[pfpc]

I've read a lot about people's reaction to alcohol vis-a-vis dp/dr. My experience is that it's good for the moment, but not the next day. But what about pot? I can't imagine anyone with drug induced dp/dr even thinking about taking rec drugs again, but does the same apply to non-drug induced cases? I was at a party a couple of weeks ago and made the not-so-cautious action of taking a puff from a joint, reasoning that since my dr was not drug induced I should be reasonably ok :roll:. And so I was, for the time being. The next morning, though, was a different story. DR and anxiety levels sky-high -- it took me two weeks to stabilize again and during that time I went through literal hell.

My psych dismissed the whole episode as hypochondria. But I don't think so. In any event, just a cautious note to the more curiously inclined.

 

[Ben]

Drugs get a bad rap because they alter your mind and someone prone to DP will have bad reactions from that which alters their mind (turns their world upside down). The reality is that alcohol will do the same (at least, it's capable of doing the same); and one of my worst DP/panic experiences was laying in a near-dead state overdosed on alcohol. I've also found that too much caffeine will give me terrible attacks of panic too - and has been known to give me some pretty bad DP episodes.

When we say drugs we naturally think of thinks like LSD, PCP, Meth, Pot, etc. - but in reality anything that can change your mental state could, potentially, give you a bad DP experience. Even a lack of sleep (and its neurochemical changes) can give you a bad DP experience.

 

[Beth]

I think I probably shouldn't use drugs, but I do seem to. Like you I find that afterwards is more of a problem than during. I was terrified of drugs when I first got dp/r. Now I sometimes feel more normal using them, especially alcohol and cannabis. It gives me sort of an excuse for not feeling normal and I know that the people I'm with feel similar. I'd never take shrooms or acid or anything now though.

One other thing is that if I'm not smoking then people that are really begin to worry me. Being with people who can't talk properly makes me feel worse than being unable to think myself.

 

[Guest]

i do not have drug induced dp/dr (at least i think) but taking hallucinogens is the absolute ABSOLUTE worst thing that i can do. It makes my dp/dr sooooooooo bad. Alcohol, I'm sorry to say, actually seems to help. Even though i feel weird the morning after, it doesn't bother me because i know it's just from the alcohol and i'm not going crazy.

 

[rainboteers]

Alcohol almost takes dp completely away for me. I try to stay away from it though because I realize that it is an unhealthy way handling my problems. I would never even THINK of doing other drugs with this disorder.

 

[Martinelv]

Ever the man of contradictions, during my first DR/Panic episode Alcohol made things 10* worse. Second time around, it eased it a little. :?

Personally, I don't think a little booze is bad during DR/DP - I mean, let's not be prudish. We still have to live. As for everything else, stay well clear...and I mean WELL clear.