# Feeling 90% Better After 4 Years - Here's How



## Guest

I'm going to paste an extract from dpmanual.com which I have edited a fair bit myself adding what I know and changing the wording in places.

The feeling of depersonlisation is due to a shift in brain chemistry, and is due to anxiety/worry etc.
Stress or fear produce a change in your brain chemistry ? an increase of adrenaline and decrease of dopamine - and this feeling of depersonalistion and derealisation is a result. You are not going insane and this will rebalance itself. What makes it persist is that usually a person does not know what it is and so worries/creates more stress ? this creates a self-perpetuating cycle. Normally, the ?safe? feeling in the chest after a shock will reverse the change in brain chemistry , lowering adrenaline and raising dopamine, but when you are worrying about the DP, you cannot feel safe.

DP can occur as a result of a trauma. In this case, as well as the above, the brain is taking time out to rest itself ? you have no control over this ? the more you try , the more tired your brain gets and it can?t feel the ?safe? feeling it needs. By worrying/stressing you are sending signals to the brain that something is wrong - hence it will protect itself even more and so the cycle continues.

If you let it get the rest it needs and just carry on your every day life as best you can, then eventually the safe feeling will return and you will recover. But only if you give yourself a chance to and stop trying to ?force? recovery.

*When manifesting as part of another disorder such as anxiety, depression etc, the symptom may never occur again after the person recovers from the primary disorder.*

People that have experienced DP as a result of a bad drug ?trip? or experience have NOT caused long term damage ? the mechanism is exactly the same, your brain is protecting itself, hiding away to get the rest it needs ? whether this be from the fear a bad experience causes or from the long term drain the drug use has on your body.

For some people, there seems to be no trauma, no drug-inducement, no nothing that caused the DP. They may have been just walking along the street one day, when the condition suddenly hit them. The fact that there seemed to be no cause whatsoever can make the condition all the more frightening; it?s as if something has gone wrong in the person?s brain for absolutely no reason at all.

But things are not always what they seem. There are a HUGE number of elements that, when combined, can cause a person to experience an episode of DP. For example, your work might be a little stressful. You might be drinking some caffeine and soft drinks etc. You might not be sleeping as well as you should. 
You might have small some problems in your personal relationships. You might be suffering from a common ailment like post-natal depression, mid-life crisis, exam stress etc.
And of course, all of these things on their own can seem like they can be coped with on a day-to-day basis. But these various stresses combined over time can cause the body and mind to react in very strange ways.
You might have reduced serotonin due to stress (even if you don't feel that stressed, modern life is pretty stressful in itself) as Tommygunz has theorised - in this case the supplements he has listed will help that rebalance but you also need to train yourself out of the overthinking and ruminating habit and try to live day by day as normally and routinely as possible.

For most people, the DP dissipates naturally when they are out of the traumatic situation ? but this is not always the case. You can become aware of the feeling of being ?outside yourself? that DP causes ? and say, ?Hey why am I feeling like this??
That unease creates more anxiety and fear (which is now actually focused on the feeling of DP/yourself/the environment simply because there is no visible threat to aim itself at ), with the result that the DP is not able to ebb away as your brain chemistry returns to normal. It turns into a cycle of more DP and more fear ? generating the thought habit that becomes the actual condition.

Thus there are a variety of causes, but what is common to each case is that the person at some point focuses on the DP, and tries to understand why they are having these feelings.
The excess fear/worry has nothing to focus on; there is nothing specific to be worried about, so the fear is projected onto anything and everything
This also makes the fear self-perpetuating; there is no threat, so you assume that something is wrong with your mind.
This in turn generates more fear ? still with no threat around
*
If certain things (thoughts, environmental factors etc) can affect this, then it must be possible to get out of it altogether by establishing precise habits that do not allow it to persist ? distraction and not trying to do anything about it.*

Most of us react to the initial feeling of DP by trying to fight against it. But if you think about it, the idea of fighting against one?s own natural defence mechanisms is pointless.
By fighting against it, you are making the anxiety worse, and prolonging the DP that is trying to stop that very anxiety/protect the brain against it and give it a chance to recover.

Depersonalisation is simply your mind?s way of reacting to an event that?s been too traumatic to deal with up front or of dealing with too much stress/chemical imbalance.

When you go through an experience that?s very difficult, your mind says, ?Right - this is too much for me. I?m staying out of this one!? - it pulls back from reality, because it seems too scary. Once again, that?s why DP so often seems as if there?s a ?pane of glass? between the sufferer and the rest of the world ? it?s not because of any permanent change, any distancing ? it?s simply because your mind is trying to stay away from anything dangerous and has created a temporary ?screen? to keep that stuff out.

Say someone gets mugged and stays in for a few days to build up their confidence again?.this is exactly what the mind does with DP ? it says ?I?m staying in the house for a while until I get my confidence back up?. Of course, getting your confidence back up takes a lot of effort. But it must be done. Otherwise, that man who got mugged can end up staying in the house for much longer than he should, afraid of going out again.

And here?s the most important part: It?s up to you to get your confidence back up. You must learn to calm your mind down and coax it out of its fear, out from behind that invisible barrier.

NOT worry it more/tire it more so it wants to stay in even longer! Leave it alone to rest in its own time. But don?t let it hide away at the same time?

SLEEP is the safest place your mind knows ? this is why you may want to sleep all the time when first ill
To find safety, the mind accesses the comfortable state of sleeping - but does so while you are awake. So part of the sleeping state is temporarily shifted into the waking state. That?s another reason why DP constantly feels like a mental grogginess, and why concentration becomes difficult ? your mind is in that place where you?re just about to drift off to sleep, though your body is fully awake. It?s also why DP is always worse after a nap ? the mind is much closer to the sleep-state.

So, in order to deal with a scary waking reality, the mind pulls the warm blanket of the sleep-state over itself and waits until it?s ready to come out again. The mind?s proximity to the sleep-state explains further many of the difficult existential / philosophical thoughts that DP generates.
You can find yourself asking questions like, ?Why am I here? Why am I me?? etc, constantly questioning your own reality: Because of the mind being so close to the sleep-state all the time, life can actually feel like a dream.

And what happens at the end of a dream? You wake up. The dream reality disappears, and normal reality resumes. So one reason for the constant nasty existential thoughts of DP is because you keep expecting reality to somehow stop ? because all your previous dream experience tells you that it should! And of course, that?s a scary thought.

But that?s all it is ? just a thought.
One thing you absolutely have to remember with DP is that reality never changes. It will never ?stop?, it will never ?fall apart? ? none of those horrible thoughts will ever actually take place. Those thoughts are nonsense. All that has changed is your mind?s ability to deal with everyday life ? but it?s a perfectly natural and understandable reaction to a trauma, and it?s only temporary.

You know that feeling when you are half-asleep in front of the TV or the radio? The sound can seem a bit louder than usual. Sometimes specific words can set off a strange train of thought.

It?s usually a nice, cosy feeling ? being set adrift on the river of the mind! But with DP,
you can have those long trains of thoughts even when you?re fully awake. The anxiety and fear of being in this state tends to generate fearful, rather than happy or creative thoughts.

It can get very scary at times, yes, but just remember that?s it?s nothing more than a slightly different level of awareness ? one that everyone around the world experiences every day . All that is happening is that the DP has temporarily pushed the sleeping level of awareness into waking life in order to protect you from some perceived danger.

The following is true: People who have recovered from DP almost always say, ?What on Earth was I worried about?? Because nothing really changes at all with the condition ? it?s just the way you look at it!

In fact, DP is very much an example of a condition that features what psychologists call ?state-specific learning?, and refers to any type of experience that is difficult to remember emotionally (dreams etc). That means that what you feel when you have DP - all the fear, anxiety etc - is very difficult to recall once you get out of it.

For example, I can describe DP to someone in vivid detail, but I cannot remember the feelings of it in the same way that I can remember, say for example, the sadness I felt when I finished college and said goodbye to my classmates. I know that this may sound unbelievable right now, but I guarantee that when you recover completely from DP, you will find it very difficult to even remember these emotions that seem so important at the moment. Much like you cannot remember a dream sometimes, even moments after waking.

People with DP are usually the sensitive, intelligent and reflective type. This is not entirely surprising, since it is introspection and contemplation of temporary feelings that
create the condition in the first place. In my experience, this has actually been a very positive thing, since all of the people I have contacted in researching the condition have always been open, intelligent and optimistic, even in the face of what is often terrible fear.

