# Has anyone Recovered?



## Chelsea41796 (Sep 21, 2014)

Is anyone online that has recovered that would be willing to help me? Please? I'm begging you


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## WILBUR (Aug 9, 2014)

http://www.dpselfhelp.com/forum/index.php?/forum/42-depersonalization-derealization-recovery-stories/

Read a few of these, I've also recovered once. It is possible.

also, the reason you may not see that many recovery stories on here, is people tend to just forget about this place when they recover. However I'd say that about 90% of the people who get DP will recover from it.


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## 59Ballons (Mar 10, 2014)

Agreed with the person above. I had really bad DP/DR in 5th grade, and it literally went away COMPLETELY for three years when I forgot about it. But now it's back with a vengeance. I've been managing it well however for the past 4 days with a new technique. You CAN do it.


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## Chelsea41796 (Sep 21, 2014)

Thank you


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## Paradise92 (Aug 26, 2014)

"However I'd say that about 90% of the people who get DP will recover from it." I don't think so... unfortunately.. I think that maybe only 50% will recover of this...


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## 3ean (Aug 14, 2014)

Ahaha Paradise that just is not true. It's a symptom of anxiety.


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## Paradise92 (Aug 26, 2014)

I had it 2 months ago after panic attack due to cannabis use.. and I still have it 24/7 without anxiety... so I think it's something into the brain..


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## 3ean (Aug 14, 2014)

Man this site really pisses me off sometimes. No Paradise92 it is not something with your brain. CLEARLY you do have anxiety about it. anxiety is mostly mental not just physical feelings. The number of people who recover is actually closer to 100%.


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## Guest (Sep 28, 2014)

3ean said:


> Ahaha Paradise that just is not true. It's a symptom of anxiety.


DP isn't a symptom of anxiety. Anxiety is a symptom of DP.

It's important to understand this, and as you've probably read a hundred times, no matter what you do or what meds you take, the anxiety will still be there until you start to deal with the DP itself. As the DP is eroded, so too will the anxiety, depression, fear, rumination etc..


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## Paradise92 (Aug 26, 2014)

I saw in this site that many people have DR/DP for 10-20 years or more... for this I said that it's chronic


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## WILBUR (Aug 9, 2014)

Zed said:


> DP isn't a symptom of anxiety. Anxiety is a symptom of DP.
> 
> It's important to understand this, and as you've probably read a hundred times, no matter what you do or what meds you take, the anxiety will still be there until you start to deal with the DP itself. As the DP is eroded, so too will the anxiety, depression, fear, rumination etc..


"DP isn't a symptom of anxiety. Anxiety is a symptom of DP. "

I think thats entirely dependent on the person. I know for a fact mine was related to stress\anxiety, because as my anxiety lowers so does my DP. I think its easier to tackle as well if you think of it as anxiety, regardless of how you got it.


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## 3ean (Aug 14, 2014)

Zed I'm sure you know your stuff but there have been countless studies and statistics on DP and anxiety and its just a fact that yes DP causes anxiety, but the whole thing is cyclical and started by anxiety. Anxiety>DP>Anxiety>DP etc. You can break the chain in either place but the initial cause was anxiety.


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## Guest (Sep 28, 2014)

San said:


> "DP isn't a symptom of anxiety. Anxiety is a symptom of DP. "
> 
> I think thats entirely dependent on the person. I know for a fact mine was related to stress\anxiety, because as my anxiety lowers so does my DP. I think its easier to tackle as well if you think of it as anxiety, regardless of how you got it.


Yeah I agree, they are linked and the same thing probably happens to everyone with dpd&#8230; stress/anxiety goes up, and so does the dissociation.

But the thing is, it's almost pointless expecting to work on the depression and anxiety hoping that's going to shift the dpd. The dpd needs to be addressed. It's a dissociative disorder, not an anxiety disorder. Completely different. It's a disorder with quite specific treatments.

It's amazing to me that there seems to be so much misunderstanding here as to what the dissociative disorders are. There're definitions all over the internet and most say pretty much the same thing.. yet hardly anyone actually talks about 'how to deal with the dissociative disorder - dpd.'

