[hope.is.here]

How I was cured of DP and How You Can do the same!

Hi guys,
I'm so happy to write to you my story of overcoming DP and other mental illnesses. Just last April I thought my DP, severe depression, and anxiety would never go away. Why would they? I had all of these illnesses in a very severe form since I was 18, and I was already 21. I had taken a lot of drugs such as benzos, antidepressants, and anti psychotics which always made me feel much much worse, so I had cold turkeyd off of them a while ago (and had the most awful withdrawals imaginable!!) My mom would look at the DP forums and tell me other people's stories. Hearing those stories only made me feel worse about my situation. I thought everyone else had it better than me because at least they were writing on the forums; I myself couldn't read well at all or comprehend anything. I couldn't make out a sentence most of the time. I felt disconnected from reality, an alien in an unreal world. I had dropped out of college where I used to be a straight A student with a full scholarship. I was suicidal and tried many times to end it all. One time, I crashed my car on purpose. It was an awful crash that no one believed I could survive. I didn't wear a seatbelt. Miraculously, not only did I survive, I wasn't injured. Not one bit. God had saved me from a horrible fate.
Throughout this time, I was in psych units many times. All the psychiatrists (many of who were considered "top experts") said my case was hopeless and that I would have to be on meds the rest of my life. I was diagnosed with DP, Severe Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, Schizophrenia, and DR, just to name a few. All my friends and all of our family friends had turned away from us. My mom was severely depressed and had long term insomnia because she was so worried about me. She had quit her job to take care of me full time because she was scared I would try to kill myself again. We were in a horrible financial situation with no insurance and close to losing our house. There was no hope. My mom did not give up and found me a wonderful naturopath with whose help I started to slowly detox and make sense of the world again. It has been 6 months now and a very hard, arduous process but I can truly say that I have fully recovered mentally, physically, and emotionally. Of course, I put a ton of effort every day to stay this way but it is so worth it. I've been admitted to my college again and am going to go online for spring. I can work out everyday like I used to 3 years ago, before the start of my illness. I'm a happy and outgoing person and I believe in God 100%.
If I can do it, I believe you can too. Of course, I had the support of my amazing mom and my great naturopath who has a lot of experience with detox. I know that if you have absolutely no support it will be harder for you...but don't give up. Give life a chance. Do what I did and I promise you will see improvement, even if it is small at first. I'm here for you.
Diet
This is the first thing you absolutely have to change before starting Detox. I urge all of you to switch to an organic diet if you can. Personally, I have found that eating plenty of :

• organic vegetables
• greens
• berries
• some fruits (in moderation--you want to eat a diet low in sugar)
• raw dairy (in moderation),
• whole grains (not bread, pasta, cereal, etc. but actual whole grains such as brown rice, buckwheat, millet, quinoa, whole grain oats are extremely beneficial),
• organic poultry (in moderation),
• wild fish (not farmed),
• and healthy fats like nuts, seeds, fish oil, using oils like olive oil, sesame oil, pine oil, ghee are extremely beneficial to your health and will make a big difference in how you feel.

Please stay away from:

• refined sugar (any sweets, candy, etc., but also yogurt, juice, anything that has sugar in it. The less you eat the better mentally you will feel)
• anything packaged or processed (like granola bars, frozen dinners, bread, pasta, etc. even if it says on the box it's healthy, trust me, it's not)
• caffeine (it's everywhere, so no coffee, tea-only herbal, energy drinks, etc. It's found in a lot of meds too like Excedrin so be careful before taking any)
• gluten (this is HUGE! I had celiac disease and didn't even know it. This means no wheat, rye, barley. Buy gluten free grains if you can. Research gluten and its effects on your body)
• dairy that's not organic (I prefer raw, it is so much better for you. Get raw goat dairy if you can but if not opt for organic dairy. Eat dairy in moderation at this time. For some people it's best to cut it out completely)
• meat that's not organic (this is big-you don't want the hormones and crap that the meat industry injects the animals with)
• white salt (this is toxic. Switch to sea salt or better yet Himalayan salt)

Really Helpful Foods
These things have helped me regain my health and sanity.

