# So What Works?



## Jgamepro

Just wondering what has worked for other people

My depersonization has been especially stubborn and hangs around 24/7 365 days a year. And it's bad. Like really bad. To the point where I can barely think or focus or do much of anything except try to distract myself by playing old video games. I'm currently jobless. Trying to get better where I can work and do the things I want to do. I miss art and drawing but it's nearly impossible with my condition since I lack the mental coordination required to do such things.

I'm currently on Seroquel XR 600mg, Zyprexa 2.5, Neurontin 300mg 3x a day, and Tenex (Not sure since I lost the bottle, but it's pretty low,)

Just trying to get peoples opinion on what might help. Like I said, I'm not looking for cure just helpful suggestions on medication, therapy, homeopathic, etc, etc....

Me and my pdoc were discussing trying naltrexone and propanolol.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thank You. And I wish you luck.


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## Haumea

Look, all that medication stuff is pure bullshit. It's the knee-jerk response by the medical establishment. Slap a band-aid on it and hope it heals on its own.

When I first lapsed into chronic DP, my attention span was that of a gnat. I dropped something like 20 IQ points, and couldn't do anything. They put me on dilantin because my EEG showed something resembling seizures (the silly fucks!) but thankfully I developed a rash within the week, so I stopped it. Then they wanted to put me on an antidepressant but I told them to go #### themselves.

What worked was...getting out of the house, playing basketball, doing things.

You've got it backwards - *if* you do art and drawing you'll get better, not if you get better you'll be able to do art and drawing.

As incredible as it may sound to you, that is precisely the sequence - do what you (really really) want, and you'll improve.


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## seafoamwaves

I can't give you a "cure", but my DP goes down when I do something physical like pushups or mowing the lawn.


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## Guest

I have to agree with haumea on some points, after reading around here for a little while it was clear that medication rarely helped in a substantial way, so I decided to go ahead without it, and follow the number one rule of socializing. It was rough, but I eventually got through the worsts months of my DP/DR and taught myself to handle it. This put me in the position to seek out more permanent solutions.


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## heartless

first, ditch these psychwards meds god damn it. Needles to say they have been prooven to be useless for you.

second, take a paper and a pen and write every single thing you wanted to achieve right before you got dp.

third, push yourself to achieve those things, and never give up. ignore the "discomfort" called dp (hell). if you

keep going for enough months i believe your dp will diminish until it's gone.

I found working out to be the best temporary relief from dp, which can so much in achieving the permanent relief.

But i think that the moment you give up on these meds which obviously did NOTHING good for you, your journey to regain freedom will begin.


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## greenman

Don't give up on meds. Take the advice of these guys but don't give up on medication. They have a purpose, and if you find the right ones they can only help you.


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## Doberg

greenman said:


> Don't give up on meds. Take the advice of these guys but don't give up on medication. They have a purpose, and if you find the right ones they can only help you.


I agree, medications can be beneficial. bottom line, you know yourself more then others and if meds don't help, don't take them but if they do then take them


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## cruisinthrulife89

Take a look at Anafranil. Its actually cured quite a few people from depersonalization disorder, including the author of Feeling Unreal Jeffrey Abugel. If you type in Anafranil under google and click on the wikipedia page for it, Depersonalization is actually listed as 1 of the disorders this drug treats. I was shocked to see that, since not many people are aware of this disorder to begin with. Worth looking into?


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## Haumea

> second, take a paper and a pen and write every single thing you wanted to achieve right before you got dp.
> 
> third, push yourself to achieve those things, and never give up. ignore the "discomfort" called dp (hell). if you
> 
> keep going for enough months i believe your dp will diminish until it's gone.


That's pretty much it.


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## Doberg

cruisinthrulife89 said:


> Take a look at Anafranil. Its actually cured quite a few people from depersonalization disorder, including the author of Feeling Unreal Jeffrey Abugel. If you type in Anafranil under google and click on the wikipedia page for it, Depersonalization is actually listed as 1 of the disorders this drug treats. I was shocked to see that, since not many people are aware of this disorder to begin with. Worth looking into?


have you tried it?


