# Distraction really DOES help



## Muutosjahdissa (Nov 9, 2007)

I have had dp for almost 2 years now and for a long time it felt impossible to concentrate on anything else but my own mind. Then I found this forum and some other writings and I constantly ran into one advice: move focus away from yourself, distract. So I started trying this but at first it felt impossible. No matter what I did, I still observed myself and couldn't let go of the tight control. But I tried more, started doing a lot of different things instead of staying at home and eventually I found myself enjoying doing things again. What happened was that I simply learned to "forget myself" for a while when I was for example playing some teamsports with friends or even at some work tasks. And when I forgot myself I was living in the present for the first time in a long long time and with that came joy. Joy which was NOT FORCED.

So if you want to recover and get back to this moment, I strongly suggest that you start doing things that make you concentrate on something else, no matter how tired or numb you feel.

Oh, and I've seeked answers from spirituality and many places connected to that stuff and as interesting as it is, the best meditation for me right now is running after a ball with some friends. Mystifying things is not neccessarily very helpful for a person who is already living too much inside his own head.


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## Robsy (Dec 3, 2007)

Thanks for that positive feedback, I dont believe drug are the answer and I enjoy speaking to positive people. I dont work at the moment, in fact I do nothing all day. I have tried distraction but its so hard when you feel numb, do you mind giving me some tips on how to do this? I dont have any friends here, i have just moved to this place, so isolation really hasnt helped when i feel isolated and trapped in my own head!

Are you still living in the "real world"? Im really happy for you


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## Muutosjahdissa (Nov 9, 2007)

I think you should just try different things and find what gives YOU the break from the constant observing of yourself. For some it's swimming or jogging, I like those sports too but for me they don't distract very much because when doing them there's a lot of time to think about yourself. What works for me best are activities that cannot be done if you don't concentrate on them fully, such as fast teamsports, sudoku, correcting exams (I'm a teacher) etc. Music is important to me too, but when the focus is strongly inward, it's difficult to concentrate and let the music make emotions flow.

I'm not completely "out of the box" yet, but it's a huge step to be able to concentrate on something (even for a little while each day) after a long period of total numbness.

I want to repeat that when you start trying to do things that distract, that's exactly how it feels at first: TRYING. And it's very frustrating. But it's important not to give up, just continue doing it and trying different stuff and at some point you'll see progress. There is no shortcut here, it may take time, but in the end, you'll be able to finally turn the smile inside.


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## present (Dec 6, 2007)

Actually just got back from 20 minutes on the treadmill!
Was so difficult to do because my f-ing obsessed mind is constantly guessing- "Is this working?" "Am I numb still?" "Why iam I doing this to myself?" "MAybe Ill break free, but no, I am still stuck!"
I think you are right that it is a long process to get to the point to where you are just in it and those other qusetions just fade.
I am going out to eat a little later and have had some success with friends helping me to pull me out of this by just bullshitting about sports or the weather or women etc.


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## aaron.sims (Jan 21, 2008)

What i great original post this is what we need and what i have been trying to tell people with this condition. This is NOT a dissorder this is NOT a problem with our brain WE ARE NORMAL if you stop and think about it and the peole that deal with it we are the total opposite of insane we are to sane! we feel and think about every feeling that we have through out the day that we are not able to function! I am a recovered 85% sufferer that still deals with some feelings but the cure is that this is only a thought that causes a feeling that all it is! keep your mind from thinking about this and you will no longer have this feeling it is fed and motivated by thoughts and fear. GET OUT OF YOUR HOUSE EVEN FOR FIVE MINS! leave you room i know its scary but know that it wont get any wores and cant lead to any other dissorder. what you have is simply a obsessive that that causes a feeling. this is how i recovered because i stayed busy and the only reason im on this forum is to help people dealing with this cause i know how scary it can be! you have to retrain your mind to forget about this feeling and you will start living again. your on auto pilot right now because you wont allow your brain to think about anything else. http://www.dpmanual.com try this link best sixteen dollars i ever spent...


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## SonofEagles (Jan 12, 2008)

I bought this book and it was the best thing that ever happened to me. 
Forget the horror stories, years of pain and so on...DP is just that...a tired brain...and what Shaun says in that book is true...anyone can recover once they work towards it and do not sulk in the condition....
DP is not a disease, we are not mentally ill. We are just tender souls that analyze the hack out of everything till we exhaust ourselves.

Stress, rumination over problems, malnutrition, lack of sleep, lots of coffee, traumatic childhood, isolation - all make up for a recipe for disaster.

I was smack dab in the middle of all of the above when DP hit. It crept in slowly from few seconds to 24/7. 
I panicked, thought my life was over etc you know the rest.
After a lot of research I came across this book. His experince was actually identical to mine and it made sense how he worked out of it.
I am closing in on my 5th month of dealing with DP. I have lost the fear of it, I am back to feeling emotions, driving, doing my job. The foggy head feeling and some unreality is still there, but trust me , it will go away. 
Be positive guys, read positive stories of others who have recovered. Take your supplements, sleep more, eat healthy, smile and keep your head up even when you feel that nothing is ok.
Everything is ok, we are here, and here to stay. DP is just a thorn in the flesh. Your mind is craving some well deserved rest, give it to it and be brave.....we are stronger than this!!!!


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