Hi Chris Wolf, I am sorry you feel that way. I understand that many people had bad experience with therapy, but essentially, only someone who has excellent credentials in the mental health field can actually tell you what you are dealing with. And only when you know what you are dealing with, you can plan your recovery. There are different reasons behind the onset of DPDR, as it is often a manifestation of many other underlying things. The feelings of emptyness and loneliness, that you mention, may also suggest accompanying depressive feelings, which is nothing unusual, as DPDR is an isolating, difficult state to endure. Asking for help is a big step, I remember my friend actually persistently checking on me until I was able to actually dial the number and make an appointment with a psychiatrist. I had no idea what was going on with me, and I was certain that I have just lost it, and that I will be on meds for the rest of my life. Four and a half years later, after a fierce struggle, I am fine. It was never about the meds, it was about processing some other, difficult things that made me feel this way. But if that psychiatrist didn't tell me that it is DPDR (he actually dx me with it), I would have no tools to plan my recovery, and even then it was not straightforward, as I went through different stages of recovery. It took a lot of persistence, a lot of work. I unearthed a lot about myself on that way, a lot of it was extremely painful and incredibly difficult to survive, but then I did survive...You can deal with this. Stay strong.
Best,
A.
