[Absent]

Do different seasons affect the degree of your DP/DR symptoms? I find heatwaves take any narrow 'realness' DPD has left me with, so I have to wait them out before I can function a bit. High pressure, heat and humidity all increase my DP and DR, then I definitely improve when those weather conditions let up. Meanwhile, this sort of oppressive summer weather seems to act as a 'threat' and also the discomfort of this weather forces a physical presence which my DPD resists. I would say another exacerbating aspect of this is that everything is brighter, more stimulating to the senses on summer, and that 'overloads' my DP/DR.

These effects are significantly difficult ('tropical' days in Britain are not ok with me) but I know the autumn/fall will be some relief.

 

[forestx5]

During my illness, I never cared for beautiful sunny days which were full of potential. Because I wasn't.

I preferred rainy gloomy days which weren't good for much. Neither was I.

 

[Absent]

Yes, I find it difficult not to be able to bring my true potential to days. There is more vibrancy to be missing and not feeling in days that are more alive with nature and light. Winter days are definitely easier for me. But....I make it count that I know how I would experience the world in all seasons if I were not in DPRD, so that way I avoid grieving too much, which only puts me in a bad cycle. I meant also, though, that the actual climatic conditions seem to increase DP/DR. There is definitely a factor in that for me.

 

[James_80]

The weather affects it for me yeah. Overcast days with light cloud (which is most days where I live) make everything look sort of over saturated like the colour settings are messed up on a tv. Colours seem to jump out at you, especially reds and greens. Certain colours seem to ripple or dance about. I've had this for such a long time otherwise I would be worried I was having mild hallucinations. It's more related to hppd I think. Hypersensitivity of vision. Heightened sensitivity to danger as your system has been in a state of stress and fight/flight/freeze for an extended period. Might not be that reason but that's just a theory. Like everything to do with dp/dr, we are in the dark. No one knows for sure what's happening apart from the obvious link to anxiety and panic.

 

[Grindelwald]

I was better at night usually although the overhead lights in my family room kind of tripped me out sometimes.

 

[Absent]

Weather can significantly worsen my DP/DR, hence my post.

Nights are easier for me too, I would say that is because my divisive derealisation is less challenged then, whereas in the day there is more overwhelming stimulation from light and more happening around me. That jars with my DPD trying to reject everything.

James_80, with my derealisation colours do look altered and estranged to me (but not with hppd, I don't know what that is like). I think you are probably right that there can a factor of vigilance for danger. So many apparent contradictions on DPRD: sensory numbing but hypersensitivity to light, DPRD 'protecting' yet that leading to more need for vigilance to compensate for DPRD. I do get, at least, some rest from the intensity of it all in the winter and I optimise such times!

All the best.

 

[James_80]

I think you are probably right that there can a factor of vigilance for danger. So many apparent contradictions on DPRD: sensory numbing but hypersensitivity to light, DPRD 'protecting' yet that leading to more need for vigilance to compensate for DPRD. I do get, at least, some rest from the intensity of it all in the winter and I optimise such times!

Yeah it is a strange condition. The only way I can see it's utility is imagining myself in a traumatic situation where there is danger all around me. In that scenario, being emotionally numb would be better than being an emotional wreck. I see it as your life going on autopilot until you are clear of the danger. I think there is an element of malfunction perhaps as well - when a condition keeps on going beyond it's window of usefulness. Who knows if dp ever really had some use though. I'm yet to hear someone thanking the lord they had dp to help them get through tough times. But then again, maybe us humans don't know what's good for us? We can only experience our own personal subjective perspective which makes it impossible to see what our life would be like without dp following a traumatic event or period of high stress and anxiety. I personally like to think dp has (or had) some utility for humans because it makes the condition seem less threatening, almost normal. The amount of people on this website must surely give an indication that it is a normal part of the human experience. If only there was more information and support out there to reassure people.

 

[forestx5]

It is an answer to a different question, but I experienced a profound diurnal effect during my depressive episodes. Mornings and early afternoons were very difficult times, with moderate to severe symptoms of anxiety etc.

