# Things That Have Helped Me



## Guest (May 11, 2010)

Someone emailed me asking how to cope with dp. I ended up writing a list and I thought it would be helpful to share, so here it is.

1. Learn the truth about dp. You really should read this thread: http://www.dpselfhelp.com/forum/index.php?/topic/18932-feeling-90-better-after-4-years-heres-how/ . Basically she says that we need to learn to view dp as a good thing. I know that sounds insane but I didn't "get it" until I read this post. Basically, dp is not an illness. It is not a mental disorder. It is a natural defense mechanism of the brain to protect against stress or trauma. Dp is like a sneeze. You sneeze because your body is trying to protect yourself from forgein invaders. So you forcibly expell them from your nose. A sneeze isn't something you would go seeking medical help for and we should view dp the same way. Dp is basically our brain protecting us from something that was too big for us to handle. So it distanced us from that thing. What is it doing is trying to protect us and help us, not harm us. Dp also is caused by the fight or flight response in the brain being stuck on. That changes the chemical reactions happening in the brain and thus changes our perceptions of the world around us. Essentially, dp is a lie our brains are telling us. It constantly sends us signals that we are in danger when we are not. Look around you. Do you see anything that is an immediate threat? I am going to take a guess that you don't because there isn't one. It is so important to tell yourself "This isn't real, it's just a lie my brain is telling me. I am not sick. Dp cannot physically harm me. Dp is a good thing. It is my body trying to help me, not harm me.

2. Breathing/Relaxation exercises: These are critical with dp. When you do these exercises they actually act on your parasympathetic nervous system and start to change to chemical reactions happening in the brain. You are actually able to feel calmer and more in control when you do them. The most basic one is to lay down or sit in a chair with your feet firmly on the floor. Close your eyes. Take a slow breath in through your nose counting to 4. Hold it, slowly counting to 4, and then exhale slowly through your mouth. Concentrate completely on your breathing and do this over and over until you feel calmer. This is great for warding off panic attacks. Another thing that I like to do is guided relaxation. You can go on youtube and find videos. Basically you lay down and listen to what the person tells you to do. It really helps calm me down.

3. Grounding techniques: I am only starting to learn these but I will tell you about the ones I have learned. First, again, sit in a chair and look around the room. Name one thing that you can identify with each of your senses (I smell, I taste, I hear, I see, I feel). Another is to look around the room and start naming details about your surroundings (The wall is blue, the light switch is silver and has switches, etc). Name as much detail as you can but do not dwell on one thing for too long. This is supposed to be done fairly rapidly. Do this so that you know what is on all side of you, under you, and above you. This REALLY helps. I was having a horrible dp day when I learned this and it actually helped the first time I tried it. I felt more aware.
I was told that if you are having a really bad time, to get a spray bottle and keep it in your fridge full of water. When you feel really numb and out of it, go to the fridge, spray yourself in the face 3 times and then start naming objects around the room. 
A major thing I have a problem with is being in a car. Every time it feels like I am just watching a movie and I used to just try to zone out more to get through it but that can be really dangerous if you are driving. So my therapist told me to use the same naming concept of your surroundings. Count red cars, blue cars, name details about the people in the cars, about road signs, etc.

4. Do not isolate. Believe me, I KNOW how hard this one is to do but I have found that the times that I feel better are when I get up and do something, specifically just being out in public. I don't notice my dp at all because I am too distracted watching what is happening around me. When I sit in my room, on the computer, I feel worse.

5. Suppliments. It is kind of a well known fact that medications don't help dp. Even the top DP researchers say that there have not been any drugs proven to give significant relief. A lot of us take benzodiazapines for our anxiety but that can turn into a really slippery slope as well and should be avoided unless you've gotten to the point where you would rather die than deal with dp anymore.
I take Sublingual vitamin B complex and Vitamin D (800 iu daily). These have helped me tremendously. I had really horrible depression and these have taken that away with no weird effects. I have read that Inositol acts like an SSRI and is good for anxiety. The same goes for St. John's Wart and Valerian root. Tommygunz has a suppliment list that has taken away his and other people's dp. It doesn't work for everyone but it does help.

