[= n]

I was going to post this is the 'Regaining Reality' forum but i admit its not exactly a cure, so its here instead:

If DP/DR becomes unbearable there is always the option of surrendering. But its the opposite of surrendering your mind to the DP/R thought processes themselves. If you sacrifice whatever if takes to escape it then eventually the DP/R is no longer apparent. Perhaps appeasement is a more fitting word. Its not admirable but it gives symptomatic relief. I have successfully taken a break from the physical sensations and mental spirals of DP/R.

First the external. If it feels dangerous to talk to new people then dont do it. If going to unfamiliar surroundings provokes an attack/worsening then avoid them (the same goes for more familiar provocative surroundings). If talking to too many people, groups or social situations make it worse then, yes, avoid them too. Naturally, drugs which are potential triggers (legal or illegal) should be avoided.

Then once you have eliminated all external triggers (probably involving a total reshaping of life), its necessary to block out thoughts with negative potential, mentally partition all of the disturbing stuff and essentially forget about it. It sounds difficult but this proves more possible in the disturbance free environment created by avoiding all external triggers. As far as i can tell you cant do the mental elimination fully consciously but rather it emerges from the routine of a carefully undisturbed life full of distractions. It becomes subliminal. Perhaps its dangerous for me to visit this site and write these words but being brief and not thinking about it too deeply it seems to be okay. Once you are in a cycle of constant distractions (I find books and personal education, films, tv, music, exercise and internet browsing about sufficient) then it is possible to forget DP/R altogether.

Eventually you reach the state i have reached. It may not seem possible to avoid everything that causes DP/R but relying on my family i somehow seem to have managed it for now. I am not cured, i know this, but i have not had any problems with DP/R (and certainly not the chronic kind) -itself- for many months. I cant remember my last bad experience.

I have no sense of unreality or 'who am i?'. In a way its because im just not thinking about it at all but that may be somewhat true of all non sufferers. Ive been going out much less for well over a year and significantly minimised DP/R but its only more recently that i seem to have entered the process of constant (subliminal) mental distraction which has a crucial role to play.

So in conclusion if you want to take a break from DP/R at the expense of your 'life' and are physically able to support an existence with the minimum possible DP/R triggers, it may just be possible.

pros: -Little or zero DP/R and zero chronic DP/R!
-Medication should not be necessary
-You can do anything that doesnt bring on an attack
-The comfort zone is, after all, comfortable

cons: -Its a very major concession to the illness.
-Mainly you sacrifice everything that 'causes' DP/R and so you may well end up 'dead to the world', not so much living as existing
-Its only practical for some and is an unlikely medium/long term solution
-You cannot pursue any aspiration which demands disturbing work.
-You have to avoid thinking too deeply, but this seems to become habit after a while
-Such a reduced way of life may well drive you slowly insane (in reality, not just DP perception of reality)
-There are quite a few more cons obviously depending on the amount of triggers you must eliminate (i fear it will usually be all regular social contact and any unfamiliar locations) but no DP/R is quite a big pro

Its certainly a double edged sword but at the very least it might be worth bearing in mind that it can be possible to eliminate the DP/R sensations and thoughts IF you are willing to make the necessary immense and debilitating sacrifices.

Now whatever happens and whatever i do, at least i know its completely possible to stop the 'experience' for a time (admittedly at the expense of really living).

 

[jft]

I can't really comment on your post becasue I am not sure what to think of it. I want to say it sounds like an unhealthy, burying your head in the sand, giving up approach. And I would add more. But something about it intrigues me becasue one facet of what you are speaking worked for me.

I was terribly obsessive when it came to religion. At an early age I suffered from a form of ocd called scrupulosity, where one obsesses about sin all the time, constantly doubting forgiveness. It came to a head where I could not bear it anymore and so I did the obvious...I gave up the Catholic religion. And I no longer thought about sin. I was relieved of that burden. Years later I came back to God via protestant routes and was visited again somewhat by scrupulosity, but moreso by increbible obsessive doubting about God. Went five years this way and was utterly miserable about it and so again I did the obvious, I walked from God again. And I felt great. It did not solve my theological problems, but it solved my immediate symptoms.

But I found later that the same dynamic of doubting (pure ocd) would flare up in other areas of my life. It would manifest itself wherever it could, and when I could not jsut dismiss those areas I would have to live with it.

So in all practicality it did indeed work for me, but the question is begged that there has to be a better way than mindful avoidance. And what most of us here are trying to do does not invlove avoidance, unless onde can call distraction and med numbing avoidance.

