Hi All,
Many of you may not know who I am - others will remember that I used to post quite frequently on the old board. Anyway, I havent been visiting the site regularly for a long time as I have largely recovered from DP.
My DP started about 4 years ago after I took ecstasy. I had experienced DP/DR in the past, so knew what was going on when the next day the symptoms came back. I also became very depressed and suffered the symptoms that are associated with depression. It was hell - i never thought i would have any relief ever and just felt i was getting worse for a long time. Finding this website was excellent - it gave me some hope and i gained a lot of good advice from others that were going through exactly i was.
After about a year of playing around with different meds, I started taking knolopin (clonezeapam) and celexa (citalopram) in combination, and the improvement was dramatic. Within two weeks, the DP which was so bad and debilitating had started to lift. My depression also lifted. It took a long time, but after taking the meds for a few months i started to feel almost normal.
Since then, I am still taking these two meds and am slowly weening myself off. I am not CURED of DP, as if I miss my meds, I get DP back (not nearly as bad though) and the depression tends to return. But, I am happy to say that since the onset of my present dp episode, I have finished two degrees, have moved interstate, and am working in a fast paced corporate environment despite my condition. My advise to all is to never give up. I nearly gave up so many times, thinking I would never get better. But, with time and the right meds for me, I am getting on with life well.
Just thought you all might like to hear of success. This brings me to my point - keep trying to help yourself get better. I know it is hard and it can feel like there is no hope but there is. Try different techniques and keep working at it until you find some relief. Some will find help with meds, some with therapy and some with something else all together. Just dont give up on trying to make yourself better.
In summation, here are a list of things that I believe can help you get better (if not necessarily cured) from the horror that is DP/DR:
1. Meditation - reduces anxiety and can allow better sense of attachment to your body.
2. Medication - people will argue about meds and their role with DP till the cows come home, but I am proof that meds do work for some. Some have had success with the combo i take, others with lamictal, and many other combos have helped for others. It is a personal decision, but if you do take a med and it doesnt work dont be too disheartened - a bit of patience and testing of dosages and types will almost always be required. If you are going to try medication, talk with your doc and read, read, read about DP and the meds that have been successful. Give information to your doctor and help them help you - as DP/DR is so unknown, this can help you start the right way.
3. Osteopathy - I have found that seeing an oseto and receiving cranial sacral treatments have helped me greatly in reducing my dp. Cranial treatments assist in blood flow in the brain and reduces muscular tensions which can lead to dp symptoms. If my dp flares up badly, now i go and visit my osteo and it helps alot.
4. Supplements - DP can related to a lack of essential vitamins or amino acids and as such vitamins and other supplements - including l-glutamine, omega-3 and vitamin B - can help. It depends on the individual of course but these three are excellent supplements to try in my opinion. I feel that l-gluatmine saved me from my previous dp episode when i was younger and can help if dissolved under the tongue.
5. Excercise - keeping healthy and on the go is important in general health, especially for dp and depression. It seems so sometimes with dp to do ANYTHING, but even a small walk can help. Get oxygen in your system and blood flowing - it helps.
6. Eat Well
7. Seek Therapy - A large part of my recovery was seeing a psychologist every week. He helped me understand what might be causing the dp and gave me some excellent advice over time. Just talking to someone who could have some idea about how i felt made me feel a whole lot better.
8. Do things that do (or did) make you happy - i really stopped doing anything that i enjoyed when i was at my worst. This is a very common characteristic of depression sufferers. But even seeing a movie for me gave me some relief (i love movies and just doing this took my attention away from my disorder). Try to keep going in life and consicously try to keep in mind to do things you enjoy everyday.
Thats my list for now - hope it helps. Good luck all.
DB
Many of you may not know who I am - others will remember that I used to post quite frequently on the old board. Anyway, I havent been visiting the site regularly for a long time as I have largely recovered from DP.
My DP started about 4 years ago after I took ecstasy. I had experienced DP/DR in the past, so knew what was going on when the next day the symptoms came back. I also became very depressed and suffered the symptoms that are associated with depression. It was hell - i never thought i would have any relief ever and just felt i was getting worse for a long time. Finding this website was excellent - it gave me some hope and i gained a lot of good advice from others that were going through exactly i was.
After about a year of playing around with different meds, I started taking knolopin (clonezeapam) and celexa (citalopram) in combination, and the improvement was dramatic. Within two weeks, the DP which was so bad and debilitating had started to lift. My depression also lifted. It took a long time, but after taking the meds for a few months i started to feel almost normal.
Since then, I am still taking these two meds and am slowly weening myself off. I am not CURED of DP, as if I miss my meds, I get DP back (not nearly as bad though) and the depression tends to return. But, I am happy to say that since the onset of my present dp episode, I have finished two degrees, have moved interstate, and am working in a fast paced corporate environment despite my condition. My advise to all is to never give up. I nearly gave up so many times, thinking I would never get better. But, with time and the right meds for me, I am getting on with life well.
Just thought you all might like to hear of success. This brings me to my point - keep trying to help yourself get better. I know it is hard and it can feel like there is no hope but there is. Try different techniques and keep working at it until you find some relief. Some will find help with meds, some with therapy and some with something else all together. Just dont give up on trying to make yourself better.
In summation, here are a list of things that I believe can help you get better (if not necessarily cured) from the horror that is DP/DR:
1. Meditation - reduces anxiety and can allow better sense of attachment to your body.
2. Medication - people will argue about meds and their role with DP till the cows come home, but I am proof that meds do work for some. Some have had success with the combo i take, others with lamictal, and many other combos have helped for others. It is a personal decision, but if you do take a med and it doesnt work dont be too disheartened - a bit of patience and testing of dosages and types will almost always be required. If you are going to try medication, talk with your doc and read, read, read about DP and the meds that have been successful. Give information to your doctor and help them help you - as DP/DR is so unknown, this can help you start the right way.
3. Osteopathy - I have found that seeing an oseto and receiving cranial sacral treatments have helped me greatly in reducing my dp. Cranial treatments assist in blood flow in the brain and reduces muscular tensions which can lead to dp symptoms. If my dp flares up badly, now i go and visit my osteo and it helps alot.
4. Supplements - DP can related to a lack of essential vitamins or amino acids and as such vitamins and other supplements - including l-glutamine, omega-3 and vitamin B - can help. It depends on the individual of course but these three are excellent supplements to try in my opinion. I feel that l-gluatmine saved me from my previous dp episode when i was younger and can help if dissolved under the tongue.
5. Excercise - keeping healthy and on the go is important in general health, especially for dp and depression. It seems so sometimes with dp to do ANYTHING, but even a small walk can help. Get oxygen in your system and blood flowing - it helps.
6. Eat Well
7. Seek Therapy - A large part of my recovery was seeing a psychologist every week. He helped me understand what might be causing the dp and gave me some excellent advice over time. Just talking to someone who could have some idea about how i felt made me feel a whole lot better.
8. Do things that do (or did) make you happy - i really stopped doing anything that i enjoyed when i was at my worst. This is a very common characteristic of depression sufferers. But even seeing a movie for me gave me some relief (i love movies and just doing this took my attention away from my disorder). Try to keep going in life and consicously try to keep in mind to do things you enjoy everyday.
Thats my list for now - hope it helps. Good luck all.
DB