Ok, so we?re looking at DP as a habit of thought. Now let?s compare it to another habit: smoking. If you?re a smoker, how do you deal with cravings after you quit? Sure, you can use nicotine patches, gum etc? but the bottom line is about having the will power to get past it. But you can certainly help your will power out by distracting yourself from the craving, by ignoring and trying to forget the habit.
For example, a very common tip for smokers is, keep your hands busy. If you play an
instrument, go practice it. If you like to knit, go knit. Go look at some interesting websites for a while.

The exact same idea works with DP.
But because it is a habit of thought, getting out of it is more difficult than simply not
picking up that cigarette. The ?pink elephant? principle applies here - if you think, ?right, I?m not going to think about DP?, the chances are that you won?t able to stop! And with DP, that tends to happen over and over again. The harder you try to not think about it, to forget about it - the more you do think about it and the more ingrained the habit becomes. That?s why the condition can be so frustrating: it?s very much up to the individual to take action ? but the action taken by the individual often makes the condition worse.

But the bottom line is this: you must train your mind to not think about DP. That doesn?tmean you will learn to stop thinking about it, or get rid of the thought ? but just to think
about something else. And the best way of doing this is to keep your mind constantly occupied. Keep your hands busy! If you play an instrument, go practice. If you
don?t play an instrument, start learning one. If you like to knit, go knit. Go surf the web for a while. Always keep busy. And remember: Every time you are busy, you are absolutely working towards something ? your own recovery. So don?t worry about doing even the most frivolous thing. Enjoy it. But stay busy all the time.

It's all about for now, accepting that you are not 100%, you feel strange because your brain is tired out from all the worrying and ruminating and just giving it a chance to rest and recover by living as normally as you can manage and NOT trying to do anything about the strange feelings/giving them any attention.

It?s also better to stay busy with activities that involve your mental input more than others. For example, reading or writing can be better than watching TV, since it?s easier to drift away into your own thoughts while doing the latter (That said, though, television can also be the source of a good, positive routine, when it is something that absorbs you like a good drama etc). Learning an instrument or a craft is also a good example since it absolutely requires your full attention.

You should also remember that, as with any affliction, laughter is an absolutely wonderful medicine for DP

Talk to as many people as you can. Remember that in spite of any anxiety you may feel, that each and every time you go into town, shopping, meeting friends etc is another bit of progress!
Go out and have fun with your friends. If you stay in all the time, that will become a habit ? and one that probably won?t help.
All DP/anxiety can ever do is make things seem more amplified, more threatening. But reality itself doesn?t change. Even if you wanted it to, it couldn?t change! All that?s
happening is that your mind is scared and jumpy at the moment, and seeing danger everywhere (even in the normal philosophical thoughts that everyone has from time to time).
I know it can be tough, but just remember that this state is temporary and entirely reversible.

One feeling that these thought processes can generate is the idea that reality has somehow ?changed?. You may come to some very strange conclusions about the nature of the condition: for a while, I entertained the nonsensical thought that was in some sort of ?purgatory?, that I had somehow ?lost my soul?. You may think that something dreadful is going to happen, like reality ?falling apart?. Another common thought is that you are somehow going to ?disappear? altogether.

These things have not happened, and will not happen. I have been to the absolute depths of this illness, and I have come out it completely unharmed. There is absolutely no permanent mental damage, there is absolutely no permanent physical damage. Hundreds of thousands of people have had this condition
before you, and none of them ? not a single one ? ever managed to ?change? reality! It?s all based on irrational fears created by nonsensical trains of thought.

You have not changed in any fundamental way. The world has not changed in any
fundamental way. You are suffering from an ailment that yes, can be very scary at times, but is relatively very mild. It is not even close to the risks associated with most other conditions. I think that may be one of the reasons it?s not recognised as much as it
should be; because as scary as it can get, it is a non-progressive condition and, believe it or not, is simply not that dangerous for the sufferer.

Don?t ever fight with DP mentally. Take it from me: Fighting it, like fighting with any type of pain, will only make it worse. DP is like the schoolyard bully who calls people names: If
you respond to his taunts with anger or sadness, he knows that he can hurt you ? andso it will keep happening, day in, day out. But if you simply accept him ? no matter how
difficult that may be, and how persistent the bully may be ? it will eventually stop.

Some people who wear visual aids like glasses and contacts have noted that the stress of DP can be reduced by removing them for a while. I
wear contacts myself, and found that removing them did in fact produce a calming effect. Whyis this? Because by blurring your vision, you are reducing the amount of information that is being received by your visual cortex. This goes to show, yet again, that DP is to a large extent dependent on your environment and how you experience/interact with it. It simply proves, yet again that DP is not a mental condition that is somehow beyond your control.

With DP, it can seem very tempting to stay in bed all day, not shower etc every day, to just let yourself go a bit.
And sick people are somehow ?allowed? to stay in bed, to not shower regularly, not dress properly etc. I know that I used that excuse for many weeks after I initially developed DP.
However, that?s a very negative way of thinking and it will only make the DP worse. In a sense, doing that is actually drawing your focus onto the DP, since you are physically allowing it to affect your life. It?s basically the same thing as letting yourself sit for hours watching boring TV ? it might seem like the easier thing to do, but in fact it promotes exactly the kind of introspection that DP thrives on and in the long run it will only make things worse.

So, though it might seem easier to not to jump into the shower every day, go for it anyway. You?ll look, and more importantly feel much better when you?re clean and it?ll give you a
solid routine to look forward to every day. Personally, I found that a good time to take ashower or bath is right before going to bed. It calms you down nicely and makes your body
tired and prepared for rest.

Take good care of your appearance in general. Look as good as you can every day! Wearclothes that are comfortable and that look well on you, especially you?re going out. Eventually
this outward confidence will soak into your mind and you will start to feel better too.

As I?ve said, one of the many ways to get out of anxiety is to train your concentration. And a great way of doing this is by focusing on bettering yourself physically. It gives you goals, and something very worthwhile to work at every day.

You absolutely must cut caffeine out of your diet. It will aggravate anxiety and DP. Plus, they also tend to disrupt sleep patterns, which as we know are directly related to DP.
Firstly, it increases heart pressure ? something you absolutely don?t need when trying to get rid of anxiety. Secondly, salt depletes potassium in the body, an essential element for a properly-functioning nervous system.

Everyone loves chocolate and sweets ? I?m a big fan myself. However, these again are bad for
anxiety and DP. As they are digested, they cause a drop in blood-sugar levels, which can set off anxiety and moodswings. Stay away from sweet foods!

By cutting them out of your diet, you are cleansing your body and brain, and helping to bring them back to their best. In fact, by the
time you recover from DP, your general health should be better than ever. Look at anxiety and
DP as your body?s way of telling you that it needs to be rid of all these impurities.

The carbon dioxide in soda water is actually very good for you, since anxious people tend to have low levels of it in their blood. It is good for preventing hyperventilation and also helps the bloodflow in general.

In general, fruit and vegetables are very good for diminishing anxiety and DP. Eat plenty of spinach, carrots, onions, beetroot, celery, wholegrain cereals, asparagus, avocado, garlic,
eggs, fish etc. Drink plenty of water every day; keeping your body hydrated is essential for overall health.

Vitamin B6 and 12 are very important for the maintenance of a healthy nervoussystem, which, I don?t have to tell you, is essential for control of anxiety and DP. They are needed for the maintenance of myelin,the fatty substance that protects the nerves, and are generally good for dealing withfatigue. Vitamin B deficiencies can be caused by a number of factors, primarily stress and anxiety. This, in turn, can cause increased anxiety, loss of appetite andinsomnia ? all of which can make DP worse.

*Remember to be patient with it ? if you have developed a deficiency, it can take time to build your Vitamin B levels back up.*

Calcium ? nerve health

Magnesium supplements are good for the heart, for the blood flow, and can help prevent anxiety and stress. Magnesium can also help to relieve insomnia and depression.

Take a good Omega-3 supplement every day.

Also, you should take a good multivitamin supplement every day.

If your DP has come on because of taking drugs, you may feelquite guilty; Remember: It?s not your fault!
It?s nobody?s fault. Often, the drug may have been a catalyst ? the metaphorical ?straw that broke the camel?s back?. It?s quite possible that the stresses in
your life were building up anyway, and that you were about to suffer a panic attack, depression or DP (if you had not had one already). The drug simply sped up that
process.
But regardless of whether or not the drug alone brought on the DP or whether it just hurried up the manifestation of the stresses that were already happening, the end situation
is the same. It is reversible, so don?t worry!