Dissociative disorders are about detachment/disconnection from memories, self, external environment, feelings, emotions&#8230; We know this is how most people experience their lives whilst dissociated b/c it's written here all over the place, but where's the talk about how to fix those issues.. All too often the talk's about anxiety/depression/fear.. There're NOT the main issues. The main issue that's causing all the symptoms is the dissociation.


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## Guest (Sep 28, 2014)

3ean said:


> Zed I'm sure you know your stuff but there have been countless studies and statistics on DP and anxiety and its just a fact that yes DP causes anxiety, but the whole thing is cyclical and started by anxiety. Anxiety>DP>Anxiety>DP etc. You can break the chain in either place but the initial cause was anxiety.


I'm quite sure my dpd started from fear and anxiety too. In fact dissociation protects us from those (and other) stressful feelings in the first place. But now we're older, we still have this 'protective' mechanism in place, and we don't need it anymore. It's this protective mechanism that needs to be removed. THAT is the most important thing of all&#8230;

Anxiety's a bitch.. but it's NOT going to go away unless you take away the constant dissociating.. nor is the depression going to go away either.


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## 3ean (Aug 14, 2014)

Zed I think you need to work on both at the same time yes you are right.


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## Guest (Sep 29, 2014)

3ean said:


> Zed I think you need to work on both at the same time yes you are right.


Thank you.

I've been talking this through with psychologists, psychiatrists and counsellors for nearly 5 years, all of whom have an excellent understanding of what dissociative disorders are and all have decades of experience working with dissociative people through healing. It's not some unknown science. It's very well understood in the therapeutic community. Some therapists choose to go down the dpd path, most don't.

All my therapists have worked with the understanding that dpd, dr, ddnos and DID are ways of protecting us. But it's a protective mechanism that hasn't been turned off. That's what they do. They work with us to turn it off, much like the way PSTD can be turned off..

There are no medications that treat dissociative disorders, as my ex psychiatrist (with 22 years experience) told me. So where does leave us? Therapy, that's where that leaves us. Meds can help the other overwhelming issues, but they won't have any impact on the mechanism of dissociation. In fact in a lot of cases they make dpd worse. So you have to be very careful when using meds. And I wouldn't recommend been pressured by an ignorant doctor to take meds they don't know anything about in regards to dissociation.. trust your own instincts here.

I know trauma isn't the cause of dpd for everybody, but the majority? Yes.


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## Paradise92 (Aug 26, 2014)

Zed.. so your psychiatrist told you that Dp is chronic?


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## Guest (Sep 29, 2014)

Paradise92 said:


> Zed.. so your psychiatrist told you that Dp is chronic?


Hmmm.. We never discussed 'chronic' from memory.

******** TRIGGER WARNING for the next paragraph&#8230;..**********

Even though I've been dissociative for many many decades, it was never too much of a problem for me until about 5 years ago, when something triggered me into 24/7 a full blown, acid trip like disordered 'crazy' feeling dpd and dr.. When that happened, the first thing I did was seek help in the form of counselling. Not long after, I was diagnosed with a dissociative disorder, so I found as much information as I could about the disorder. I found a lot of articles describing it as a natural defence. Note, NATURAL defence, so I knew there wasn't anything too wrong with me, ie I knew I didn't have brain damage.. I fully trusted my body and my mind, even though I felt awful and so stressed, but I kept up with seeing counsellors, psychologists and psychiatrists b/c I was very confidant they could help&#8230; and they do. I talk about the problems which lead me to this state in the first place (13 years of sexual abuse mainly). Plus I lived in the most dysfunctional family you could ever dream of. Just by talking to someone helps puts things into perspective. I used to blame myself for being abused like that and I honestly believed the only reason I was on this planet was for others to do whatever they wanted with my body (deep down I truly believed that), I had no sense of free will when I grew up.. but I don't believe that anymore.. I become more and more empowered as I talk, and I heal, and as I heal the dissociation recedes. I barely get depersonalised anymore..

