# How did you learn to cope with DP/DR?



## Cancermoon (May 27, 2019)

Hey, guys. I'm really glad I found this site. It makes me feel less crappy about myself to know I'm not alone dealing with this and we know how difficult in can be to explain what we feel to people who know nothing about the disorders.
It's really hard to pinpoint what exactly triggered it considering my life was in a downward spiral when I first started having symptoms. I was experiencing a lot of trauma and using a shit ton of drugs and alcohol at the time.
I've been diagnosed with bipolar 1 with psychotic features, borderline personality disorder, and I've had depression and anxiety since I was in my early teens, but being diagnosed with derealization disorder has been the most impactful on my life in the most negative ways you can think of. I've been affected so bad that I couldn't continue to work or go to school and I've isolated myself from 95% of the people I know. Pretty much everything you're told not to do.
I read through a few posts before writing this and it's interesting that a good handful of you make connections between weed and DP/DR. I used to get really bad paranoia and felt extremely detached from reality when I used to smoke and I think that's the simplest way I can explain some of the symptoms I deal with every day.
It's tough to concentrate on what I'm saying or doing all the time because I feel like I'm in a dream or like the world around me isn't real. I struggle to even just get through my sentences when I'm speaking. You know that feeling of zoning out and almost feeling "too lazy" to zone back in? I get that 60% of my day. When I close my eyes I feel like everything around me is warping. And of course my other disorders have made it 10x more difficult to get by day to day.
For over a year straight I've had problems with DR. By now it's hard to reminisce on what life felt like before I was bombarded with the symptoms. Some of you mention that you've had brief moments of your DP/DR going away and feeling such bliss. I haven't had that at all. Kinda really jealous haha. Some of you have also been discussing how you just learn to deal with it eventually. So for those of you who have been fighting this for a while now and have learned to live with it, how did you get to that point? Did you just kinda get used to it after so much time? Was there any medication that helped?


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## Psyborg (Dec 23, 2018)

know that it is not dangerous

imagine it like a mental jail . you just have to sit your sentence out . try to make it as good as you can while you are in this prison . work out , try to ignore it and bother with fun things and try to live a normal life

also lower your anxiety levels . if you have health anxiety like me for example and are scared your heart is not right or whatever then get your heart checked by your doc . this helped me a lot . or if you are scared of other things then face it and try to lower your anxiety

I am around 70% recovered if I had to give a percentage


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## alexxru (May 25, 2019)

Psyborg said:


> know that it is not dangerous
> 
> imagine it like a mental jail . you just have to sit your sentence out . try to make it as good as you can while you are in this prison . work out , try to ignore it and bother with fun things and try to live a normal life
> 
> ...


 You are so right it's like a mental jail

Can I ask if there is anything else that you do to recover from it besides working on your anxiety? For example a treatment or medications


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## Cancermoon (May 27, 2019)

I'm with you on the health paranoia! When I first got DR I was going to the hospital every month because of something new I was anxious over. My heart rate being one of the reasons.
It's not easy to distract myself because of my other disorders. I'm sleepy and fatigued, anxious, irritable, etc. and I don't have the will power to help myself.
Simply getting out of the house is a hard task and I've been resistant to medication because nothing seems to work. When I see people say they've gotten used to it I'm so thrown off because I can't think of a life where I could ever get used to this.


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## Psyborg (Dec 23, 2018)

alexxru said:


> You are so right it's like a mental jail
> 
> Can I ask if there is anything else that you do to recover from it besides working on your anxiety? For example a treatment or medications


I have taken medication yes . I have taken antipsychotics and effexor . but they helped only a little for dp . I actually feel that my dp is lower since I stopped the effexor 2 months ago

in the last months I took sulpiride 50mg sporadically whenever I needed to get rid of the "I died . I am dead " feeling . but I didnt take any sulpiride in the last weeks either . and I try to avoid it because it made me fat and ugly lol

my situation is a little special though . I got into the whole bad situation because years ago I quit medications by myself cold turkey without asking my doc and since then I am in a world full of trouble . I also mixed effexor with alcohol and marihuana

I actually quit medications cold turkey several times in the last years . which you should never do

but if your dp is not caused by such "special conditions" but are "only" because of "natural" reasons such as anxiety/panic attack or a trauma etc. then I wouldnt bother much with medication unless the situation regarding the anxiety is not bearable anymore . I dont recommend meds except if your situation is so worse to a point that you get suicidal or whatever

and do NOT take benzodiazepines (like valium , ativan , klonopin etc) . except in emergency situations and even then you should try to not take it . I took half an ativan when I had a panic attack and it made everything worse for me (but I really needed it at that day)

2018 was my worst year ever . I cant describe you what pain I have been through . I cant believe I "survived" it


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## alexxru (May 25, 2019)

I



Psyborg said:


> I have taken medication yes . I have taken antipsychotics and effexor . but they helped only a little for dp . I actually feel that my dp is lower since I stopped the effexor 2 months ago
> 
> in the last months I took sulpiride 50mg sporadically whenever I needed to get rid of the "I died . I am dead " feeling . but I didnt take any sulpiride in the last weeks either . and I try to avoid it because it made me fat and ugly lol
> 
> ...


I'm taking benzodiazepines right now.. it's because my panic made it really worse but I don't know if they are working or not

I'm really worried because I don't really know if it's only anxiety and trauma based, I remember it starting with smoking marijuana ..

Hope we all get better guys


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## Psyborg (Dec 23, 2018)

alexxru said:


> I
> 
> I'm taking benzodiazepines right now.. it's because my panic made it really worse but I don't know if they are working or not
> 
> ...


what kind of benzo are you taking and how much , how often ?

it is only anxiety and trauma . what else would it be


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## alexxru (May 25, 2019)

Psyborg said:


> what kind of benzo are you taking and how much , how often ?
> 
> it is only anxiety and trauma . what else would it be


I'm taking xanax for a month..not standard maybe 3 or 4 times a day about 0.25 mg or 0.5 sometimes


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## Psyborg (Dec 23, 2018)

Cancermoon said:


> I'm with you on the health paranoia! When I first got DR I was going to the hospital every month because of something new I was anxious over. My heart rate being one of the reasons.
> It's not easy to distract myself because of my other disorders. I'm sleepy and fatigued, anxious, irritable, etc. and I don't have the will power to help myself.
> Simply getting out of the house is a hard task and I've been resistant to medication because nothing seems to work. When I see people say they've gotten used to it I'm so thrown off because I can't think of a life where I could ever get used to this.


I was obsessed with my heart rate . and it IS high . but my doc said I am in no danger

you should start jogging

also what helps too is to think about situations in the past that you can remember very well (good moments) and go to the places where you had those good moments and try to reconnect with it


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## Psyborg (Dec 23, 2018)

alexxru said:


> I'm taking xanax for a month..not standard maybe 3 or 4 times a day about 0.25 mg or 0.5 sometimes


hmm ....

well thats not good . I have to be honest . you should talk to your doctor and ask him how you will avoid the addiction etc.

benzos are not to be used everyday . they are only for emergency situations like very heavy panic attacks etc.

dont freak out now though . I am here for you lol


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