But your post is quite interesting, to say the least. Many times in disease treatment doctors have to get rid of peripheral symtpoms before they can treat the real wound, such as reducing inflamation before heart surgery. If your idea could serve to stop the fuel that feeds the dp/dr long enough until one gets a grip on it then......God, I don't know. It is just interesting.
jft

 

[enigma]

= n writes:

If DP/DR becomes unbearable there is always the option of surrendering.

Did that years ago.

But its the opposite of surrendering your mind to the DP/R thought processes themselves. If you sacrifice whatever if takes to escape it then eventually the DP/R is no longer apparent.

Can't think of one more thing I could sacrifice to escape it, still got it.

Perhaps appeasement is a more fitting word.

If you want to argue semantics.

First the external. If it feels dangerous to talk to new people then dont do it. If going to unfamiliar surroundings provokes an attack/worsening then avoid them (the same goes for more familiar provocative surroundings). If talking to too many people, groups or social situations make it worse then, yes, avoid them too.

Sorry, =n, but I've been hiding out from everybody and everything for years, and as of this reporting I'm as DP/DR'd as I've always been.

Then once you have eliminated all external triggers (probably involving a total reshaping of life),

Not mine.

its necessary to block out thoughts with negative potential, mentally partition all of the disturbing stuff and essentially forget about it.

Don't worry..da..da..da,be happy...da..da..da :shock:

Eventually you reach the state i have reached.

Yes you too can be like =n! (and like me too, for that matter).

It may not seem possible to avoid everything that causes DP/R but relying on my family i somehow seem to have managed it for now.

Me too (I just don't know what the hell I'm going to do when they're gone :shock: ).

I am not cured, i know this, but i have not had any problems with DP/R (and certainly not the chronic kind) -itself- for many months. I cant remember my last bad experience.

Don't worry. You'll have lots of new ones soon enough.

I have no sense of unreality or 'who am i?'. In a way its because im just not thinking about it at all but that may be somewhat true of all non sufferers.

Doubt it.

Ive been going out much less for well over a year and significantly minimised DP/R

Yes,live a private,secluded life...plotting...scheming.*

*Nipped from MST3K

So in conclusion if you want to take a break from DP/R at the expense of your 'life' and are physically able to support an existence with the minimum possible DP/R triggers, it may just be possible.

It's possible. But I'd sell my soul to beelzebub for any kind of life.

pros: -Little or zero DP/R and zero chronic DP/R!

See line four.

-Medication should not be necessary

Must be doing something wrong.

-You can do anything that doesnt bring on an attack

Sure can!

-The comfort zone is, after all, comfortable

Now who could argue with that?

cons: -Its a very major concession to the illness.
-Mainly you sacrifice everything that 'causes' DP/R and so you may well end up 'dead to the world', not so much living as existing

Call me stupid,but I thought we already were.

-Its only practical for some and is an unlikely medium/long term solution

Then why bother with it?

-You cannot pursue any aspiration which demands disturbing work.

Like embalming people?

-You have to avoid thinking too deeply, but this seems to become habit after a while

See line six.

-Such a reduced way of life may well drive you slowly insane -

Yes,ever so slowly. :shock:

There are quite a few more cons obviously depending on the amount of triggers you must eliminate (i fear it will usually be all regular social contact and any unfamiliar locations) but no DP/R is quite a big pro

Indeed. Who cares if you're living in the attic and they're bringing you raisins?

Its certainly a double edged sword but at the very least it might be worth bearing in mind that it can be possible to eliminate the DP/R sensations and thoughts IF you are willing to make the necessary immense and debilitating sacrifices.

What's that? (I was wolfing down a whole mouthful of raisins).

Now whatever happens and whatever i do, at least i know its completely possible to stop the 'experience' for a time (admittedly at the expense of really living).

Well alright then!

I'm sorry about all the sarcasm,but I just don't see where this would be a healthy approach to this particular problem we all have here. (Certainly not in my case,though I don't really see where it would be in anybody's.)

You sound sincere,=n,and hopefully I'm not just missing something here,being all doped up at my computer at 2:a.m. like I am right now (Maybe somebody will correct me in the morning). But IMO,you're just wrong. I can't think of a polite way to say it, and I could be setting myself up to get flamed to death here (perhaps subconsciously I want to be),but it would be totally disingenuous of me to agree with one thing you've said in this post.

Someone else (everyone else?) might have a totally differing opinion.

But for what it's worth, you now know mine.

e

 

[enigma]

. But something about it intrigues me becasue one facet of what you are speaking worked for me.

Don't doubt you,jft (composed this tirade before anyone else had posted a response). In fairness perhaps it does have some merit. But only some.

e

 

[Guest]

enigma dont expect to get cured any time soon with a negative attitude like that.