I hope that this helps you. I think the major key is just to keep calm, know you are not in danger and not sick, and then try to live life as normally as possible. Don't obsess about your feelings, don't isolate. Eat, shower, be productive and use the relaxation and grounding exercises when you need them.


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## 2deepathinker (Aug 17, 2009)

tinyfairypeople said:


> Someone emailed me asking how to cope with dp. I ended up writing a list and I thought it would be helpful to share, so here it is.
> 
> 1. Learn the truth about dp. You really should read this thread: http://www.dpselfhelp.com/forum/index.php?/topic/18932-feeling-90-better-after-4-years-heres-how/ . Basically she says that we need to learn to view dp as a good thing. I know that sounds insane but I didn't "get it" until I read this post. Basically, dp is not an illness. It is not a mental disorder. It is a natural defense mechanism of the brain to protect against stress or trauma. Dp is like a sneeze. You sneeze because your body is trying to protect yourself from forgein invaders. So you forcibly expell them from your nose. A sneeze isn't something you would go seeking medical help for and we should view dp the same way. Dp is basically our brain protecting us from something that was too big for us to handle. So it distanced us from that thing. What is it doing is trying to protect us and help us, not harm us. Dp also is caused by the fight or flight response in the brain being stuck on. That changes the chemical reactions happening in the brain and thus changes our perceptions of the world around us. Essentially, dp is a lie our brains are telling us. It constantly sends us signals that we are in danger when we are not. Look around you. Do you see anything that is an immediate threat? I am going to take a guess that you don't because there isn't one. It is so important to tell yourself "This isn't real, it's just a lie my brain is telling me. I am not sick. Dp cannot physically harm me. Dp is a good thing. It is my body trying to help me, not harm me.
> 
> ...


I love this! Thank you so much for sharing. This is a great list. I want to get more on top of taking supplements. I also think it is important to learn the truth about DP. This is helpful because I am less likely to obsess that I am going crazy.


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## ruston33 (May 11, 2010)

that was a nice picture there guy. good luck to you and your dp and your supplements. praise jesus a little more why dont ya.

name='tinyfairypeople' date='11 May 2010 - 06:37 PM' timestamp='1273603072' post='189440']
Someone emailed me asking how to cope with dp. I ended up writing a list and I thought it would[quote be helpful to share, so here it is.

1. Learn the truth about dp. You really should read this thread: http://www.dpselfhelp.com/forum/index.php?/topic/18932-feeling-90-better-after-4-years-heres-how/ . Basically she says that we need to learn to view dp as a good thing. I know that sounds insane but I didn't "get it" until I read this post. Basically, dp is not an illness. It is not a mental disorder. It is a natural defense mechanism of the brain to protect against stress or trauma. Dp is like a sneeze. You sneeze because your body is trying to protect yourself from forgein invaders. So you forcibly expell them from your nose. A sneeze isn't something you would go seeking medical help for and we should view dp the same way. Dp is basically our brain protecting us from something that was too big for us to handle. So it distanced us from that thing. What is it doing is trying to protect us and help us, not harm us. Dp also is caused by the fight or flight response in the brain being stuck on. That changes the chemical reactions happening in the brain and thus changes our perceptions of the world around us. Essentially, dp is a lie our brains are telling us. It constantly sends us signals that we are in danger when we are not. Look around you. Do you see anything that is an immediate threat? I am going to take a guess that you don't because there isn't one. It is so important to tell yourself "This isn't real, it's just a lie my brain is telling me. I am not sick. Dp cannot physically harm me. Dp is a good thing. It is my body trying to help me, not harm me.