• organic greens (try to eat everyday either in salad, juice them yourself, or make into a green smoothie. They might seem gross but are very important to detox your body, esp. dill, oregano, cilantro which are great for detox.)
• organic berries (so many antioxidants. Blueberries are esp. great for brain function).
• raw whey protein (the only place I think you can get the real thing is at a farm. It is very much worth it though because there are a ton of aminos like taurine and glutheonine that have sulfur which help in detox. I would stay away from the regular store bought stuff because I've only had bad experiences with it)
• garlic and onion (lots of sulfur, great for detox)
• organic pumpkins (lots of fiber and vitamins)
• practically all vegetables (you should be eating as much vegetables as you can. This will give you nutrients and help with detox).
• organic fruit (apples have lots of pectin, bananas for potassium, add lemon juice to your herbal teas, eat 1 cup of berries + 1-2 servings of fruit per day, not more because of high sugar content)
• white fish
• sardines (small fish have less toxins. These are healthy, cheap, and good for brain function)
• organic free range eggs (high in sulfur. Even better are quail eggs which are super eggs in comparison. The very best way to eat them is to drink them raw if you can stomach it).
• ghee (you can get this at health food stores or Indian stores. It is like butter but slightly different. I suggest cooking with it, cooking on it, and lathering it on your body. It is an amazing health tool and will help make you feel more relaxed and balanced). Look into Ayerveda if you are interested in finding out more.

I would suggest eating 4-5 meals per day. Eating regularly is good to improve your mood and energy levels as well as gets those toxins moving out of your body. Try to have a balance of healthy carbs, proteins, and healthy fats with each meal. Also, try to steam or bake or stir fry your food. Avoid any frying or greasy, fattening foods. These put stress on your liver.
Detox
This is very important. I believe the only reason I got better was because I have done some very serious detoxing, as well as water fasting later on. For now, just worry about Diet and Detox. I have a lot of suggestions. Don't try to do them all at once because that would overload your body. Start slowly and see how you feel. Expect to feel worse before you feel better because detoxing is very hard on the body and mind.
Ways to Detox

• follow the suggested Diet
• take charcoal capsules (I took up to 20 most days for several months)
• take edible bentonite clay ( I get mine from greenclays.com and take 1 TBSP. in morning and 1 TBSP. at night, stirring the tablespoon in a big glass of filtered water). Take this together with the psyllium husks.
• psyllium husks (this will cleanse your colon, I took 1 TBSP in morning and 1 at night with a lot of water.)
• take detox baths (clay baths-clay can be found in bulk at greenclays.com, charcoal baths, dead sea salt baths, Epsom salt baths are great for relieving tissue pain from detox). You can also take foot baths instead for gentler detox.
• saunas (try to go as much as you can. They can be found in gyms or you can invest in one at drwilson.com. That's where I got my small infrared sauna from.)
• drink herbal teas (try liver or kidney detox teas, dandelion tea, kombucha, etc.) These will help flush toxins out.
• enemas (this is HUGE. No one wants to do them. I never did. But as soon as I started to do them every day for several months I noticed an amazing difference in my mood and energy level. If you want to seriously get better, you have to start doing enemas. They are not as awful as they seem. I promise)
• zeolite (also another great detoxifier)
• chlorella (also great for detox)
• supplements (it is important to supplement your body but not go overboard taking 100 different supplements either. Avoid anything synthetic)
• exercising (this could be very good or very bad. In general, when you are going through detox do not do resistance training, weights, anything hard core because you don't want to put too much pressure on your body. Walking outdoors and stretching is something I recommend doing every day, even if it is just a few minutes. When I first started, I could barely walk a couple of hundred feet. I was so weak so I know how that feels)
• filter your water. You might want to switch to Distilled which you can buy for the first month or so. Then, you should try to invest in a filter. Clean water is a must for good health. Tap water is full of toxins.
• Green your life. Avoid any chemicals, whether it is in your makeup, body products, home products, etc. If you can, buy the organic version of these things. If you can't, then do without. I know because I have had severe aluminum toxicity (there is a lot of it in conventional deodorant, toothpaste, and psychiatric drugs). Aluminum has been linked to Alzheimer's. I've also had copper toxicity and others.

Supplement Suggestions
Basics:

• fish oil (very, very important)
• flaxseed oil (if you're not eating flaxseeds)
• probiotics (will help your intestines heal and will improve your digestion and mood)
• multi vitamin (natural, not synthetic)

Possible Additions:

• vitamin B complex
• magnesium (great for relaxation)
• melatonin if you need it for sleep
• glycine (an amino acid if you need it for sleep)
• glutheionine or taurine (aminos, have lots of sulfur)

(If you drink raw whey protein, don't take any amino capsules).
I've had experience with many food and vitamin brands and can recommend some good ones if you ask.

