# Anyone else trying to beat this without/with minimal drugs?



## Guest (Nov 29, 2012)

I am trying to beat this with just 2.5-5mg diazepam every now and then when I am at my worst, and the odd sleeping pill if I can't sleep. I am pushing my boundaries and trying other therapies/diet/self-help instead, with lots of rest.

Anyone else trying this route?


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## MissK (Oct 11, 2011)

Hey, Iv had dp nearly 2 years now, I haven't tried meds and dont think i will.


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## MIndfAEL (Mar 13, 2012)

jw wats wrong with trying meds? like a pride thing..?


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## Guest (Nov 30, 2012)

INTP_Michael said:


> jw wats wrong with trying meds? like a pride thing..?


Lol! Not at all, I tried meds but it made me worse, I just felt like they were a bandaid rather than a cure because as soon as I went off them my anxiety and DP came back full force and I don't think my withdrawal could have been much slower! Meds make me feel bad, And I don't want to end up like my mother, who now cannot function without her first-aid box full of meds a day (for mental illness). She believed so strongly in them that she never considered just facing herself and her problem and thinking "How can I do this on my own?" And for that reason, she would possibly kill herself accidentally if she went off them. Basically, I don't want to end up like that.

If I was on them I would probably feel suicidal less but if I was really trying hard to beat this without them I would also probably feel suicidal less. So I'm giving it a go. It's nice to not have any side-affects too.


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## GroupHug (Jul 6, 2012)

INTP_Michael said:


> jw wats wrong with trying meds? like a pride thing..?


A lot of people have tried meds and it either makes things worse or it doesn't help them. They're just not effective or safe in every case.


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## ValleyGirl (Nov 10, 2017)

L i o n H e ❥ r t said:


> Lol! Not at all, I tried meds but it made me worse, I just felt like they were a bandaid rather than a cure because as soon as I went off them my anxiety and DP came back full force and I don't think my withdrawal could have been much slower! Meds make me feel bad, And I don't want to end up like my mother, who now cannot function without her first-aid box full of meds a day (for mental illness). She believed so strongly in them that she never considered just facing herself and her problem and thinking "How can I do this on my own?" And for that reason, she would possibly kill herself accidentally if she went off them. Basically, I don't want to end up like that.
> 
> If I was on them I would probably feel suicidal less but if I was really trying hard to beat this without them I would also probably feel suicidal less. So I'm giving it a go. It's nice to not have any side-affects too.


This is my sister. She has dp as well and she's been on an anti-psychotic, an antidepressant, and a benzo. She has been for years and her dp was gone, until an issue with her insurance where she lost her ability to refill her medications. For the past 4 months she's been a trainwreck. Her dp came back along with a bunch of other issues. She back to square one.


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## ValleyGirl (Nov 10, 2017)

GroupHug said:


> A lot of people have tried meds and it either makes things worse or it doesn't help them. They're just not effective or safe in every case.


And this would be me. I got dp from Prozac. At the beginning I tried medications out of desperation. I was on Prozac, xanax, ativan, klonopin, buspar, neurontin, effexor, seroquil, lamictal and others I cannot remember. Every one of them made my symptoms much worse. I have also tried a ton of herbal stuff like 5-htp, fish oil, flaxseed oil, l-theanine, Rhodia Rosea, sublingual b12 and they made me worse too. I finally had to realize that dp/dr is not an illness and should not be addressed a such. It's not even a mental illness. It a natural defense mechanism like sneezing. Granted, it's not fun to have but it is your body's natural way of protecting you and I feel that your body provides the resolution just like it provided the dp.


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## wise (Mar 29, 2012)

I wouldn't resort to meds personally. My focus is on finding what truly makes me happy and keep at it because at the end of the day, I think personal life changes can cure this. I noticed recently that most of my life I spent tolerating what I was resistant to and now I think, well I guess I was just trying to survive, but surviving doesn't mean thriving.


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## opie37060 (Jan 9, 2010)

Meds definitely aren't for everone that's for sure. But DP is hell and for a lot of people medication is the only thing that provides relief and gives any hope for the future. I used to have full blown anxiety disorder and without meds I couldn't cope with everyday life. And now that I have dp the only thing that makes me feel halfway normal is Lamictal. I probally have been on over 15 meds in the past 10 years and yes their are side effects. But personally I'll do whatever it takes to get out of this mess and climb out of this dark abyss known as DP.