And whatever you do, don?t feel guilty about anything. DP is a natural reaction. It is not something that can be anybody?s fault,
anymore than getting, for example, a bad dose of hayfever is anybody?s fault. Your bodysimply reacted to stresses in a natural way, it and it is now up to you to train it back to
normality.
Look at it this way: This is your body?s way of telling you that you need to better handlestress in the future, and also to stay away from any substances that may aggravate it. All you
need to do is heed this advice, make the necessary changes in your lifestyle, and soonyou?ll be back to normal.

So don?t think of this as a ?mistake?, or someone?s ?fault?. It?s a great lesson to learn, it will enrich your life, so just be happy about it! Also, remember that no matter what the causeof the DP, the condition is essentially the same. There is no difference in marijuana-induced DP and DP caused by general stress levels ? and so, getting out of it will be the
same. And if you have a therapist, don?t be afraid to tell them what you think brought on the DP, even if it was illegal drugs. Getting the causes of the condition off your chest will behugely beneficial to your recovery.

It isn't a great idea to drink with DP - although it may temporarily relieve it, the repercussions are generally worse.
But remember this: If alcohol can temporarily alleviate DP, then that tells us yet again that

DP is a temporary state ? a combination of a transitory imbalance of brain chemicals and thought-habits - and can be changed. The
practices that you are implementing into your life are all contributing towards making that change ? and making it permanently.

Some people have suffered from DP for a long time ; indeed it can affect some people for years at a time. This does not mean that people are affected with different types of
DP that stay longer than others; it simply means that you have not found the correct thought-habits to get out of it. The thing is that it's way to easy to deal with DP by logging
onto the websites every day, to read every book you can about the disorder, to go to every doctor in your area (who usually know nothing about the condition).

It is not easy, however, to simply try and forget about it and get on with your life. The thing with DP, as with any other type of obsessive
thought, is that there is absolutely no point in trying to suppress it, analyse it or get rid of it.

As I have already noted, telling yourself "Today, I am not going to think about DP" is the same
as saying "Today, I will not think about pink elephants". By acknowledging that you don?t want to think about the condition, you are already creating an association that will bother you for the whole day.

The fact that so many people can and do get out of DP on a regular basis (as many posts on website forums prove) means that in theory, anyone can get out of DP. Of course, it may take longer for others and it may take more intensive effort on a day-to-day basis, but the more effort that one puts into getting out of these thought-habits, the faster they will see results.

You might think, ?well, even if I recover, won?t I be likely to just go back in to DP if I have another traumatic experience or stressful period??
Well, if you recover properly, the simple answer to this question is: No.
Like I?ve said, DP is a habit of thought. What you are doing now is building up a resistance to that habit; replacing that negative habit with healthy habits.

Let?s take, for example, the following situation: Let?s say you were a smoker for ten years. And then one day, you just realised that it was bad for you.
So you quit. You didn?t quit cold turkey, but you phased it out over a couple of months. Eventually, you completely stopped associating
cigarettes with your coffee break at work, with your glass of wine in the evening. You learned to stop wanting a cigarette every time you saw
someone else smoke one on the street. It took time and effort, but you replaced the smoking habit of thought with a non-smoking habit of thought, with positive thoughts.
And then, for argument?s sake, let?s just say that if, a decade after that, that you?re at a party, and an old friend offers you a cigarette. You think, ?why not?? and you smoke it.
Now - does that mean that you?re back to square one, hooked all over again? Of course not. The positive habits you?ve built up in the meantime are what count. Even if you get a cigarette craving the next day, that?s ok ? because you know how to deal with it. You have the experience to deal with it. You have dealt with it long enough to know that you can get past it.
And it?s the same with DP. After you get through it, you will have completely trained yourself back into a positive habit of thought.
And if ? if ? something especially stressful happens to you in the future, and if ? if - you happen to experience the transitory DP that almost everyone does in such situations, you will recognise it, know why you are feeling it, and be able to let it go.

Also remember: The DP won't stop overnight.
*There is no miracle cure for the condition, just as there is no miracle cure for any truly bad
habit.* - because it is A NATURAL DEFENSE/HEALING MECHANISM - much like you could not 'cure' a scab that forms over a wound - it simply drops off when the wound is healed.

Getting out of it is a progressive de-habitualisation, like learning to stop smoking,or learning to be more positive in general. You have to think of your recuperation in terms of
months, not days. And even at that, it is still quite difficult at times. As with the removal of any habit,youwill find that it will return, temporarily, at the
most inopportune times. You see, recovery from DP is not a straight line from habit to non-habit. It is more like a jagged downhill mountain slope: at times, you will have to
climb tough little peaks, other times, you will find yourself trotting happily down an easypath. It varies from hour to hour, day to day. Just remember that no matter how tough
those little peaks get, they are still part of a definite movement towards recovery.

You see, the thing about DP is that because of its habitual nature, it can be very difficult tojudge when you are getting better. For example, you might have two good days in a
row. On the third day, for whatever reason, you feel anxious and feel the depersonalisation strongly. Now, if you?d had that day in the
middle of a week-long bout of DP, it would just seem like another bad day.

In fact, it mightn?t even feel that bad ? just another day in which you have had to cope with DP. But when you are back in it after a few days of respite, it can seem much worse. Most of that is attributable not to the intensity of the DP itself, but to the disappointment felt when you
think that your ?escape route? has been closed off.

So when you have a bad day (and let?s be honest aboutit, you will almost certainly have many days that are quite difficult), try not to think, ?Oh
no, I?m back to square one.? Just tell yourself: ?I am not back to square one. My DP only seems worse because I am getting better in general. I have been making improvements ? and that tells me that one day soon I can completely recover from this condition. If I feel
bad in the meantime I am happy to simply wait until I feel better.?

The above are what I think are key points in recovering from DP. I have had it for 4 years and it is ONLY since I was happy in myself knowing the actual mechanism and why it had happened that it started to lift. Oh, AND since I started LIVING not sitting around feeling sorry for myself waiting for it to go. This was the first thing I did, after 8 months of it, and the last 3 years have been HELL struggling to go to work etc when I felt so terrible, but I truly think it is the routine and soldiering on, still going out with friends, making myself go for walks and swimming etc that have helped me to recover. If you force normality on yourself eventually it will become real normality again.


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## Surfingisfun001

That was an awesome read, thanks a lot for writing all that. This post should be stickied.


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## Guest

surfingisfun001 said:


> That was an awesome read, thanks a lot for writing all that. This post should be stickied.


hehehe thanks but I can't really take all the credit, a lot of it is copied and pasted from dpmanual.com (sssh!) although I did edit quite a bit of it as my own views are slightly different and I have incorporated bits and pieces from other sources.

To me it 100% makes sense and that is what I needed basically as I have a very logical brain and to get out of it I needed to truly understand it.

I feel so much better this week, which is pretty exciting after 4 years  The bit about the 'safe' feeling (this is actually scientifc and the physiological actual feeling in your chest is what causes the reverse of the fight or flight adrenaline high dopamine low) is what really struck me as making a lot of sense as I didn't get a chance to feel that after the seizure as I was worrying why it happened all the time and about having epilepsy etc.


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## staples

I want to personally thank you for this reassurance you posted. I think it will give amazing insight for the newcomers that are being diagnosed everyday with DP / DR coming onto the forums.


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## iVoltage

I read all of that.
That is quite amazing and has given me more hope.
I Have been staying strong, trying my best not to think of it, im aware that i have it, i have lessened my reality checks cause i did that alot and im trying to accept that i have this and this will go away eventually.
But how did you have it for 4 years?
I really hope i dont have it for that long. i Have been praying to God everyday and asking for his strength to guide me down this road and it seems to be working, i just need to stay strong, keep occupied, live my life normally and i hope to get out of this eventually.


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## xxcdawg

This gave me a lot more hope that I can pull through this and not just give up,
Thank you so much


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## lfbenz

10/10 post. Simply the best thing I have read yet. I was heavily addicted to caffeine, at least a 2 liter of pepsi a day. I gotta tell ya, I quit 3 days ago and my anxiety has seemed to diminish a great deal. Its hard though, its a rough quit to let caffeine go. The amount I was drinking, I probably would have lost my kidneys in a few years, They're pretty screwed up though. When I decided to fight DP, it wasn't to mentally fight it. It was to not let it get in the way of my everyday routine. This post was 10/10.


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## Guest

lfbenz said:


> When I decided to fight DP, it wasn't to mentally fight it. It was to not let it get in the way of my everyday routine. This post was 10/10.