. Also, I suggest researching the quality of what you're going to buy online before you buy it.
Don't do too many supplements at one time. Take it slow and see how you respond to them. Also, try to take a blood test and see what vitamins you are missing. You can look into getting a hair analysis done to see whether you have heavy metal toxicity too. However, as you eat well and detox, your body will bring itself into balance and you will see that you won't have to supplement as much anymore.
Important: It may make things worse to do a detox if you are taking any medications at this time. If you are withdrawing or tapering, detoxing helps but be very gentle. Also, if you want to get off your meds, do not I repeat do not cold turkey. I did and it was a huge mistake. Taper slowly instead. Look for forums with tapering support ( I used to use BenzoFriends, a yahoo group that was very helpful).
Body-Mind Connection:
Tips to Change Your Life and Healthy Living

• Surround yourself with as many positive things and people as you can, even if you don't feel like it. Don't read, listen to, or watch anything negative on TV. Listen to calm, classical, or relaxation music. If you can read ( I know many of you can't concentrate like I couldn't), then read positive health articles or visit forums where you can bond with people going through the same thing. If you watch TV, avoid the news and any depressing information. If your friends or loved ones invite you out somewhere, try to go. I know it's hard but getting away from the house is useful even if it just makes the time pass faster.
• Try to explain to your friends and family what you're going through but not in great detail. Trust me, they won't understand. Just say you're going through a hard time and need emotional support. Let your close ones know of your intention to live a healthier lifestyle.
• Reach out to God. I know this is hard because most likely you don't believe in God after what you've been through. I didn't either. I was the most hard core atheist you'd ever meet. However, during this rough time I started going to church anyway at the insistence of my mom and soon enough a way to healing was found when I least expected it. If you can make it to church or to some other religious affiliation, please do. If not, I suggest watching Joel Osteen's sermon or listening to his free podcast because his message is very easy to understand and inspiring.
• Spend as much time outdoors and in nature as you can. Being outdoors has shown to improve mood dramatically.
• Make small goals for yourself and try to write them down. I know it's hard. It doesn't have to be anything big. Things like cleaning your room, doing laundry, and preparing healthy meals already sounds like a marathon but try to keep busy. You now have hope. You will get your life back soon and it is time to start your journey.
• Do positive affirmations and visualizations. Talk positively to yourself. Imagine yourself healthy and radiant. It helps to cut out pictures from magazines that illustrate what you want to look like, how you want to feel, etc. and pasting them in a notebook. Also, carrying around a piece of paper with positive thoughts will help.
• Take quick showers often, at least 2-3x per day when you're detoxing. They are very relaxing. Baths are great too.

Emotional Support for Your Journey:
This will be a difficult journey but worth it. Obviously, it is easier if you have the support of your loved ones. If you don't, then the hard truth is that you have to go it alone but you are worth it. Your life is worth it and you have the ability to get it back. I believe in you. I will be checking back often to see your comments.

A word to loved ones of people dealing with DP:
You will not be able to fully understand how this person is suffering. It is indescribable and inexplicable. Please help him or her to the best of your ability and understand that this is a long process. He or she needs your love and full support.
God Bless,
Mila
P.S. I know this sounds like too much to do and also very expensive. I should mention that we sold a lot of our things in order to do this and moved to a much smaller apartment in order to be able to finance all these changes and my naturopath who worked with me extensively for several months. However, we are both doing much better now and can work and go to college now, so it was worth it!

 

[RenZimE]

Its nice to hear another success story on these boards

You have clearly found your faith in not only yourself but in your God and this is a fantastic accomplishment

The only thing I would like to say is that not everyone will have the same path to recovery - For example mine was relatively inexpensive in that I went down the road of research, meditation and good old fashion exercise before heading out into the world and getting accustomed to things again in my own time. This led to going back to work which in turn aided with the social aspect and from there on it was a straight and narrow walk

But like I say we're all different and we all can learn from each others experiences... So long as everyone who's suffering can know that they are never alone. Thats all I truly wanted to know back when I was stuck in the rut - That I was at least safe in knowing I wasn't alone.

Again, congratulations Mila, its fantastic that so many of us are breaking through

All the best in the future and God bless x

 

[seafoamwinter]

Awesome! Im so glad you recovered and became a believer, God has inspired me to fast, so Im sticking with.