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## Midnight

Haumea said:


> That's pretty much it.


How do you know?


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## Haumea

> How do you know?


In essence, that has been my message for months now: roll back to where you were before you got DP, and start there.

Whatever perceived inadequacy existed can be addressed by making real personal changes.

It may feel like "omg this is too hard, I can't do this, it's impossible" - which is an illusion.

That's what the Terence McKenna quote I posted yesterday refers to - you may think it's an abyss, but once you commit yourself, you find it's a feather bed.


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## Guest

Jgamepro said:


> Just wondering what has worked for other people
> 
> My depersonization has been especially stubborn and hangs around 24/7 365 days a year. And it's bad. Like really bad. To the point where I can barely think or focus or do much of anything except try to distract myself by playing old video games. I'm currently jobless. Trying to get better where I can work and do the things I want to do. I miss art and drawing but it's nearly impossible with my condition since I lack the mental coordination required to do such things.
> 
> I'm currently on Seroquel XR 600mg, Zyprexa 2.5, Neurontin 300mg 3x a day, and Tenex (Not sure since I lost the bottle, but it's pretty low,)
> 
> Just trying to get peoples opinion on what might help. Like I said, I'm not looking for cure just helpful suggestions on medication, therapy, homeopathic, etc, etc....
> 
> Me and my pdoc were discussing trying naltrexone and propanolol.
> 
> Any advice would be appreciated. Thank You. And I wish you luck.


That is SO much medication. No wonder you can't achieve much. No one could achieve much on this med concoction... and you pdoc is considering adding 2 more to this mix?? Pheww..

Sorry, I don't normally say much about the meds people choose to take, but.....


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## Midnight

Haumea said:


> In essence, that has been my message for months now: roll back to where you were before you got DP, and start there.
> 
> Whatever perceived inadequacy existed can be addressed by making real personal changes.
> 
> It may feel like "omg this is too hard, I can't do this, it's impossible" - which is an illusion.
> 
> That's what the Terence McKenna quote I posted yesterday refers to - you may think it's an abyss, but once you commit yourself, you find it's a feather bed.


Haumea, you know i love your posts, but how do you know it works? Have you recovered by using this method? Are you totally free of detachment, needless fear, bizarre feelings etc?


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## Haumea

I know it works by the progress I'm making - the more I go in the right direction, the better off I am.

But it isn't an "all or nothing" recovery - it's in stages. Certain issues are resolving one after another and with them symptoms are leaving. The things that used to bother me even a month ago no longer are.

I'll be straight with you - if it's as bad as you perceive, you have to be willing to take a risk and do the things you fear, or don't think would possibly work. You can't just bemoan your situation and hope it goes away on its own.

Are you willing to take a risk? Are you willing to commit to a recovery? There's a part of you that knows why you have this and the path forward, but fear/inertia are preventing you from acting.


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## Midnight

Haumea said:


> I know it works by the progress I'm making - the more I go in the right direction, the better off I am.
> 
> But it isn't an "all or nothing" recovery - it's in stages. Certain issues are resolving one after another and with them symptoms are leaving. The things that used to bother me even a month ago no longer are.
> 
> I'll be straight with you - if it's as bad as you perceive, you have to be willing to take a risk and do the things you fear, or don't think would possibly work. You can't just bemoan your situation and hope it goes away on its own.
> 
> Are you willing to take a risk? Are you willing to commit to a recovery? There's a part of you that knows why you have this and the path forward, but fear/inertia are preventing you from acting.


I have theories as to why I have this, but no, I definitely don't know for certain. I've always been quiet, introspective, anxious, imaginative, dreamy etc, but I've never had an answer as to why I feel this way.


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## Victor Ouriques

My Opinion

GTFO of meds,use a benzo when you're too much anxious,but try not to.

Nobody is made of steel,but I'm sure you can handle it without nothing.

Some people say Anafril helps...but I don't think meds will cure you forever,they'll treat symptons while the causes you must solve.


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