This is precisely the right approach. Eventually your routine will mean that there is no room for DP


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## seanneedshelp

Very helpful!.. thanks buddy!.. do the same rules apply to derealization?.. because I feel like even when I am not anxious I still experience DR 24/7... would you say that is an imbalance?.. thanks


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## seanneedshelp

Very helpful!.. thanks buddy!.. do the same rules apply to derealization?.. because I feel like even when I am not anxious I still experience DR 24/7... would you say that is an imbalance?.. thanks


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## Guest

Hey Sean  Sorry I should have clarified, yes I have had derealisation side by side with dp. I am not 100% but am improving pretty quickly


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## seanneedshelp

Great! I am glad to hear you are recovering and on your way.. I wish I could say the same.. the feeling of DR and DP is just so unbelievably frightening. Have you ever experienced a dramatic increase in DR symptoms especially at night time (when the sun goes down).. that's when I experience the most.. everything looks dark


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## Guest

It is really pretty pointless to dwell on any individual symptom to be honest. They are all part and parcel of the same thing.
Personally if it were up to me I would remove the 'how I feel' section, I think it is bad for you to dwell on such things. Although I guess good initially to know it is not just you.

Yes it is a really frightening feeling, but the key is to educate yourself (but not obsess - getting the balance right is hard) so that you understand why and how you feel them. That way you eliminate, or at least reduce the fear. Then your fear is not perpetuating the DP so much so it starts to fade (if you distract yourself and try to live normally) - then you can fear it even less and so on and reverse the negative feedback cycle. In theory


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## Zee Deveel

Great post dude, much respect.

I don't know if I've been feeling better lately, but I've certainly gotten myself out of the habit of worrying about my DP which should make me better one day!

I did this by becoming obsessed with working out.

I used to work out quite regularly but stopped when I got the DP as it used to make my symptoms worse. Having realised that no matter how bad the symptoms get, I'm not gonna die, go insane or whatever I just push myself through the feelings when I'm working out.

The incredible amount of attention that has to go into planning my diet, training at the correct times, doing cardio, learning about how to maximise muscle gain, protein synthesis etc has really taken my mind off the DP and made me feel a lot better. It's like I have shifted my constant thought obsession from DP / Anxiety to muscle gain and working out!


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## Guest

Yup that's the idea, you can't get rid of the DP thoughts but you can replace them, eventually your brain learns the new behaviour  Sounds like you've got it anyway, I'm doing a professional qualification on top of work which requires a lot of study so same idea really


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## Guest

I'm probably not gonna be around much anymore on here because I see people just going round in circles because they still think there is some magic answer that won't involve them making any effort/being able to stay home all day doing nothing to occupy their mind. I feel that I can't do any more really than what I already have, because people don't really listen, they try it for maybe a few days and then I see them back on here worrying about their symptoms again 'does anyone else get this' 'does anyone else get that' - what is that gonna do? Great, yeah, someone else gets it. Now what? They find something else to overanalyse and worry about. I know it's helpful in the beginning to get reassurance but some of these people have been at it ever since I joined nearly 2 years ago and wonder why they are still ill. If something is really worrying you then go to the doctor but discussing it in detail on here is pointless and counterproductive.
Sorry to sound unsympathetic, I'm really not, just exasperated because all these people could be recovering if only they would exert a little patience and realise that when you've been thinking 24/7 for months or years, your brain will probably take half as long again to revitalise, and that's after you've practised and mastered the distraction and replacement behaviour technique. To be blunt - there is NO quick fix, just like you can't take a pill that makes you instantly get a good nights sleep (at least not one that doesn't have a comedown/produce a fake awakeness) or to instantly heal a broken leg. Sorry, this is gonna actually be hard work.
Anyway I'm getting off my soapbox and taking my dogs for a walk and then I have study to do.
If anyone wants to msn me it's [email protected]
Good luck everyone.


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## PH26

Still getting there.....must say it's a bit frustrating being so close, keep catching myself trying to force it but I know that's not the way. I have a hangover today which is not helping! 
Oh well onwards and upwards


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## sbm81

Thank you for that very insightful post my friend, you have just helped a lot of people. Although you may have copied most of it from dpmanual and included texts and your own thoughts, just taking the time to write all that information out will give people 2 much needed things- understanding and reassurance. Doctors i have visited couldnt even take the time to give an explanation like that.

So basically we all need to dig deeper than we ever have before and pull ourselves out of this state of mind? Is that what the answer is you guys?


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## guest123

Thanks mate, that is really nice of you, I basically wanted to condense and simplify everything I had concluded.

I am improving pretty much daily now, it's no longer a fight through every day 

It's not so much about digging deep inside yourself, it's about refusing to be impressed by the symptoms, paying as little attention to them as possible and distracting yourself as much as you can to replace the DP habit. Force yourself to live as normally as possible - I had a list for a while of things to do if I found myself obsessing etc. Even stuff like housework, is really good. Getting a basic job is good too, it's been one hell of a challenge for me but I've made it, and there were so many days when I had no hope and was just literally battling through each day.

Most people who recovered have done so by taking the focus OFF getting better, realising that this is just a natural mechanism gone a bit haywire and not some mega monstrous disease that you've got for life, and just getting on with stuff/living as normally as possible.


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## sbm81

Honestly mate that is two of the best posts ive seen on here and ive gained more understanding of this condition (is it even classed as a condition?) in the past 24 hours than ive had in 11 years i really mean that thank you. Doesnt coming out of this make you a better person in some way? Thats how i imagine it will be because i have been so low sometimes and felt nothing inside that i lost connections with loved ones but they never gave up on me so i feel like i will be overwhelmed with emotion for those who helped me and stood by me. And whenever ive had a brief break from dp/dr ive felt a need to help people who are suffering but then i sink back into a cycle of fear and anxiety and become someone who needs help instead of someone giving it. But i actually feel like printing your posts and carrying them around with me because they are very empowering. Thanks again


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## guest123

Yeah totally, I am a lot more aware now of how much support I've got and a lot more thankful. I'm currently involved in a schools reading project (once I've had the police check heh)
and am looking at maybe going to work for Cancer Research or in Clinical Science or something. It's really made me want to do something meaningful.

You have pretty much expressed very well what my goal was with this post - it took me 4 years to accumulate, study and condense all the information available and I wanted to save others the time and make it understandable for people that haven't got a science background etc. Because by far the thing that has helped me most is understanding the mechanism and feeling satisfied with it's feasibility.

I am always printing out pages of stuff that interests me and lists/theories, to perk me up when I'm not near the pc to be able to reassure myself, in fact I find that I don't end up looking at the print out much but it's nice to know it's there - when you are away from resources it is easy to get out of touch with the common sense and get lost in worries that don't actually make much sense - I think having a 'down to earth' card is a good idea, to remind yourself the facts and provide some comfort


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## Carlyisdreaming

Great post.
It helped me alot.


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## guest123

Still feeling a little better every day. I've started to taper off effexor too 

Glad it helps, Carly that's the aim


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## Tommygunz

well, i finally sat down and read the whole thing and have to say, congratulations on having what may be the first post that is 100% perfect and correct. i couldn't agree more with everything you said. i have in fact stumbled onto many of the practices of recovery you mentioned on my own in the past couple of months. one thing i have noticed with DP is that we spend so much time trying to grasp reality, and that is so flawed. how often did any of us try and grasp reality before DP. heck, we weren't even really aware of our perception of reality before DP. we didn't think about it or try and feel it, it just happened naturally. good work phased/guest. by the way, this needs to be sticky'd.


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## Zachary

Hey, thank you for sharing this with us, it made me feel better. I registered just to give you a high five for this post. Anyway, Depersonalization struck me only a half a year ago. I was smoking pot almost everyday last year until one day i had an induced weed psychosis, that day everything spinned around , i felt almost as if my soul got shifted out of this reality for a fraction of a second and then back again to where i stood, naturally the next following thought was something like this : " By smoking this green herb, people and i which am myself, can experience slightly altered states of mind." I knew something was out of place , because i was a pretty good connaisseur, so to speak, about the effects of pot, though at that moment they seemed very strange and alien-like. But Marijuana was not the only catalyst that started this mess, the accumulated stress over the past two years finally got it's way all over me, i pretty much kept everything to myself, very rarely have i been prone to speak up about things that bother me , the things that really matter, the ones that pretty much were scarring my center core of existence. Now i can say it doesn't bother me all that much like a few months ago, i gained a lot of info about it's pseudo-alienating feelings, i will get better soon, i won't be "Comfortably Numb" anymore.