I don't see that psychiatrist anymore (got sick arguing about meds).. She was good though when it came to dissociative disorders, really clever. I see a psychologist now who's equally clever. One of the first things I said to my latest Pdoc was "I see my dissociative disorder as a natural and organic ability which allows me to function even though I'm overwhelmed by past experiences." I see it as a gift in a way. That's why I refuse to take meds which alter my sense of reality (SSRI's, anti psychotics). I did take a very mild dose of meds to help with the anxiety, but I stopped those eventually too when I built up enough knowledge on how to reduce anxiety naturally.

I feel so sorry for the people here who feel so awful with this disorder. I feel many people aren't getting good advice from the people who should know better, docs in particular. I know I come across as being arrogant or a 'know it all' sometimes.. I just get so pissed off that people are being kept in the dark about recovering. There are good docs out there but unfortunately there are so many more who are ignorant and end up drugging their patients to the point where they can hardly feel anything. Believe me, been there done that!

Anyway, sorry I got off question straight away.. just having a rant I guess.


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## Victor Ouriques (Jul 15, 2011)

Totally disagree with this view of DP/DR being independent of anxiety.

DP/DR is a tired,fatigued mind.No more than that,that comes from excessive stress,worry,traumas,etc.


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## Guest (Sep 30, 2014)

DP/DR as a symptom or the main reason for everything is different from case to case. Drug induced DP/DR for example seems to be a metabolic problem to be honest and therefore the problem itself.


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## Paradise92 (Aug 26, 2014)

so which is the therapy?


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## Guest (Sep 30, 2014)

Therapy can come in lots of different shapes and forms.. anything from seeing a psychologist/psychiatrist to talking to a friend. At the end of the day it's about talking.. talking about some of the deeper things that bother us, and getting other's perspectives. Talking to healthy minded people. It's amazing how a good just talking about some of our fears is for instance, a healthy minded individual can help us see things in a different light, and help to change a pattern of thinking we've been stuck on for a long time..

I think most people with dpd would admit they're pretty stuck on patterns of thinking which they can't shift? Openness and honestly goes a long way&#8230;.


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## Paradise92 (Aug 26, 2014)

did u recover Zed?


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## Guest (Oct 1, 2014)

I personally think one has to stop thinking about recovering to actually recover. You can live a life with DP/DR and it still can be pretty awesome. And after a while, it might vanish


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## Paradise92 (Aug 26, 2014)

Yes fjedN , I think like you.

you, however, that symptoms do you have?

I always feel like after drinking alcohol. I Always feel a bit stunned. It 'so hard to live


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## Guest (Oct 1, 2014)

Paradise92 said:


> did u recover Zed?


I think I could safely say I've almost recovered from DPD and DR. Every now and again some of the symptoms will pop up. Not much though. I'm really good now at talking (usually thinking) my way through any symptoms I might get and resolving the 'issues'.

I look back and see how far I've come. Years ago DPD messed me up soo bad and DR was even worse. I went to hospital a few times with overwhelming DR and utterly suicidal. I could barely cope with anything, I was so screwed up, I felt like I was on an acid trip 24/7 for about 19 months. Not any more though. That hasn't happened for years. It slowly reduced to where it is now and I'm much more in control.

The way it works for me is&#8230; If I start feeling dissociated, I assume I've been triggered in some way. I look at what happened to make me feel like that. Mostly I can identify what is was,,, could be something as simple as watching something violent on tv. Having this knowledge of how I react and why I react like this empowers me. I then have a choice.. Do I sit there and watch something I don't really like and continue to feel dissociated?? Or, go and do something else? TBH.. nowadays I usually go and ground myself and find something else to do. The experience can be over in just a few minutes. I don't really like the feeling of being dissociated so generally I choose not to be..

There is one other 'small thing' which makes things 'different' for me though.. I live with many others inside this body.


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## Jonngliniak (Jun 11, 2013)

I like your point on this zedd. I have recovered, so i relate to your saying.


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