# Meditation: Not the Enemy



## AlexXD

Hello all.

For a short background, I got DP about 2 years ago, in late 2007, from no obvious cause.

In any case, it's been pretty constant over the two years.

However, about a week ago, I had the idea that perhaps I could use meditation in order to help the DP.

Well, a week later, it's not completely cured, but it is much much better. The emotional dampening has lifted a lot and I've been feeling moments with almost no DP.

Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is: People seem to always make meditation out to be something that creates DP, or strengthens it, as the point is to attain a different level of consciousness.

This, however, is not true. From my experience the right type of meditation can be a valuable tool against DP. Especially when used for mindfulness and awareness. As well as just for lessening stress. Stress plays a key role in the continuation of DP and so to reduce this would do ANY DP sufferer a lot of good, in my opinion.

My last point is that I want to see if anyone else has had any success with the use of meditation in the cure of DP. And of anything they've discovered from it.

That's my rant. Hope it can be of some use to somebody!

To all, long days and pleasant nights.

-Alex


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## from.the.ashes

i am glad to hear that







i thought that it would only make things worse, and stopped meditating when the DP was getting a bit out of control. but i enjoyed it.


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## Mpiirnak

I keep hearing about 'mindfulness'- what does it mean?


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## York

Last time I had dp I found a book in my bookshelf about this American guy wanting to see what Buddhism was all about. As I wasn't as totally fucked up then as I am now, I decided to sign up for a meditation class. After two months of meditation on a very irregular basis, I didn't have dp anymore. I really can't explain it in any other way than that it 1) Lowered cortisol/stress in my body 2) We learned about diverting our minds away from certain thoughts and how to "expand" the moment of stillness you get when meditating to quiet your mind.

I think meditation is often described as a way of getting depersonalized by people who don't have another word for it and don't really know what they are talking about.

Go for it is my advice. I wish I had meditated more instead of falling back into my old stressful habits.


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## AlexXD

mpinkm said:


> I keep hearing about 'mindfulness'- what does it mean?


Mindfulness is basically a calm state, but one of awareness. Like, awareness of one's own reality and the reality of the world around. At least, so is my interpretation of the word.

But yeah, I think people mix up transcendental meditation with plain old meditation, and therein lies the issue. So it seems to me.

And the mechanism seems to work by way of lowering stress, as someone else said. Glad to hear that it actually can work and I'm not just chasing some loose end here. =)

Another day past, and I had a fleeting moment of clarity late this past afternoon. How wonderous!


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## AlexXD

from.the.ashes said:


> i am glad to hear that
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i thought that it would only make things worse, and stopped meditating when the DP was getting a bit out of control. but i enjoyed it.


You might want to pick it up again for a little bit. I'd say at least try it.


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## dola

I believe i read somewhere on here, that when u have dp the problem is your brain is overworked and you need to let it rest. one of my problems is i dont know how to relax, even when im chilling im thinking about something.

meditation is awesome for relaxation and i need to get back into it more. i was doing it quite regularly with some CD's.


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## AlexXD

dola said:


> I believe i read somewhere on here, that when u have dp the problem is your brain is overworked and you need to let it rest. one of my problems is i dont know how to relax, even when im chilling im thinking about something.
> 
> meditation is awesome for relaxation and i need to get back into it more. i was doing it quite regularly with some CD's.


Yeah, that's where I got the idea from. And as for the wandering mind, meditation isn't really about ceasing all thought, just... lessening it, I suppose.


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## coeus

AlexXD said:


> Yeah, that's where I got the idea from. And as for the wandering mind, meditation isn't really about ceasing all thought, just... lessening it, I suppose.


I agree. Meditation, personally, is an avenue for observing my thoughts in a non-judging way. When the mind keeps observing thoughts relating to anxiety in a threatening way, you react differently. It's sometimes about neutral observing and other times about re-affirming positivity in your mind. You don't stop the thoughts but indeed you can lessen its impact or how fast it races in your mind.

There are some people who believe that meditation for higher consciousness is not a good idea given a person's state of DR/DP. They could be right but then again, it's very relative. Meditation has very good practical uses and though I've only been using meditation for a short period of time, it does help me implant better thoughts than anxious thoughts when I do it correctly. Whilst I like meditation, I submit that it won't help everyone since our thought processes differ from each other. Bear that in mind.

Oh, meditation music is awesome!


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## dpsince2002

Thanks, guys. I've been trying to get motivated to meditate again for awhile now, since, when I started it, about a year into my dp/dr, it seemed to help break through the numb enough for me to have some feelings, and also to reduce stress, which, in turn, has seemed to help my dr decrease from time to time in the last year or so. Then I hit kind of a wall with it in '05-'06, where meditating mostly just showed me the tsunami of my obsessive rumination. But that was helpful, too. It doesn't normally occur to me to do these days, but I think it's because of that part of me that wants to hang on to the numbness and other symptoms for their perverse comfort.