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## MIndfAEL (Mar 13, 2012)

L i o n H e ❥ r t said:


> Lol! Not at all, I tried meds but it made me worse, I just felt like they were a bandaid rather than a cure because as soon as I went off them my anxiety and DP came back full force and I don't think my withdrawal could have been much slower! Meds make me feel bad, And I don't want to end up like my mother, who now cannot function without her first-aid box full of meds a day (for mental illness). She believed so strongly in them that she never considered just facing herself and her problem and thinking "How can I do this on my own?" And for that reason, she would possibly kill herself accidentally if she went off them. Basically, I don't want to end up like that.
> 
> If I was on them I would probably feel suicidal less but if I was really trying hard to beat this without them I would also probably feel suicidal less. So I'm giving it a go. It's nice to not have any side-affects too.


that makes sense. i guess i didnt think about that because ive never really felt any different on meds and never had any crazy side effects people talk about. im indifferent. i also can see how people can get addicted to meds if they really help though. i have full blown generalized anxiety but ive just learned to live with it i was just always really skeptical that meds would help. if meds did help though and made my life back to normal i could see how meds become addicting. and youll have to increase the dose and subsequently more side effects etc. makes sesnse. but the only thing is that i dont see how meds are masking the problem. 
if the problem is an unbalance of brain chemicals that can can be corrected by meds. i have no control over my anxiety. it has to be biological.


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## MIndfAEL (Mar 13, 2012)

or atleast it feels that way. but i remember when the generalized anxiety first came on i was not even consciously doing it and had no control over it. thats y i take the biological perspective.


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## xxmdogxx (Jun 26, 2012)

take meds if you need to but don't get addicted to benzos or adderall or anything addictive because you are not special and will get addicted. I say this because if you google search "how to" the first thing that comes up us "how to get a prescription for adderall" and its got to be one of the stupidest drugs you could give a kid or young adult or anyone. People simply think they are better and won't get hooked. So if its addictive be careful. In terms of getting anxiety under control SSRIs have helped me just to tame some ridiculous anxiety and thats about it.I also would try some high octane fish oil.


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## Confused1994 (Nov 25, 2012)

I have tried prozac and risperdone and honestly medications didn't help me much. Prozac did help with my depression but not with dp. Dp is a protection of the brain when it gets too stressed out and anxious. The main way to cure dp is to just relax and try not to worry, that way the brain will let its guard down.


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## Anesthetic (Feb 4, 2013)

I've had DP/DR for nearly 10 years and stopped taking meds around 7 years ago. I am managing although some days I don't know if it's worth it, being off meds. I will see I guess.


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## fraginfo (Feb 7, 2013)

I have been on meds for years now and they didn't prevent derealization, I am progressively withdrawing to swap with alternative therapy like homeopathy and phytotherapy. I am starting a cognitive behavioural theray in 13 days, and I am very hopeful.

Bye

Fraginfo


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## Haumea (Jul 11, 2009)

Immediately after onset of DPD all those years ago I was pretty freaked as most are, so I went on Dilantin (wtf? they really had no clue, did they?) After about 10 days (and a side effect rash) I said "fuck it, this isn't helping" and have never taken meds since.

Whenever I've had periods of bad anxiety, I've turned to alternative healing. Acupuncture got me out of one bad period, although it took months. But I've simply refused to poison myself with prescription drugs. I've always had a sensitivity to ALL OF THEM so I consider them an avenue of last resort.

I understand why people turn to them, but ultimately, they aren't necessary to cope with anxiety or depression, and certainly, if the anxiety and depression is strictly a reaction to DP itself.


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## JackDanielß (Nov 28, 2012)

valleygirl<3 said:


> This is my sister. She has dp as well and she's been on an anti-psychotic, an antidepressant, and a benzo. She has been for years and her dp was gone, until an issue with her insurance where she lost her ability to refill her medications. For the past 4 months she's been a trainwreck. Her dp came back along with a bunch of other issues. She back to square one.


This is an old post, but since both you and your sister have DP, don't you think it might have something to do with how you were raised?


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## Guest (Mar 3, 2013)

Update: I don't take the meds anymore. DP left me a few months ago and I feel the medication, which I used for my anxiety, was unnecessary because I could just face the fear instead, so in that sense I feel that the medication was preventing recovery. It was the quick fix cop-out that I didn't need. This was my personal experience of it.

I still have anxiety, but I welcome every burst of panic I have, because I see it as just another opportunity to practice overcoming it.

I highly doubt I will be taking meds again for anxiety, depression or DP as I've found acceptance to be a successful cure.


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