[106473]

I've researched many cases, but people don't show my constant levels when it comes to Cortisol that i've met here. I wonder if MY Dp is literally because as the picture i've included, I produce way too much cortisol all the time?

Subtextual on reddit who is a Board Certified Neuropsychologist - ABPP/ABPdN explains it DP and Cortisol ( https://www.reddit.com/r/Neuropsychology/comments/1rucyw )

"there are a bunch of ways the cortisol production system could be dysfunctional in individuals who experience chronic depersonalization. They might produce too much cortisol all the time, or they might produce too much in response to a stressor, or they might have trouble "turning off" cortisol once the stressor is gone, or getting rid of the excess cortisol in the brain after a stressor has passed. Or other parts of the system could go wrong.

There are conflicting data on the relationship between depersonalisation and cortisol levels, with two studies (Morozova et al, 2000; Stanton et al, 2001) reporting low salivary cortisol, but another (Simeon et al, 2001a) finding raised plasma cortisol.

I already know from tests I have HPA dysfunction.

"The HPA-axis; hypothalamus --> pituitary --> adrenal to release a bunch of hormones, including cortisol. The release of these hormones causes the fight-or-flight reaction people get in response to a stressor. For example, adrenaline, another hormone released in this process, elevates your heart rate and blood pressure."

https://i.imgur.com/Y4OSECq.png <--- Picture of my Cortisol

As you can see, i'm not a little off the chart, i'm way off it, all the time as noted by specialists who have never seen such results. I'm thinking this might be the cause of my DP, thoughts?

 

[35467]

both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system is affected in DP. Its origins should not be hormonal or related to the CNS but like be a result of brain interaction with the lower parts of the CNS. It is likely the frontal lobes that makes these abnormalities.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4374468/

 

[35467]

You find both disruptions in cortisol, HRV and HPA-axis in depression that likely is related to cognitive regulation of emotions done by the frontal lobes. rTMS can change that in depression.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1000194810600044

 

[curiousmind]

You find both disruptions in cortisol,

Cortisol is disrupted, but we do not know in what way. You will find studies with varying outcomes on this. Some studies found a higher baseline cortisol level whereas others found a lower baseline cortisol level.

This is an interesting discussion on reddit, @WreckingHotelRooms

https://www.reddit.com/r/Neuropsychology/comments/1rucyw
From what I've read about the disorder, the guy has it spot on. The neuropsychiatrist makes an important point and quotes Sierra's work (many times), in relation to the "top-down" regulation of emotion. So it's not that your coritosl levels are causing your DP-messed up cortisol is a symptom of depersonalization, a disorder that which has its origin in the frontal lobe. The cortisol problem is something that can be said about anyone with DPD.

The neuropsychiatrist also makes note of a very important piece of literature from the early 2000s.

More recently, a cognitive-behavioural model of depersonalisation has been proposed (Hunter et al, 2003)..... The model suggests that there are various ways in which depersonalisation may initially arise, related to some external psychological stressor and/or as a consequence of a change in mental state (e.g. low mood, anxiety, drug use). Crucially, in those in whom depersonalisation becomes chronic and pathological, the appearance of depersonalisation features is interpreted as highly threatening ('catastrophic attribution'), leading to a range of cognitions and behaviours that can serve to perpetuate and intensify the symptoms. This leads to a number of practical suggestions for treatment, aimed at psychoeducation, the reduction of avoidant 'safety behaviours' (such as avoiding social situations) and excessive self-observation (e.g. looking in the mirror to see if one has changed), and challenging the 'catastrophic' attributional style (e.g. ideas such as 'My brain is not working').

To reiterate, this model describes another thing that could go wrong in people with chronic depersonalization. Their brains might trigger the release of cortisol just fine, but their brains aren't very good at "turning off" cortisol production once the stressor has passed. This might be hard to measure in studies... these individuals might have too much cortisol after a stressor has passed, but normal levels when there is no stressor present. However, if these people constantly feel like a stressor is present, that might show up as high levels of "baseline" cortisol because their brains could still be releasing cortisol after the last stressor. Or other complex patterns. That's the thing; we don't know yet.

 

[106473]

Hmmm. I totally get what you are saying, I just don't think my case is frontal lobes firing the Cortisol..

Yeah I thought it was great that someone else seemed to have in depth researched it in a medical sense, must have been interested in the subject.

See I know I'm kinda asking the question again, but i've seen specialists from Endocrinologists to Neurologists, to St Marys who all agree, my level of Cortisol isn't from DP.

To them the issue is Cortisol but not my adrenal glands. I told my doctor in St.Marys if he knew DP and he said yes, that he was part of Kings College's research (very famous doctor) and he told me that at these levels, it's not DP causing it. Which kinda seems to think he see's it the other way round in my case, Cortisol causing DP or at least this level of Cortisol is not normal in DP.

4x too much Cortisol, shown at 5pm on that picture is extremely rare. My Endocrinologists told me that result would not be sensitive enough to show spikes of anxiety, they also did a 24 hour urine one that was over too, all day. St Mary's suspect "Cushings Syndrome" (20 out of 1 million) based on how high them results are.

I also don't know anyone with DP who is STIMULATED 24/7 like me, to the point i'm jacked up. They thought it was Mania for ages...when I "just had DP" I was not stimulated with tremors, dilated eyes, didn't sleep for days and days, now i'm more roided up than a bouncer.