# my depression and dissociation. . it's healing :)



## xkarenflowerx (Jan 2, 2006)

Hi there. I haven't posted much on this forum but I used to regularly come here to read posts when my dp/dr was especially bad and distressing.

I've had it chronically for. . over a year, maybe more, after I experienced multiple traumatic experiences in the space of a few months. It was simply too stressful for me to cope with the flashbacks etc. . I found that by dissociating at least they would go away somewhat.

So, this chronic dp/dr was really bad for me. I would stare at the world around me and nothing would make sense. . I would be afraid of staring at the stars and having my mind filled with existential thoughts and noticing the plasticity of the buildings around me. It was hard to me to connect with feeling anything was familiar, even my bedroom looked strange :/

I bought Peter Levine's book, and it made me cry a lot and I thought it was the answer but I was afraid to do the exercises he recommended, so I kept on struggling.

However, about a week ago. . I started doing step 1 of the Potatoes Not Prozac food plan.

The website for it is here: http://www.radiantrecovery.com

It is the *BEST* thing that has ever happened to me!! 

I've had awful, awful depression and anxiety for years and years. Lots of panic attacks and suicidal thoughts etc. So when I read PnP I discovered the chemical reasons behind that - I was so sensitive to pain and had low self-esteem because my beta-endorphins were low, I was impulsive and depressed because I had low levels of serotonin (which I have read is related to obsessive-compulsive disorders and PTSD) and my blood sugar levels were all out of whack which is why my moods changed so much and I felt so tired.

So I started having lots of protein and complex carbs for breakfast as soon as I woke up and it's been having a *Tremendous* effect on me  I don't feel as drained or lethargic, or as depressed. . my nightly panic attacks (which were pretty bad) have gone now.

This is great, but the most surprising thing is that my dp/dr has decreased a LOT.

I wouldn't say it's gone completely, but. . I'm able to live for hours and hours without even thinking about it, or how strange the world is or how strange I feel etc.

I really didn't expect this to happen with the food, so quickly  I used to feel literally paralyzed in this fear of living in a strange, unfamiliar world but now. . I *don't*.

Since this is only step 1 I'm on, things can only get better ^.^ It does kind of make sense that if this food plan is designed to help deal with faulty biochemistry, ie. depression and anxiety, that it should help with dissociation too.

I really would recommend anyone who is struggling to check out the website and read the info, or the get book. It's fascinating stuff!  (and a life-saver for me!!)


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## invisible.ink (Feb 2, 2007)

That's great! Thanks for sharing the link. I'll have to check that out.


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## lostsoul (Aug 25, 2006)

Thanks for the tip, I just bought some proteine shake. But please remember this may work only for some. Anyways, its worth a shot.

What I also started doing is being as extravert as possible. Singing the whole day, reading books out loud. Then take a bath and do a body scan. Because my emotional blockade gets crushed a bit by singing etc. I start feeling all my energy when I do a body scan, which is the way out.

Thanks again for sharing this tip!


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