[Da'Burgh]

I have been getting so much better over the days. The technique I have been using is to let everything go.

When you have symptoms, don't be afraid. If you do become afraid, just stop your fear by telling yourself "This is just anxiety. I'm not being harmed. The only way I will ever get out of this shit is by not giving it the power it wants." What 'it' wants is for you to be fearful and worried. It wants you to think about it. But if you're distracted or carrying on you'll kill your symptoms and they will get better day by day.

It will take a few days, weeks, maybe months of accepting these feelings before they get bored with trying to scare you and finally drift away.

Without the anxiety, the DP/DR cannot exist. It's as simple as that. Break the habit of the anxiety, (checking in, thinking the worst) and let your symptoms go. Laugh in the face of them. Don't fight, just say 'whatever' and they will be gone before you know it.

Trust me, this works. I used klonopin at first for my panic attacks, but once I realized I didn't need them and convinced myself that there really ISN'T something wrong with me, my anxiety went down, the DP/DR got better by the day, and I started to actually listen to music and laugh and joke with everyone-not just spending my time alone in my head.

I'm still going through some little effects of anxiety and DR/DP but I feel that I'm recovering quite well. This will not happen overnight people! I recovered virtually without medication. (OK I took 6 klonopins! 6!)

...and I'm not even selling anything...

I hope this is help to many of you! My DP is almost dead... and yours can be too!

 

[ShyTiger]

Is great to hear Da'Burgh. Great post and congrats on your progress!

 

[kchendrix]

Hey...good for you and I believe every word of yours....When I am in a better place and I feel well enough to make the drive to Pittsburgh we are going to meet for a Cold Beer...and Celebrate.. As I mentioned before I used to go about once a month for work...I need to get up there again soon, but have been a little fearful of doing it.. BUt I WILL DO IT SOON again and when I do...We are going to get a cold one!!!!

KC

 

[Guest]

Hey...good for you and I believe every word of yours....When I am in a better place and I feel well enough to make the drive to Pittsburgh we are going to meet for a Cold Beer

Have one for me

 

[Da'Burgh]

Right on!

 

[Lilymoonchild]

Telling myself it's just anxiety, nothing will harm me helps in every situation, except the dark. I have an intense fear of the dark, and even if I tell myself nothing will harm me, I still have this extreme fear rise within me, and it gets worse and worse until I turn the lights on. I feel like I'm drowning, and like any second something will reach out and grab me. Even writing about it now is causing anxiety.
Any one have any tips for that?
Otherwise, that's great news that you've found something that works for you. Congrats!

 

[peaceboy23]

Hey Lilly, are you in therapy and if so have you talked about this with him/her? I hope this doesn't sound juvenile, but I have found that when the dark is bothering me, something as simple as a night light or leaving a light on in a room down the hall or something of that sort can help.

 

[Lilymoonchild]

I have a night light. It just bothers me that I'm afraid of the dark. And I've been able to overcome a lot of issues in my life, so it bothers me that I can't get over this one.

 

[Guest]

I have a night light. It just bothers me that I'm afraid of the dark. And I've been able to overcome a lot of issues in my life, so it bothers me that I can't get over this one.

One thing at a time, eh?

I hate the dark (Not becuase it's scary as such - but I find it intensely boring with nothing to distract my mind) - and everything seems strange in the dark...

 

[Sojourner]

Lilymoonchild,

Couple of ideas here:

- Don't turn out the lights until you begin to fall asleep sitting where you are.

- If you don't do the above, next time you turn the lights out, start a conversation with the dark and its denizens. Out loud. Not in your mind but using your voice.

Example:

LMC turns out light and says:

"Okay, so..... who is here in the dark with me?"

LMC listens for an answer and speaks the words (if any) that she hears -- OUT LOUD and using her voice.

LMC (1) responds to LMC:

"No one's here but us chickens!"

LMC: "Are you sure about that?"

LMC (1): "Wait a minute....let me double-check.... Yeah, nobody's here but you and me."

LMC: "Who the hell are you???"

LMC (1): "Who do you think I am?"

.....

 

[Lilymoonchild]

I might try this when I'm feeling brave, but my biggest fear is that someone WILL answer back, so I don't know if I'm brave enough to ask who's there.
Did I mention I'm very afraid of ghosts, monsters, spirits, etc.? Not that I realistically think they are there in the dark with me, but I do believe in ghosts, so it's not totally out of the realm of possibility that they are there....

 

[Sojourner]

Of course someone will answer back!

 

[WorldofmyOwn]

Yes "Checking in"
Thats what I do all the time, and when I don'tdo that, or do and it doesn't bug me thats when i know I', not anxious
I'm "back"
Checking in sucks, it starts the overthinking process and ignites endless negative creativity, which just puts you in more belive that the thoughts are true and scares you even more.
I call it "refelcting" (checking in)
Like today when I was working as a cashier I looked at the belt of
a million items on it for me to ring up, and, how many minutes i have to go through before it's time to go, and then have to go through the rest after that forever. I also call it futurizing.
And then I check in thinking about my awareness.
That is the worst,maybe even worse then veiwing life with no meaning or importance.

 

[person3]

i dunno...being afraid of the dark might be representative of other things...if you're in the dark, you need assistance to function (be it using other senses besides your eyes, or a light, etc)...maybe something about the way we're so dependent on being able to see...not seeing involves trust and the unknown

or you could just be afraid of the dark.

who knows?

 

[person3]

worldofmyown:

i don't even think it's creativity, positive or negative. personally, i see it as you're doing one thing- trying to control, and you may THINK you're being creative by the ways you go about it in your mind (such as "oh, i'm just seeing what i have to prepare for in the future") but the very act of calling it a type of creativity is interesting in itself. It's kind of like how in our worrying we're being "mindful" or "watchful" or "prepared" or "responsible", this overthinking is "creative".

I'm not bashing your use of words, I just thought it was interesting that you labeled it as such. It would be almost befitting to how we put euphemisms to our habits.