 

[hope.is.here]

Glad to hear it seafoamwinter! There is no power greater than God

. Fasting will be an amazing journey to recovery for you and will help you have an even better relationship wih God.

-Mila

 

[stranger in the mirror]

Eating well and exercise is important butt it wont get rid of your dp it helps but it won't cure you. Dp is in the mind you know, if you fully accept dp you wil get rid of it is my experience. You have to dont give a single fuck wich is really hard because we always worry. but you have to try and change your attitude it helped me get rid of it

 

[Cris013]

Hey man, I'm doing this too and I've been feeling great!! Better than ever actually!! This really works!! I need to do better on going completely organic though! I'm definatley recovering though!!
Working out at the gym has been helping me a lot too

 

[hope.is.here]

Hi Christianlaz13,

I'm so happy to hear about your progress! Keep up the good work! Every bit of detox and organic eating goes a long way. Recently, I've started oil pulling and affirmations in addition to some of the detox I've been doing. I do have to warn you that there might be setbacks, as there were some for me. You just have to push through and be confident that you can get through to the other side. DP doesn't go away overnight (at least not for me). Little by little, week by week, month by month, my DP started to subside and I begun to feel reality more and more. Even now, the more time goes by, the more real I feel and the better I can truly feel my emotions and feel alive. It's a journey. I wish you the best of luck.

God Bless,
Mila

 

[wise]

great post hopeishere your persistence is admirable

 

[lemongirl]

Thank you so much this is fantastic!!

I have been treating for lyme disease (getting better, but am on 8 months now of dealing with this thing-I can't imagine 3 years feeling like this!! you go for beating this!!)

Did you ever figure out what it was for you? Do you have lyme disease?

Also, thank you again for taking the time to write you detailed protocol, because it is making me realize that a lot of healing is done apart from antibiotics. I can't wait to fill some of these things in that have made you well!!

Do you still stay away from all processed foods, alcohol etc? Do you experience symptom relapse if you indulge at all, even if it is a small bit? This is interesting if so.

Also, one last question-how long did it take you (once starting your protocol) to get well?

YAYAYAY a success story! So so happy for you. I cannot ever thank you enough for writing!!!

 

[lemongirl]

Also, I drink whey protein, and take amino pills as well. There are amino acids in the protein, but in the Healing Lyme book by Steven Bunher he believes we should be taking more aminos (which is why I am doing both?) Advice please??

 

[hope.is.here]

Hi lemon girl,

Thx for your kind words...basically, I don't even like to differentiate btw the different diseases we all get, they are the outcomes of our toxic bodies...someone will feel depressed, someone else anxious, but those are just symptoms that start to clear up with detox.

Yes I am still on that strict protocol for almost 1.5 yrs now, no meds, alc, etc. if I want dessert, I'll make my own gluten free stuff and sweeten it with honey. I probably eat junk food or chocolate once a month tops...my health is just more important. I really try to stay away from that stuff and honestly have gotten new friends who are health conscious, work out, don't drink, etc...

So basically I feel good about 95 percent of the time, we all have bad days, right? But the dp is completely gone.

As for the aminos, they definitely help if they are the right aminos. I would say eat organic eggs and meat, less dairy bc it causes candida. I wouldn't take the amino pills bc our bodies can use the food form much better and easier. You can find raw whey protein. That is better. The best place to get this is from a dairy farm, it's in liquid form and that is amazing for the body.

Hope this helps. Write anytime

M

 

[lemongirl]

Hey M,

Gosh...I am just so happy for you. You are an inspiration, and yes I will definitely be keeping in touch.

Can I ask you more about when you got this? And also, what your symptoms were specifically?

For instance, I will go first...

so it first started out with a faint (I never faint, and I wasn't worried about anything), and then lots other really strange physical symptoms. The next day I had severe depersonalization and derealization. Derealization for me is like dizziness (kind of, but not a typical vertigo spinning dizziness). Everything moves too quickly and I cannot follow it. If someone walks by me, or if a car drives by, it leaves kind of like a trail behind it. Patterns are kind of strange looking (though this has gotten better), lights almost flicker funny or send of a strange effect, the blue sky kind of has speckles in it (I don't know how to explain it, and I actually didn't notice this until recently), and if I look at someone's face the background almost seems kind of blurry. My eyes act like a zoom-in and zoom-out function, like almost from a movie (if I transfer from looking at something that is closer to me and then back to the background). Does this make sense? Did you have this? And was it constant?

