# Starting to feel like myself



## ballagher (Aug 18, 2004)

So...this is my third experience with DP in the past 10 years. Each experience has lasted between a few months and a year. This episode started in March (after I smoked some weed which I will never do again) and I'm really starting to come around. I think the Claire Weekes book really helped. Read it quite a bit then really just started living and not thinking about the feeling that "I'm not reallyhere". Trust me, I know what you guys are talking about, as mentioned, this is my third experience and I wouldn't wish this on anyone. For the past few weeks I've really been able to go for hours without thinking about the DP or letting it bother me. Play sports, go to football games, go drinking with friends etc. A few weeks ago I went to a party with friends. Drinking all night and at one point, the DP started, went outside. Could have walked home but instead said, NO...that would be letting it win. I sucked it up and went back inside. Ended up partying till early in the am. When it first started in March I was devastated. Same feeling as last time, didn't feel like I was there, was totally scared to do anything but kept forcing myself to do it. Took a while to tell my wife/family but eventually did. Weddings and other events were really hard. I wasn't myself but knew that I had to keep getting out there and eventually the feelings woudl subside. I had so much going on too, toddler, moved, changed locations at work, etc. Very difficult to deal with all of these while feeling this way. I highly recommend Dr Weekes book. So helpful. Anyways, I just wanted to say that you can't let this feeling win. Keep going to work, keep going out with friends, keep playing sports, etc. It is not easy, but it will eventually start to feel normal. As mentioned before, I've been through this a few tiems in the past 10 years and know that it will subside. I'm still not back to myself 100% and I'm a big believer in the fact that this is a 'shell' that we enter in to to protect ourselves/escape from what is going on. Before the DP started in March we had quite a bit of stress and I thought I was dealign with it. I'm certain that the weed let my guard down and I feel into DP with teh weight of the stress on my shoulders. Keep positive, keep living life and it will get better. Don't try and force 'normal feelings' they will come. Remember that life is a long journey with many ups and downs, this is just a bump in the road.


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## ballagher (Aug 18, 2004)

So...this is my third experience with DP in the past 10 years. Each experience has lasted between a few months and a year. This episode started in March (after I smoked some weed which I will never do again) and I'm really starting to come around. I think the Claire Weekes book really helped. Read it quite a bit then really just started living and not thinking about the feeling that "I'm not reallyhere". Trust me, I know what you guys are talking about, as mentioned, this is my third experience and I wouldn't wish this on anyone. For the past few weeks I've really been able to go for hours without thinking about the DP or letting it bother me. Play sports, go to football games, go drinking with friends etc. A few weeks ago I went to a party with friends. Drinking all night and at one point, the DP started, went outside. Could have walked home but instead said, NO...that would be letting it win. I sucked it up and went back inside. Ended up partying till early in the am. When it first started in March I was devastated. Same feeling as last time, didn't feel like I was there, was totally scared to do anything but kept forcing myself to do it. Took a while to tell my wife/family but eventually did. Weddings and other events were really hard. I wasn't myself but knew that I had to keep getting out there and eventually the feelings woudl subside. I had so much going on too, toddler, moved, changed locations at work, etc. Very difficult to deal with all of these while feeling this way. I highly recommend Dr Weekes book. So helpful. Anyways, I just wanted to say that you can't let this feeling win. Keep going to work, keep going out with friends, keep playing sports, etc. It is not easy, but it will eventually start to feel normal. As mentioned before, I've been through this a few tiems in the past 10 years and know that it will subside. I'm still not back to myself 100% and I'm a big believer in the fact that this is a 'shell' that we enter in to to protect ourselves/escape from what is going on. Before the DP started in March we had quite a bit of stress and I thought I was dealign with it. I'm certain that the weed let my guard down and I feel into DP with teh weight of the stress on my shoulders. Keep positive, keep living life and it will get better. Don't try and force 'normal feelings' they will come. Remember that life is a long journey with many ups and downs, this is just a bump in the road.


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