Cheers and i wish you the very most warm happy holidays full of joys and great times besides all your families and friends. ( that is, if you can feel them anymore :lol: )


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## guest123

Tommygunz said:


> well, i finally sat down and read the whole thing and have to say, congratulations on having what may be the first post that is 100% perfect and correct. i couldn't agree more with everything you said. i have in fact stumbled onto many of the practices of recovery you mentioned on my own in the past couple of months. one thing i have noticed with DP is that we spend so much time trying to grasp reality, and that is so flawed. how often did any of us try and grasp reality before DP. heck, we weren't even really aware of our perception of reality before DP. we didn't think about it or try and feel it, it just happened naturally. good work phased/guest. by the way, this needs to be sticky'd.


Cheers dude  yep, time spent trying to work it out or think through it/think yourself better is time wasted, the absolute key is that these feelings and urges to do so are caused by DP, not the other way round!
The stuff above gives me such a feeling of comfort and 'of course' feeling, because it is logical and makes sense to me - this is what we need and this is why I posted it.
I do also think that sublingual B vitamins have been a big help to me Tommy so thanks a lot for recommending them  Inositol too I think is helping. Basically it is like you said, having a healthier body and mind gives us more strength and clarity to be able to deal with this thing better


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## alouchi

i am constantly thinking about the progress that i make day after day. i like to go out a lot to 'feel' this improvement and to insure myself that everything is in the right way. i like to go to the same places sometimes to 'feel' the improvement and there is always!
can we consider that it is something good that i am doing ?


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## Mario

In fact i would consider that you are doing the right thing.


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## Tommygunz

how have you been doing alouchi. are the supplements starting to work for you?


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## alouchi

i am doing progress everyday, but it is a slow progress i am working on my thoughts too. i am trying to 'feel' only what my body can feel without forcing, sometimes i insist to look on something in order to connect more maybe. Sometimes i immagine what reality felt like before DP and i can feel it in small proportions! sometimes i say to myslef: you are so close and you know it, it is difficult to explain, but i feel i need a push on the ground and it will be done  and i will be the happyiest man in the earth, of course.
i have a lot of memory flash back, memories from the childhood, memories before DP, when DP, it is difficult to explain.
i don't feel in a dream anymore (this is true before taking supplements), what i am waiting for is more and more self awarness, to feel myself more and more. The vision is good. Hearing is 100% normal like if my ears are fully connected to the surrowding people but not yet my vision. i still feel distant when talking to people especially for too long conversation, like if the field of vision is modified and my forehead starts to be tensed..
i believe that one cannot stop thinking about DP, since it is in your head, but you can stop to force connection.
i still have anxious reactions when i think to move from my appartment for example but i succeed to think properly that there is no danger, but i donno why the idea of changing creates worries.
sometimes i find myself talking to myself: you know you are safe, you know there is no danger whereever you are, anytime, anywhere, you are safe, when you will be out of it you will say: were was I?
in brief: i can notice the changes especially week after week, but man it is slow!


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## Brittany329

I agree....week after week I feel little improvements at a time. I have my hearing back and everything things normal except the connection for the "In the body thing" I still feel detached mentally. It's taking so slow to improve. When I'm at home I try to do the normal things and to try to stay positive. But when I'm in a concersation for so long, I feel zoned out and not there. And that makes me so frustrated...is that how you feel? and tommy does this mean that I'm on the way and almost there?


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## Tommygunz

absolutely. any improvement at all is still improvement. as time goes by and things clear up there comes a point where you find your old mind again, and when you find it you feel empowered/confident. the path to full recovery reveals itself to you. you get to a point where you are able to discerne between what you have been doing right and what you have been doing wronge. from that point full recovery is right around the corner. it's hard to describe but, when you get to that point you just know for sure.


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## alouchi

when in conversation with somebody and i feel distant, i tell myself that this is the only way to recover and that is very normal instead of ruminating, but somehow it is true that there is a frustration feeling because you cannot 'feel' the other but i keep saying it will pass it will pass and i will feel people again.


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## Mario

yes,do it


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## Cathal_08

if theres one thing that post reminded me its that you cant force recovery or fight against it, like getting mad when dp wont go away or when it comes back after its was barely noticeable for a few days, so like that primal scream song "Don't Fight It, Feel It"


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## Brittany329

you just have to cope with it the best way you can. everyday I'm sure it makes us all want to die and curl up in a ball but we have to hang in there.


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## Brittany329

you just have to cope with it the best way you can. everyday I'm sure it makes us all want to die and curl up in a ball but we have to hang in there.


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## Brittany329

I also find calming in cigarettes...it's just soothing to me. having something in your hand that you can control, you know?


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## guest123

Cathal_08 said:


> if theres one thing that post reminded me its that you cant force recovery or fight against it, like getting mad when dp wont go away or when it comes back after its was barely noticeable for a few days, so like that primal scream song "Don't Fight It, Feel It"


Yeah it's been a really fundamental part of my recovery. I can actually feel myself tense against it sometimes and now when I notice myself doing that I relax myself into it. 
It takes practise to make it NOT your number one focus, but am finally getting there. It's kinda like background noise now


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## linouzz

Usually i don't feel like taking the time to create an account just to reply on a post on any forum. But really, if you only knew how much better i feel already, just reading all these obvious things you've written down, that i actually never thought about before.

And knowing that most of my worst thoughts was mentioned in this text, really makes me feel a lot more sane, cause i've been wandering around thinking that its some kind of schizofrenia, but now i know.

So thank you, a lot. i've been suffering dp for about 2 years now, and i've never really felt like i'm gonna get through this. Until now. Again, thank you!


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## Brittany329

we will all get through it...it just takes time. and stressful situations make it worse. hang in there.


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## guest123

That's wicked to hear 

Yep the main thing that keeps dp alive is fear and the thing that gets rid of fear is understanding and knowledge.

Now please, feel free to print it out and keep it with you for when you are feeling a bit lost 

I'd say I'm on about 98% now


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## bigpmcd

Hey guest 123 just wanted to say well done on your recovery, amazing, I totally agree with your advice which you offered to everyone, I am trying to follow it, hard at but will try keep at it. My mind seems to wonder all the time assuming it must be something else other than anxiety, it is hard to argue against it? did you ever have this? Even though all the facts and history completely point at anxiety.

Thanks


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## Brittany329

I had CAT scans, blood tests and everything in general...everything was normal. If nothing was drug related like myself, it's most likely strictly anxiety.


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## Cathal_08

guest123 said:


> That's wicked to hear
> 
> Yep the main thing that keeps dp alive is fear and the thing that gets rid of fear is* understanding *and knowledge.
> 
> Now please, feel free to print it out and keep it with you for when you are feeling a bit lost
> 
> I'd say I'm on about 98% now


on a random note, Understanding i believe (and this is well before DP) is the key and most important thing to solving ALL/ANY of life's problems.


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## bigpmcd

I think people are talking a lot of sense in this topic,

How are you feeling today Britanny?


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## Cathal_08

btw @ guest123 : you are or were phazedout who started this thread? because i was gettin a bit confused for a minute there :lol:


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## guest123

Cathal_08 said:


> btw @ guest123 : you are or were phazedout who started this thread? because i was gettin a bit confused for a minute there :lol:


Yep that's me  Ssssh! :lol:


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## guest123

bigpmcd said:


> Hey guest 123 just wanted to say well done on your recovery, amazing, I totally agree with your advice which you offered to everyone, I am trying to follow it, hard at but will try keep at it. My mind seems to wonder all the time assuming it must be something else other than anxiety, it is hard to argue against it? did you ever have this? Even though all the facts and history completely point at anxiety.
> 
> Thanks


Yeah of course, even now I sometimes catch myself doing the 'what if' thing, except now it is a lot easier to just think 'oh don't be so stupid' to myself and stop it.

It becomes more and more ridiculous-seeming with time and healing


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## Brittany329

this is such a great post and 100 percent true. I look to this a lot to fully recover...I have a question though. With time, your brain should eventually just go back to normal and the defence thing will go away once it knows that it's safe. This feels weird because it seems like our brains are like a seperate human inside of us. It's quite weird. All the best. :?


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## guest123

Mmmmmm yeah it's kind of weird, but there are many autonomous systems within the body e.g. you get a dry mouth and thirst when your solute levels are too high, blood pressure and temperature are monitored and regulated, breathing, hormone release, sweating, reproductive cycle etc.

Am pretty much 100% now, hurrah!