Depersonalization for me I guess is more basic. I look in the mirror and do not feel present.

Both of these are 24/7 (like I believe they were for you?)

Question 2:

I know you are still on your protocol now, but how long (while being on this protocol) did it take for you to rid of your symptoms?

Question 3

Do you use your sauna still very frequently and do you feel as though it has been a huge help for you? I am currently looking into one and will go ahead with it, especially if you feel as though it was a big help.

Question 4

How old are you currently?

Question 5

When you say you feel good 95% of the time without depersonalization, what are you referring to? Say like 5% of the time you have a cold or something? Or do you have other brain problems the other 5% of the time?

Question 6

Was it a slow gradual change coming out of DP/DR until one day you were completely out? Or if not, how was this transition?

Question 7

Even though I have been on a strict diet, I still have gained weight (about 7lbs since I have been sick over the past 8 months). I am not quite sure why. I am not overweight for my body size, but with my very healthy diet I feel as though I should have at least stayed the same weight...do you think this may have something to do with thyroid? Did anything like this happen with you?

Question 8

You say you shouldn't exercise hard while detoxing. Now that you are well (even though you are still detoxing) are you able to train (work out) harder?

Thank you SO much for answering these for me...and thank you for being someone I can really look up to.

I really look forward to hearing from you.

Kindest wishes always~

 

[lemongirl]

One more question! Did you have anxiety throughout the entire thing? I do not...

Thank you!!!

 

[lemongirl]

I just reread your post! Gosh, I can't believe how much I can relate to you. I am just so sorry you went through this, but I can only imagine what kind of a strong and empowered person you are now. I think I can answer one of my questions. I believe it took you 6 months to get out of this after you had it for 3 years?

 

[hope.is.here]

Hi lemon girl,

The symptoms you're describing sound more of a mixture of DR/DP; my problem was more DP but honestly the protocol I've used has been used by ppl of many illnesses so it doesn't really matter. Your posts look coherent so I'm assuming that you're not as bad as I was (I couldn't even type stuff back then, I couldn't really recognize my fingers all I could think was--is this my body?!).

Also, DP started after I did a bit of pot at 18, though I've felt it mildly before from drinking just 1 glass of wine (it went away and I didn't know what it was at the time)--needless to say, I don't drink alcohol or even take aspirin bc I'm so sensitive to chemicals.

Yes, basically I was on the protocol 6 months for most of the DP to go away and for memory/concentration/energy to come back. I will say that those 3 yrs I did try to detox a lot; I was just put on the drugs, sometimes against my will, which kept killing my liver and bringing back the DP (drugs cause DP, did you know that? I mean benzos, antidepressants, etc. The shrinks are just playing with our bodies).

Saunas are a huge help. I've still used them 3-4 x/week about 40 min each time and I'm also a fan of baths with Epsom salt and dead sea salt as well as with bentonite clay (great for heavy metal detox). You can get a small sauna from drwilson.com for about 300-400$; I had that but it's not that comfy so if you have the opportunity I would look into getting a one person infrared sauna that's a wooden type where you can sit comfortably and then use that 30 min/day or more if you feel fine; that really helps. It also helps body pain which I had from withdrawing-so do the baths.

I'm 22 currently.

 

[hope.is.here]

When you say you feel good 95% of the time without depersonalization, what are you referring to? Say like 5% of the time you have a cold or something? Or do you have other brain problems the other 5% of the time?

--Yes, either flu like withdrawal systems (it can take years for the drugs to clear out of organs) or just mood wise (related to life). However, my bad moods are quite mild and uncommon, sometimes I feel stressed or anxious but it's nothing a good power walk can't cure

Was it a slow gradual change coming out of DP/DR until one day you were completely out? Or if not, how was this transition?

--Gradual, little by little. Even now, the more I detox the more "clear" and "present" and "more me" I feel that I feel.

Question 7

Even though I have been on a strict diet, I still have gained weight (about 7lbs since I have been sick over the past 8 months). I am not quite sure why. I am not overweight for my body size, but with my very healthy diet I feel as though I should have at least stayed the same weight...do you think this may have something to do with thyroid? Did anything like this happen with you?