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## justlikeheaven

york said:


> Last time I had dp I found a book in my bookshelf about this American guy wanting to see what Buddhism was all about. As I wasn't as totally fucked up then as I am now, I decided to sign up for a meditation class. After two months of meditation on a very irregular basis, I didn't have dp anymore. I really can't explain it in any other way than that it 1) Lowered cortisol/stress in my body 2) We learned about diverting our minds away from certain thoughts and how to "expand" the moment of stillness you get when meditating to quiet your mind.
> 
> I think meditation is often described as a way of getting depersonalized by people who don't have another word for it and don't really know what they are talking about.
> 
> Go for it is my advice. I wish I had meditated more instead of falling back into my old stressful habits.


What kind of meditation did you practice and how?


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## Hoopesy

I think everyone should try meditation. I think some people do it "wrong" or do not give it enough time. I know when I first started I thought it was just being quiet for a couple of minutes. but when you really enter a thoughtless almost egoless state its almost beautiful. It calms you down and reassures you that everything will be ok and to go about your day in a peaceful manner.


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## coeus

rhd918 said:


> I think everyone should try meditation. I think some people do it "wrong" or do not give it enough time. I know when I first started I thought it was just being quiet for a couple of minutes. but when you really enter a thoughtless almost egoless state its almost beautiful. It calms you down and reassures you that everything will be ok and to go about your day in a peaceful manner.


True, rhd918. Like Alex mentioned, too frequently _transcendental meditation_ becomes synonymous with general meditation. I like mindfulness meditation as it instills a sense of positive awareness and well-being.

Anything like Eckhart Tolle's somewhat "deprive yourself of everything you want, have, wished for, love, desire, hate, think of" meditation should be avoided. Or perhaps, I've misinterpreted his meditative style. I still think he's a little bit freaky.


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## Xerei

AlexXD said:


> Hello all.
> 
> For a short background, I got DP about 2 years ago, in late 2007, from no obvious cause.
> 
> In any case, it's been pretty constant over the two years.
> 
> However, about a week ago, I had the idea that perhaps I could use meditation in order to help the DP.
> 
> Well, a week later, it's not completely cured, but it is much much better. The emotional dampening has lifted a lot and I've been feeling moments with almost no DP.
> 
> Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is: People seem to always make meditation out to be something that creates DP, or strengthens it, as the point is to attain a different level of consciousness.
> 
> This, however, is not true. From my experience the right type of meditation can be a valuable tool against DP. Especially when used for mindfulness and awareness. As well as just for lessening stress. Stress plays a key role in the continuation of DP and so to reduce this would do ANY DP sufferer a lot of good, in my opinion.
> 
> My last point is that I want to see if anyone else has had any success with the use of meditation in the cure of DP. And of anything they've discovered from it.
> 
> That's my rant. Hope it can be of some use to somebody!
> 
> To all, long days and pleasant nights.
> 
> -Alex


Hey..im just curious what u mean by "meditation". Personally i reach the highest level of relaxation when im praying, during my prayers its like the DP simply leaves, and all anxiety has to go away.
Ive also tried some breathing techniques which is related to meditation, and it seems to work.


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## tikobird

AlexXD said:


> Hello all.
> 
> For a short background, I got DP about 2 years ago, in late 2007, from no obvious cause.
> 
> In any case, it's been pretty constant over the two years.
> 
> However, about a week ago, I had the idea that perhaps I could use meditation in order to help the DP.
> 
> Well, a week later, it's not completely cured, but it is much much better. The emotional dampening has lifted a lot and I've been feeling moments with almost no DP.
> 
> Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is: People seem to always make meditation out to be something that creates DP, or strengthens it, as the point is to attain a different level of consciousness.
> 
> This, however, is not true. From my experience the right type of meditation can be a valuable tool against DP. Especially when used for mindfulness and awareness. As well as just for lessening stress. Stress plays a key role in the continuation of DP and so to reduce this would do ANY DP sufferer a lot of good, in my opinion.
> 
> My last point is that I want to see if anyone else has had any success with the use of meditation in the cure of DP. And of anything they've discovered from it.
> 
> That's my rant. Hope it can be of some use to somebody!
> 
> To all, long days and pleasant nights.
> 
> -Alex


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## tikobird

Thanks for posting the subject of Mindfulness Meditation. My PhD. is a Buddhist (he's American) and he informed me that what leads us to the DP is over thinking, and not quieting the mind.I have 3 different guided meditations. It helps us to focus, and when I'm doing it I am not letting these thoughts to overflow into my head. It helps me focus, and be calmer. When we have statements and they are judgment toward others you can learn to love your self and others.


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