Good luck all


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## sp93

Thank you so much for your help! I cried reading this because I was so happy that I found someone that I could relate to. I've had DP for almost three years now - it started when I was 13. At first I thought it was just me, that I was going crazy. I've been diagnosed with depression and ocd prior to this, and I was convinced that it had something to do with the two. I've tried looking things up before, but until today I have found nothing. Reading the experiences of others has helped me to feel less alone and trapped. Over the years I've tried to convince myself that it was nothing to worry about and that it was just me (which is exactly what it was), but this only made it worse. I only feel relaxed when I'm not thinking about it, which is extremely hard to do. I was afraid that it would never get better and that I would be like this forever. It feels so surreal to know that it is an actual condition and that I am not alone. Thank you very much!


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## Mario

All the best for you sp93
and wellcome to the forum


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## sgravel1975

hI GUY

i have had dp and dr for 2 years and i think a very severe case and im not sure if 
it was brought on by the meds the docts gave me or the very intense anxiety i was feeling at 
the time but I need to know that this is how we all feel or am i in a different league I know 
that if this is how it feels then there is hope with this post. When it was brought on by
the anxiety or the meds I started to feel very odd I looked in the mirrior cant recognise 
my self i explaine these in the present tense because I have been feeling like this for two years 
as i mentioned i look in the mirroir and i litterly dont recognise myself i look at pictures and 
i cant feel who i used to be when i hug my kids there is nothing there just an empty disturbing feeling 
and the worst of the symptom for me is i feel like my soul is gone litterly like my soul is gone i look in lets 
say to enjoy a movie and laugh but it does not feel the same its feel very empty like what ever made me feel 
is not there I wish I could push myself to excersise and do things but I cant feel what ever used to give me that drive 
I know im ranting but i really need to know that this is how you guys feel or not and the DR im in a constate state of 
feeling like i dont relate to my surronddings if I go on vacation the DR decreases a bit because I dont give it so much attention 
but if i turn around to look at a sunset and want to feel what it felt to just sit in the sand on vacation I cant feel that either. On top
of this wonderfull condition Being sarcastic ofcourse I am plagued with defferent degrees of thoughts of harm towards others They are even more 
disturbing when you cant feel yourself inside and to know that you would never do something like that This all happened when I was 32 and beside one 
episode the year before of intense anxiety and unreality I recovered but when it came back a year later with the depersonlisation wow guess I wasnt ready for that 
one I though I had beeten it BOY WAS I WRONG anyways thank everone for taking the time to read this and I appreciate any feed back


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## guest123

everyone always thinks they have it worse than anyone else. just proves you have the same thing as the rest of us have/did.


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## Lindsay

thenk you tommygunz for your awesome post, i read the link and it was very, very helpful, my mom started making me take B6 and 12 for a few days now...and i have been on omega 3 and 6 for years...as far as the content in the link i thought it was so incredibly helpful and thank you so much for taking that time to do that. Thanks again to Melinda for your reply as i think we all know how comforting and reassuring it is to hear people say they have experienced something as horrifying as the person going through it has. Another thingi wanted to add to the initial post, as i am a newbe here...i was wondering if anyone ever felt it was worse at night for them? like they were terrified to close their eyes and go to sleep? my mother sometimes lays with me until i fall asleep and it feels no better because i feel like i do not connect with her, and shes my best friend and my mom...i feel like even though my family is with me all the time in the physical sense, i miss them so much because I, ME, myself do not get to be with them, its the empty shell that is with them all day...i just want to feel close and connected to my life and my family and friends again, and thi sis the most horrifying and alone feeling i have ever experienced...i have to start school again mid January and i think to myself "how can i start back to school when i haven't even found myself?" like i float through the day barely remembering what i did or who i talked too or what i even said...i feel like i'm completely incapable of ever feeling normal again, and also...i'm scared to be normal again because i'm scared that normal left me a long time ago and left me in limbo...its so weird how even though i have read so much of these posts from people blogging their personal experiences, and how much i can relate to the feelings you all express and describe, and then hear about how many of you got through it, and yet i feel comforted for a few minutes, then i convince myself that i am a special case, who will never break free from this...i cannot stop my mind from telling me i dont exist, and i truly beleive it...and thats when i panic...i dunno even as i write this blog and constantly describe it to people who care about me, i still feel like i'm not describing to people or conveying to people how truly adrift i am...i dont even recognize whats real anymore yet i can play the part of a sane person very well  i also think a lot of what i experience is denial that this is even happening to mebecause i have experienced DP in the past and it was different than now..so of course now i'm convinced that i will never get through itbecause i think "think time you're really messed up" anyways...i loved hearing feedback it actually does help a lot...please continue if you have the time  thanks guys!


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## Mario

Hi Lindsay
You are not the only one who feels terrified when you go to sleep.There are for sure some more people here in the forum that can relate to that.I know what you are going through,but you have to believe that DP doesn't have to be permanent.I'm glad to know that you are already aware of tommys regimen.I'm sure you have also read the first post of this topic by phasedout24 who recovered from DP which includes a lot of tips how a depersonalized person can live with his/her normal daily life and recover.

All the best


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## ChrisPA

This was an amazing post, by far the best thing I have ever read regarding the subject. It's 100% accurate, and does such a good job of explaining how we all feel with DP/DR. I want to print out your post and take it to my therapist so that he can better understand what I go through from time to time, because like you said in your post when you aren't actually experiencing the feelings it's hard to remember exactly how you felt, and it just seems really stupid to think about. I have been struggling with DP/DR for almost a year now. I cope with it very well for the most part and have gone months at a time with the self-intrusive thoughts only effecting me slightly, almost like background noise. I still do go through intense phases of it from time to time which is for sure frustrating, but I know complete recovery is near for me, because it seems as if 3 out 4 weeks a month I am not greatly bothered by it. Sure that one week in which it bothers me is hell, but I now have confidence that it will never constantly bother me 24/7 again, like it did for a few months at the onset of the condition.

My only question, and I know you don't come on here very often anymore guest123/Phasedout24 so you may not reply to this, but for some reason I seem to forget the distraction techniques that help me out of it every time and the DP/DR still eventually gets me for a time being. It's as if I have still have not made peace with the thoughts/feelings or sometimes the thoughts just over power the new thoughts and techniques I have learned to deal with it. It kinda alarms me a little bit, because in your post you compared recovering from DP/DR to quitting smoking. That when you quit, you could smoke a cigarette 11 years later and you wouldn't be addicted again. If this is true, why then when I was DP/DR free for over 3 months did the thoughts/feelings return from time to time? The answer is probably that I just never fully recovered, and still need to give it more time, but I wanted to get your thoughts. I know I am getting close to full recovery and have had a tremendous week after a bad couple of days. Your post was truly incredible and I wanted to thank you for it. Everyone, we can all get rid of this thing if we approach it the right way. I mean seriously, if we were all really that crazy and not "real" we wouldn't know how to get to this forum and talk to each other. Let's keep on keeping on folks!

Chris


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## guest123

hi Chris,

I think the comparison to quitting smoking works like this. 
Effectively speaking, smoking is usually a crutch. When you get to the stage where you are strong enough not to need such things, yes you can probably smoke a cigarette now and then on a night out and not feel the need to do it all the time, like alcohol for example. This only becomes a problem when you are vulnerable. 
DP is much the same. The existential thoughts and worries are only scary because you are vulnerable. You only get caught up in the cycle because you don't for one reason or another have the strength to resist the compulsions. 
Yes I did get many times when I forgot the distraction mechanisms, the 'ah that makes sense', my good moments, the times I realised how silly it was, etc. I used to carry round a list of affirmations for this reason and a flow chart I wrote showing how I had got this way. i'll post it later when i'm on a pc not a mobile phone ;-)
Just been to London for new year and it was great, pretty much my old self again. Now all the dp thoughts just seem so ludicrous. I think when you are back to full strength they won't have the power to make you relapse. I made a lot of positive changes in my life. Perhaps there's still something you haven't dealt with? I don't know, only you can answer that one....good luck, I'm sure you will get there


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## guest123

Just a little update.

Have now come off Effexor successfully, by myself - went from 150mg to 75mg with no probs then had to taper by removing an increasing amount of the granules from the capsules (didn't have to go as far as counting them just tipped a few more out each day)

Am pretty much 100% except I do have some bloody weird dreams, but I reckon that's to do with coming off Effexor more than anything









Hurrah! After 4 years this is pretty damn good


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## Tommygunz

congrats dudette. so happy to hear that. i've been having a weird week. 100% sometimes then 50% other times. don't know what to think of it, oh wait, thats right, don't think of it, ha ha. anyways glad to hear of your success.