Ok, bf I got sick I was a very slim and fit 112 lbs at 5'9.5ish, just naturally eating what I wanted. On the pills, I gained to about 145lbs in 10 months though I was throwing up from the pills all the time and was barely eating anything. For about 3 yrs, my thyroid was very messed up and I was in the 130s after I quit the pills (yes this is still considered "slim" but I was retaining sooo much water and felt awful). After maybe 3-4 months of serious detox ( I also water fasted,) I lost a lot of weight (around until 100 lbs)--I wasn't trying to, it just came off. Now I'm around 107 ish, eating 5-6 smaller meals a day and hoping to gain a bit but I'm not too worried about it bc I know my body will find its perfect weight. I'm just approximating I don't have a scale or weigh myself I look quite skinny but feel good and strong. It's important to know that after illness the body has to have time to balance itself out (some ppl need to lose, others to gain, but don't worry about that). Yes, thyroid is definitely important. You should get it checked out but I would warn against any hormonal or chemical pills bc those mess ppl up so bad.

Question 8

You say you shouldn't exercise hard while detoxing. Now that you are well (even though you are still detoxing) are you able to train (work out) harder?

Yes, now I workout 3-4 x per week for an hour, nothing too intense, a mix of pilates, dance, and moderate jogging. I want to work out more as I get stronger and gain some weight but not more than 5 x per week for 1 hour. 1 or 2 days of break/week when you are healthy is so important for the adrenals. I had chronic fatigue so I know how that feels. A lot of people work out too much and I think I made that mistake as a teen and it killed my kidneys even before I got sick ( I was a gymnast, long distance runner). How you look and feel is 80% diet/20 % exercise so I'd focus on the healthy eating more. Also, sometimes you may feel great and think you can work out hard but remember that when you workout you are releasing the toxins (esp. if you took meds) and they get reabsorbed into your bloodstream and cause more damage down the road; it's silent but dangerous.

One more question! Did you have anxiety throughout the entire thing? I do not...

Yes, I have had low lying anxiety all my life (until now). During those 3 years it was really bad like 24/7 pounding in your head anxiety. I probably get anxiety like once a month now it's very mind something herbal tea and a walk can cure. It's more like restless energy now so when I work out I don't have it.

---

Hope this helped

Thx for the questions. Write anytime

M

 

[lemongirl]

Thank you Hope I will definitely continue writing! It sounds like you are doing just so well!!

I think it is so strange I do not have anxiety, yet the symptoms remain! I will continue to follow all of these suggestions and work my way to a recovery like you have

I would love to keep in touch!!

 

[sunshinita]

Wow that was really inspiring Thank you Mila for sharing it with us. I remember my mom once did some kind of detox.For 2 weeks she ate just fruits ( 1kg per day) and drank 3 times a day herbal tea with honey. She lost a lt of weight,her skin got brighter,her mood got better. I admit that my eating is a disaster and I also have 15lbs which I want to lose, I didn;t have a bad experience with antidepressants as you did but I do believe starting a healthy life is the better choice, body and the mind are strongly connected to each other and I do believe that a healthy diet and lifestyle influences a lot the mental health.So I am going to commit to a healthy lifestyle change,I've been thinking a lot about it but never got to start because I have an emotional connection to food ( which can be cured with a little bit of a will power ) So thank you again for posting your success story,it does make a difference!

 

[michelfolon]

wow thanks im coming out of some extreme withdrawal right now this gives me some sort of hope........do you know if this would work for someone who necessarily isn't religious? (im an atheist)

 

[Eru]

wow thanks im coming out of some extreme withdrawal right now this gives me some sort of hope........do you know if this would work for someone who necessarily isn't religious? (im an atheist)

It is my belief that religious conviction aids healing by helping the suffer to 'let go' of control to an extent. By putting your recovery in the hands of God you cultivate a mindset of: 'If I do x and y, God in his grace WILL relieve me of hell as it is in his nature etc.' This stops you from second guessing yourself at every step, thereby diminishing rumination and allowing the mind some freedom to heal.

Understanding WHY this helps one heal can allow you to apply the same principles even in the absence of religious belief. A naturalistic alternative might be: 'Nature will heal you if you let it: as physical wounds heal when you stop poking them so too do mental wounds.' Or perhaps more simply (and indeed more accurately): 'If I let go of my anxious thoughts and just let them come and go my overall anxiety levels will fall, I will feel more secure, and my DP will diminish.'