way they did, Skynet's "mentally disadvantaged" response was equally as harsh for someone showing totally justified skepticism over a strategy that may very well be bogus in some senses.

I personally think in most cases people here would be better of finding the right meds and therapy, perhaps, rather than staring at a wall for 45 minutes. Perhaps.

 

[Guest]

Thanks Jason. That's exactly what I was thinking. DP/DR is incredibly complex and I doubt that staring at something for 45 minutes is going to cure a god damn anything.

Oh and I love your signature. <3 Modest Mouse.

 

[Skynet]

Ok.. well let's see if we can do this without bashing.

When I stared at something for 45 minutes I believe that the intense concentration distracted my brain from my usual scary thoughts just long enough to actually return to a normal resting state. Perhaps a form of meditation as discussed earlier.

DP is basicly having a chronic state of arousal and hypersensitivity. If we can just calm our brains down long enough we can unstick the switch to get back to normal. People with DP have brains that are stuck in the high position. Takes a lot to unstick the state of mind to return to normal, but I DID IT. I did it as explained.

Now you can be skeptical, you can be a smart ass, or you can choose to be intelligent and open up your mind and say...... HEY, this guy did something that actually WORKED. So unless you actually try it for yourself..... then don't discredit me. It doesn't take Money to do what I did. It doesn't take any special tools to do what I did. You don't even need to buy anything. Just try it for yourself. Look and Concentrate on one thing for about 45 minutes. Yes it takes patience.... but that's all you'll need.

Don't come back and tell me that you watched TV or looked at the computer for 45 minutes and nothing happened. THAT WON'T WORK. What I did was different. Just sit in a chair and stair at ONE THING with no distractions in the room. Must be quiet and free of Noise.

After you do it then come here and tell me what your result was. Even if it doesn't work for some... It just may work for you. So don't let the experience of others stop you from doing it. YOU NEED TO TRY IT YOURSELF NO MATTER WHAT.

thanks,

John

 

[Skynet]

Now you see ...... ZiggomatiX has the right idea. She chose to stare at a Guys Butt for 45 minutes and then she even had someone take pictures to document! Now you've got the right idea!!! Hope it worked for you! lol ;-)

John

 

[JasonFar]

Skynet,

What you fail to realize is when she got home she cocked a loaded shotgun in her mouth and said so long to this cruel, discriminatory world where people who look as if they've eaten several other people don't get the respect they deserve to eat.

 

[Guest]

skynet,

you know absolutely nothing about me, my intelligence, or how open/closed my mind is. to be honest with you, i think you're being close minded with your out of hand defensive behavior. great, staring at something for 45 minutes cured you, that's great for you. but I think it's a load of crap and here's the great part about NOT being you OR sharing the same opinions as you do: i don't have to think it's legit!! Wow, good thing we're all different, right?