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## guest123

Tommygunz said:


> congrats dudette. so happy to hear that. i've been having a weird week. 100% sometimes then 50% other times. don't know what to think of it, oh wait, thats right, don't think of it, ha ha. anyways glad to hear of your success.


It's not a straight line by any means, just thank yr stars you're getting periods of 100% at all


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## WhatUpDoe

I just got done reading the first post, amazing stuff! Thank you!


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## The Goat

Thank you so much for that post. I feel like I've been living a clean, healthy life, with good routines, good sleep, and I get out and have fun, but I still feel the same. Maybe i just need to keep going on and hoping it goes away.


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## darris nealy

dp is by far the worst thing i have ever experienced as a living creature... it sucks.. and the funniestthing is, that nobody realizes that u have a problem...and when u say it to tem, they just dont get it...its like there are 2 kinds of people living on this planet, the ones with dp, and the ones without it.. how funny.. i think we should all get together oe day and open up a dp place..hehe..conquer the world hehe...fight club style... but this post looks pretty interesting, and i relly hope it is accurate, because i gotta get out of this situation...dammit... all my friends who report the same types of feelings are all very intellegent and 'spiritual' (relativley). good post..ill keep it, and i still go to a psychologist, so ill see what he says...thx


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## guest1234

Hey folks,

Just thought I'd pop back to reassure you all that you CAN do it.
I feel exactly like I did before DP except stronger and determined to make the most of life!

Good luck to you all









Phasedout/Guest123


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## Tommygunz

PHASED!!!, whats up dudette. good to hear from ya. glad to hear that your back to life.


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## guest1234

Tommygunz said:


> PHASED!!!, whats up dudette. good to hear from ya. glad to hear that your back to life.


Eh Oop mate







How are you getting along? Yeah it is pretty amazing after so many years, am just gutted that I lost that time but also thankful that it has gone, quite a weird combo!


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## neverthere

Wow That was AWESOME, I copied that and am going to read it daily!


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## sophiasmith

THankyou very much for that. I truly don't want to be negative, but I'd like to share my doubts. Maybe people can shed some light? I don't know how you can "get on with your life" when dp affects your life so much? How can you not worry that you are unable to function well and you can't communicate properly with people? Therefore, how can you be distracted from you worry - there's no situation that doesn't remind you of how inadequately you function..? 
Also - can this really be a cure for everyone - even people like me who haven't had a single second in 14 years or more when the dp has been even slightly less, and who can't even remember what it felt like to be without it? 
Anyway - there is nothing to lose by trying this approach - and it is certainly less stressful and more pleasant.


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## Dyna

Hi 'Phasedout24', thanks for your post. Can you remind me how your DP started? Also you mentioned you had it for 4 years-a long time-did you take any meds that were helpful? All the best to you and your recovery. It's great to hear of people recovering after years. Thanks again, Dyna


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## guest1234

sophiasmith said:


> THankyou very much for that. I truly don't want to be negative, but I'd like to share my doubts. Maybe people can shed some light? I don't know how you can "get on with your life" when dp affects your life so much? How can you not worry that you are unable to function well and you can't communicate properly with people? Therefore, how can you be distracted from you worry - there's no situation that doesn't remind you of how inadequately you function..?
> Also - can this really be a cure for everyone - even people like me who haven't had a single second in 14 years or more when the dp has been even slightly less, and who can't even remember what it felt like to be without it?
> Anyway - there is nothing to lose by trying this approach - and it is certainly less stressful and more pleasant.


Well you can think like that if you want, but it doesn't get you anywhere, does it? And you CAN do it, even if it is horrendous for a while. Of course the worries will be there but the key is not to get caught up in those thoughts or give them any attention. 
DP only affects your life as much as you let it. You are totally capable of doing everything that none DP people do, it is just harder. 
What you have to do in essence is basically 'fake it' until this new behaviour becomes your new habit thus breaking you out of the worry cycle. Eventually it stops being fake and becomes natural. You're showing yourself/your mind that there is nothing to fear and nothing bad will happen and that you ARE capable of doing all these things.

Dyna - I had a seizure and then basically got caught up in panic/worry about what caused it etc. 
Meds wise I was on citalopram, then prozac then effexor with mirtazapine but none of them were massively helpful, plus it is such an individual thing that I wouldn't be happy 'recommending' a med as such.


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## Dyna

Thanks Phasedout, I wasn't lookingfor a recommendation re meds, I have been down that road adn have no success, just wondered if you wr etaking meds now? Thanks, Dyna


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## guest1234

Dyna said:


> Thanks Phasedout, I wasn't lookingfor a recommendation re meds, I have been down that road adn have no success, just wondered if you wr etaking meds now? Thanks, Dyna


No I'm not, I stopped taking them around January...

The thing is, unless you have an underlying disorder, I don't think meds are appropriate for DP as it is not an illness as such, but a natural mechanism that has gone a bit awry. People are often doubtful of this - the common doubt is that a natural thing could go so wrong, but as I have said before nature is not perfect and you only have to look at the human spine to understand that - you would never design it the way it has evolved! 
I firmly believe that focusing your attention on other things and living as normally as you can is the way to go. I know only too well how difficult it is and it does take a lot of practise and patience but it does work. I have seen a lot of people come and go and those who recovered including myself, have pretty much all said that is what worked. DP does not stop you from doing things, it just makes them harder but you can still do them. For months I struggled getting through the day and used to have to go hide in the toilet at work for a few minutes quite a lot to gather myself a bit, but it did gradually get easier.
Start off with easy things - just the simple routine of getting up, washing, eating breakfast, maybe a little walk and tidying/cleaning the house will help in time. 
Good luck, I am sure you can do it


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## Dyna

Thanks again Phasedout-you are inspirational! I have this since 1993...I have routine but it's always there lurking in the background. I guess I give it too much attention!! I have noticed everyone that has posted a recovery story tends to be the ones that learn to somehow ignore it, that has somehow eluded me to date.....I'll keep trying though! Regards, Dyna


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## Andrei

Is it really possible get recovered by following the "DPManual" (which I don't own yet) and the instructions on this topic?

Can I get recovered without taking meds? Just by taking a healthier life and caring less about DP?


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## guest1234

Dyna said:


> Thanks again Phasedout-you are inspirational! I have this since 1993...I have routine but it's always there lurking in the background. I guess I give it too much attention!! I have noticed everyone that has posted a recovery story tends to be the ones that learn to somehow ignore it, that has somehow eluded me to date.....I'll keep trying though! Regards, Dyna


Just let it lurk and don't give it any of your time, it does ease up









Andrei - yes but it depends if you have an underlying condition or not, I don't really like to advise on medication because it is such an individual thing


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## Locusmortis

This is fucking genius!

Everyone needs to read this
It's like the pink elephant theory x 1,000,000,000

Takes time 
but it will fade with the right mindset


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## Deleted Account

thank you so much for this! It helped me understand and gave me hope! much love


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## Robert

This is truly great that the DPManual (and similar ideas) have apparently helped a number of people. I don't want to be a big downer because I think that much of what is being said there makes a whole lot of sense. I also think we need to be fair to a large number of individuals whom I think will likely not get far with that approach alone. Apologies in advance - this is more a criticism of the DPManual and is not directed to anyone sharing personal successes here.

What I mean is that, I believe, if you have generalized anxiety - or - the cause of your DP is anxiety about DP itself, then yes - you could probably have great success working to stop habitually "going to the wrong places" day-after-day, moment-after-moment. Anxiety however is a complex thing that often has a very deep-seated emotional element to it. Imagine telling a soldier with chronic DP - one who has witnessed a young child blown to bits in the war - "Dude, just stop doing that 'bad-habit thinking' - it'll go away on its own!". Or telling the same, to someone who blames themselves for the loss of a loved one. My point is, we need to be careful who we're talking to if we say that it's all just a bad habit that can be easily avoided with some simple mind excercises. I read a good amount of the DPManual and saw the YouTube videos and while I do like a lot of the practical info in there, I was really turned off by comments like "...in that short little space, when you were distracted, you just experienced total recovery!". Sorry, but like some of the commentors on YouTube, I'm doubting if the author had DPD at all, but rather OCD. There's no way for me to know.

So --- man, I just read that - and it is a bit of a downer - sorry. I'm just cautious of solutions that are "just that simple". DPD is much more complex. For me, the bottom line is - know yourself, know what it is you're protecting yourself from, and deal with that first - when that's done - your just getting started. And please be careful along the way, because some have bigger mountains to climb than others. Best regards to all.