2. Breathing/Relaxation exercises: These are critical with dp. When you do these exercises they actually act on your parasympathetic nervous system and start to change to chemical reactions happening in the brain. You are actually able to feel calmer and more in control when you do them. The most basic one is to lay down or sit in a chair with your feet firmly on the floor. Close your eyes. Take a slow breath in through your nose counting to 4. Hold it, slowly counting to 4, and then exhale slowly through your mouth. Concentrate completely on your breathing and do this over and over until you feel calmer. This is great for warding off panic attacks. Another thing that I like to do is guided relaxation. You can go on youtube and find videos. Basically you lay down and listen to what the person tells you to do. It really helps calm me down.

3. Grounding techniques: I am only starting to learn these but I will tell you about the ones I have learned. First, again, sit in a chair and look around the room. Name one thing that you can identify with each of your senses (I smell, I taste, I hear, I see, I feel). Another is to look around the room and start naming details about your surroundings (The wall is blue, the light switch is silver and has switches, etc). Name as much detail as you can but do not dwell on one thing for too long. This is supposed to be done fairly rapidly. Do this so that you know what is on all side of you, under you, and above you. This REALLY helps. I was having a horrible dp day when I learned this and it actually helped the first time I tried it. I felt more aware.
I was told that if you are having a really bad time, to get a spray bottle and keep it in your fridge full of water. When you feel really numb and out of it, go to the fridge, spray yourself in the face 3 times and then start naming objects around the room. 
A major thing I have a problem with is being in a car. Every time it feels like I am just watching a movie and I used to just try to zone out more to get through it but that can be really dangerous if you are driving. So my therapist told me to use the same naming concept of your surroundings. Count red cars, blue cars, name details about the people in the cars, about road signs, etc.

4. Do not isolate. Believe me, I KNOW how hard this one is to do but I have found that the times that I feel better are when I get up and do something, specifically just being out in public. I don't notice my dp at all because I am too distracted watching what is happening around me. When I sit in my room, on the computer, I feel worse.

5. Suppliments. It is kind of a well known fact that medications don't help dp. Even the top DP researchers say that there have not been any drugs proven to give significant relief. A lot of us take benzodiazapines for our anxiety but that can turn into a really slippery slope as well and should be avoided unless you've gotten to the point where you would rather die than deal with dp anymore.
I take Sublingual vitamin B complex and Vitamin D (800 iu daily). These have helped me tremendously. I had really horrible depression and these have taken that away with no weird effects. I have read that Inositol acts like an SSRI and is good for anxiety. The same goes for St. John's Wart and Valerian root. Tommygunz has a suppliment list that has taken away his and other people's dp. It doesn't work for everyone but it does help.

I hope that this helps you. I think the major key is just to keep calm, know you are not in danger and not sick, and then try to live life as normally as possible. Don't obsess about your feelings, don't isolate. Eat, shower, be productive and use the relaxation and grounding exercises when you need them.
[/quote]


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## flat (Jun 18, 2006)

How paradoxical. Dp is an escape mechanism that we are now trying to escape from lol. I wonder what makes it remain in the "stuck on" position.


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## Interested (Mar 14, 2010)

flat said:


> How paradoxical. Dp is an escape mechanism that we are now trying to escape from lol. I wonder what makes it remain in the "stuck on" position.


I think it remains in the stuck position due to perceived threat?


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## flat (Jun 18, 2006)

I can see that if you are in a particular situation where there is a potential for threat. For example, maybe you have to give a speech which you hate because you don't like to be in the spotlight because you are shy then it makes sense that you would get nervous and dp would show up. But when you are calm and in a safe place and there is no nervous situation going on then why is the dp still there? Unless...there is a subconscious problem going on that needs to be dealt with and resolved and dp is forcing you to look at this problem and fix it and then it will go away. Sounds pretty freudian.


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## Kitr (Jul 7, 2009)

Hm how come you were only taking 800UI of vitamin D? 5000UI is preferable. You make like 20000UI of vitamin D being 20min on the sun


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