By mid afternoon, I seemed to have warmed up to life a bit, and I would have the relatively best part of my day until later in the evening when the challenge of insomnia raised it's ugly head in preparation for an attempt at sleep.

The "Diurnal effect" is recognized as a feature of some major depressive episodes. I don't know if they offer an explanation for it.

 

[PerfectFifth]

I find hot weather to be worse. Winter was definitely preferable for me. I'm saying "was" because there aren't really cold winters anymore nowadays here in Finland. There has barely been any snow for years.

 

[forestx5]

I'm six and a half decades now, so I have to comment on the weather changes I have seen during that span. I agree things are not the same and it

worries me. From my perspective, global warming is real and it could prove to be an extinction level event. I don't know if we have enough time to

correct it, and it angers me that people my age and older don't care, because they won't have to deal with the consequences of it for much longer.

I do remember very cold winters with many snowfalls of more than a foot accumulation. I could go hunting in the morning in 4 inches of snow

and come out of the forest at days end with snow above my hips. (40+ inches of accumulation) In the mid 70s, I spent the winter in a forest cabin and the temperature did not

rise above freezing for over 30 days. Now, during late November you might have to contend with mosquitoes.

The century of the internal combustion engine has destroyed our planet, I'm afraid..I would like to live long enough to see the oceans erase the

cities along the US coast line. I think that would be proper punishment for our neglect.

 

[Absent]

Thanks for all the replies, weather has always caused some variation in my DP/DR.

James_80, I could almost see DPD as having once been a friend briefly, protecting me from something emotionally intolerable, but then it staying for years makes it itself my greater problem (of course). It is as though DP insists it remaining is crucial. Knowing it is not and that it is unneeded ought to dispel DPD more than that does, a measure of its fundamental mechanism perhaps? It all ends up being a contradictory tangle of vicious circles. I tried to say a bit about that here https://www.describingdepersonalisation.com/dprd-as-defence/ (my own views).

forestx5, it sounds like a daily challenge with mood varying in different parts of the day. My DPD is more manageable in the afternoon. I have learnt not to take on too much in mornings or evenings. I gain more progress by assiduously waiting for at least some practical awareness in the afternoon and then applying myself to getting on despite DP/DR.

I am also old enough to recall winters that were actually wintry. Background discomfort from climate change is not good and DPD does not seem to numb me to sensing the global concern.

PerfectFifth, no more cold winters in Finland either is unsettling as regards climate change - and also less relief for you as hot weather is more difficult for you. I am hanging on to October, good to know I will improve then.

 

[PerfectFifth]

*Stuff about climate change*

I also remember when in my childhood we had incredibly cold winters here. Hell, the country was kind of known for that. Now it's funny that the stereotype lives on, but there is basically no winter here at all. Yes, climate change will destroy humanity, or more aptly, humanity will finally pay the bill for its irresponsible and unsustainable way of life. What did we expect? The greenhouse effect has been known for about two centuries, and yet we've done nothing. Fossil fuel companies have been lobbying against all policies that have been in favor of the environment, and continue to do so vehemently. Greed and money always wins at the end because those with money ultimately control everything.

It's over. It's too late to solve climate change now-though as far as I can tell, it was never possible due to how humans evolved to essentially maximize resource hoarding due to the reproductive advantage it provides. The feedback loops are already in effect, emissions keep rising, and on top of that we're slowly running out of resources due to our unsustainable consumption patterns. We're in the endgame of our civilization. These are the last decades before the immensely interconnected superorganism of humanity collapses, and billions (perhaps total extinction) will die due to starvation (total failure of global food system), catastrophic weather events, resource wars, disease, and other problems. Only a real geoengineering miracle could save us at this point-it's not coming.

Many still seem to believe that climate change is some far-away future concern and therefore don't care. They couldn't be more wrong. It's already happening. It's a matter of decades now at best before the shit really hits the fan.

I'd be lying if I said that it's not somewhat depressing to live in a world that is about to end in the near future. Feels like working toward long-term goals is a bit of a waste of time. But it must be done regardless.

To those interested: The Uninhabitable Earth (book)