~Robert


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## Relaxation

this is the BEST article ive ever read about DP and will help me to recovery!!


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## Strangerdanger

what happened to the article i was hoping to read it


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## guest1234

Thought I'd bump this as people asked me where it was (it used to be stickied?)

Just to update - am still recovered and working a pretty full on job, doing exams etc - all is great









I popped back to see how people are doing and most of the people that were here when I used to post have recovered it seems and moved on so take heart in that folks


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## aftershave

awesome! 2 months in hell so far







but I know that I will normal again!


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## Troubled_Dreamer

the best thing i've found. thankyou


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## vathomson

I thought this was a wonderful read and is exactly the premiss that my counselor works on. I have been doing alot better, back and forth sometimes but a definite move forward .When I am fully recovered I am feeling comfortable that l have the tools to deal with it if it rears its ugly head agan.


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## Saus

Read this article back in may I think. It REALLY helped me getting through. I'm still not at 100%, but man, I'm pretty damn close! Thank you everyone in this thread, reading your comments helped me aswell







So thank you!


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## shattered memories

Omg thanks for bumping this. It was a very good read. This is the first time since I've been reading about DP that anyone actually EXPLAINED why I feel like I'm dreaming all day and it makes so much sense. I think I might have to buy that DP manual now.


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## cyberafrica

shattered memories said:


> Omg thanks for bumping this. It was a very good read. This is the first time since I've been reading about DP that anyone actually EXPLAINED why I feel like I'm dreaming all day and it makes so much sense. I think I might have to buy that DP manual now.


Haven't been back for a while to this site, but this article does summarise recovery very well. As an older DP sufferer (46 yrs old, onset 40yrs) Take note, that very creative people have more of a tendency to get DP, it seems to reverberate in a lot of articles. Creative people I reckon have a more sensitive nervous system, which reacts more to outside stimuli. I find that doing relaxing hobbies I do enjoy brings back that "Joie de vivre" and being in touch with your grounded emotions,i.e. playing music or singing karoke does it for me, as I am also a musician. This balances out my stressfull job of being a Manager for an Internet Company.

You can do it, and get over it, although sometimes the systems persist, it should not stop your life.


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## crystal13

Great post, thank you.


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## Dallehope

couldnt read everything cause im in the army and my schedule is pretty tight, will read it later..but it seemed amazing what you just wrote there, all gave me another point of view, and i can absolutely imagine all of what u just wrote can be things that will help me get out of it, thanks!!!


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## Dave1988

This is absolutely golden! Wow thanks soooo much my friend! I already feel so much better.. My question was always. Why do people keep it for soooo long what if I will remain this way sooo long but now i absolutely know i wont! thanks to you man! Because I know I will never accept this will always go on with life and will overcome this... Now I can finally lett go, enjoy the ride and lett it flow. I feel so much better, if I am cured im gonna look you up and hug you man.. Your a king! I hope you feel normal again my friend you deserve it!! Please know that you have personally helped me out here!. regards


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## Shvy

Hey thanks fr putting tht post up mate...it ws the best info i hv read so far...n it was so reassuring....
May God bless you...


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## seafoamwinter

Thank God you posted this!!! Im sleeping while awake! I like this feel!!!


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## seafoamwinter

Thank God you posted this!!! Im sleeping while awake! I like this feel!!!


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## chelsy010

Wow, thankyou so much for this post. I intend of using all of this great advice, so I can return back to normal again...


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## my name

Hi

I'm new on this forum, and i'm apologising in advance for any mistakes and grammar errors in my writing because english isn't my native language.

So, let's begin 

I'm writing this because I want to share my expiriences and hopefully, by doing so, help some people that are struggling with DP/DR, and also i want to make something clear right at the very beggining.

DP/DR *isn't perminent*, you *WILL* go back to normal, you just need to be relaxed about it as much as you can be. easier said than done, i know, but you can do it.

Now when that was said, let me share my story with you guys. First part of the story will be all bad and second part all good, please read both parts because i really thing that it could help. So bare with me 

the bad part 

I was diagnosed with anxiety with panic attacks (and my god those panic attacks were something! ) some time ago, and today i'm felling much much better, almost as if I'm at my 100%  without any meds at the moment 

After my first few panic attacks, later, when panic would go away(when i say away i mean that sucker will sit inside my head just waiting for another round) i started to feel that unreal, dreamy like horror in my head.

All day long, every day. I was OPSESSED with it, i was feeling as i was neither awake or asleep/dreaming. *All of a sudden* everything seemed so strange and unnatural, like someone pulled reality switch on me.

I started questioning EVERYTHING. I started thinking about death, about life, universe, about reality. and all of this questions in my head horrified me. Even the ones that 'normal person' wouldn't even

consider worrying about. All kinds of schemes was going trough my head: all of this, my life, my reality, is this all a setup somehow, who are these people around me, what are they talking about, what are they aiming for,

who are they, who are we all...all sorts of messed up questions. man, i was soooooo stressed and fu*ked up back then...
and where i come from, nobody understands these sort of things, there is nobody you can talk with about this, and here i am, totally fu**ed up, incapable to do anything, incapable to think straight, and i have to continue with

'normal' life, 'cos nobody cares, nobody understands.

Horrible, horrible feeling. As all of you must know already 
I was so afraid back then, never been that afraid in my lifetime. I searched and searched internet for some answers, but as much i was searching my opssesion with DP was getting bigger, and with my opssesion DP was growing also

and with DP growing, the fear was growing. It was unbreakable circuit. And i created it myself.

So, after some time living in DP terror all day long accompanied with panic attacs my life started to become unbearable. So, i went to psychiatrist and he said everything i was afraid of. that DP isn't something that they are familiar with

and that DP fades out when panic attack stops, and if it persist (as in my case) then they don't know what to do because that is really rare situation.

Basically, my psychiatrist told me that he can't help me and sent me away with 0.25mg Helex pills that should calm me down and ease out my DP.

That pills didn't do sh*t for me because i was still opsessed about everything that is happening to me like a little kid in a toy store .

the good part )

After some time i stumbled upon this topic and it helped me as nothing befere helped me.

Everything said in first post is total truth and all of us must live by it and act by it. Make it your ten commandments 

So, i started to live with this unreal feeling, i did all of my daily work, and my hobbies, as much as i could, accompanied with distorted reality feeling, i started to 'swim with the current'. I started to eat healthier, went to sleep earlier, wake up earlier,

exercise on a regular basis, everything that everyone should do, with DP or not. It helps a lot if you have girlfriend/boyfriend/friend that wouldn't pity you, someone that won't put up with your whining over yourself, someone who knows that you can do it 
And if you don't have someone like that, nevermind, just keep reading and stop whining 

So, I started to think of DP/DR as some annoying evil guy that is telling me all of this wicked sh*t and i'm not listening to him. As long as I'm not listening and not paying attention to him, sooner or later, he'll get bored and go away.

*Don't try to fight 'him' or argue with him* because he will win the argument 10 times out of 10. So ignore him, and whatever medication you're on at the time it will definitely help, you just need to believe that.

So after half year or so (time isn't really an issue, it all depends of how much you feed your DP with wrong attitude towards it.) i started to feel massive improvement. And what i would write next is *very very* important.

You need to get off of your ass and you need to do everything you would normally do, and more, no matter if you think you can't do it at the moment. 

You need to go outside, go with your friends, basically you need to do everything you would do as there is no DP in your life.

At the beggining it is harder than lifting a hundred tons of steel, but DP isn't physical, it doesn't have any weight, it is not made of steel, it's virtual, it's controlled by you, not vice versa. REMEMBER THAT.

So, after some time when you realise that you can do all that you did in your life before this sucker appeared, the sucker would slowly start to disappear, he would start to lose battle after battle. And that is a fact!
And what is the greatest thing about this, it's that you wouldn't need to fight him at all. just go with it, go with the flow as that is totally normal feeling that all of the people have.

You need to trust yourself, reality is here to stay, it won't go nowhere, no matter what your brain is telling you at the time, your body is doing it's refuel, that's all. it just needs time. And time without stress and fear. IT WILL come back to normal.

You're not alone AND YOU CAN'T GO INSANE, YOU FOOL 

So do everything that is already told in the first post and live your life, f*ck DP/DR he is not here to stay and he can't intimidate you, that sneaky little bastard 

Feel free to ask anything you want to know, cheers


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