# Chronic DP



## Jeepers (Feb 10, 2013)

Has anyone out there had lifelong DP? I dissociated from age four. Around age 20 I suffered anxiety attacks which brought on the symptoms of DP: disconnection of thoughts, emotions and body, weak senses, emotional numbness.

I guess my question is, if you are someone who has had DP for just a couple of years, and you improve, do you feel like your old self? I have no recollection of my own sense of self, so how will I know it?


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## JJ70 (Nov 1, 2010)

Chronic DP, yes I had the worst end of the scale for over 18 months,

Was I the same after recovery. yes and no...but both the yes and no were positive.

Experiences in life change you (with the right mindset they will only change you for the positive....very challenging for some experiences).

Yes I was a fully recovered balanced person.

No - Like all experiences it changed me, I have a better understanding of myself and others and spend a lot of my time helping people with difficulties (not just DP), my life would have probably taken a different path if I had not had DP.



> I have no recollection of my own sense of self, so how will I know it?


 For many reasons (I'm sure you will understand when you think about it), you will never return to the same person you were at 4 years old....so many life experiences have moulded who you are since.

How will you know you are recovered?

You will feel attached to the world, in touch with your physical and emotional self and not leaving a life of self reflection and fear. You will look to today and to the future with hope and happiness and live life to the full. *

JJ

*PS everybody has shit days even when they are recovered, they are just shit days without DP, like most people have.


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## Jeepers (Feb 10, 2013)

Hey thanks for the reply, and sorry I have taken so long to respond.

I guess it's that sense of 'knowing' I'm okay that I miss most of all.


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## kayseas95 (Feb 25, 2013)

Now that I know what DP is (had it for a year now) I realized i've had parts of it throughout my whole life, because I remember this feeling,


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## xxmdogxx (Jun 26, 2012)

yea i never had it before this it definitley took a LOT of stress to make me pop over to DP world and I havnt come back yet


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## JJ70 (Nov 1, 2010)

> yea i never had it before this it definitley took a LOT of stress to make me pop over to DP world and I havnt come back yet


Keep working at it, the vast majority make relatively quick recoveries (usually measured in months), a lot of the people who post on this forum are at the worst end of the scale, whether this is regards to how bad their DP is or how long they have had. Don't focus on it and just focus on recovery....this is what works for most in my experience.

JJ


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## Jewells (Feb 28, 2013)

All I can say is I want my life back and that this is the most horrible feeling I have felt in my whole life, I have noticed as well that I have had feelings like this before years ago but now it's every waking moment they say you must except the feeling but its so hard when you want to be connected to bad.


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## JJ70 (Nov 1, 2010)

@ jewells, I've been there and have been fully recovered for 20 years, so can you and you are not alone.

How long have you been suffering from constant DP/DR?


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## Jewells (Feb 28, 2013)

Hi JJ70
That is awesome I am so happy for you..I have been suffering from DP/DR for over a year now its all day everyday I even have the obsessive thoughts to boot my mind has shut down my past does not feel like it happened to me,my family the ones I love the most feel like strangers its so hard to except I feel so isolated when it first started a year ago I didnt want to leave the house now I am out so that is a good thing..Everyday is a battle just want to feel free from this..How did you do it????


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## JJ70 (Nov 1, 2010)

> I have been suffering from DP/DR for over a year now its all day everyday


Your not alone, I had chronic DP/DR for approx 18 months, you can get better.



> I even have the obsessive thoughts to


This can be pretty common with DP/DR



> I didnt want to leave the house now I am out so that is a good thing


Yes, this a very good thing.



> How did you do it????


In short I worked hard to train my mind away from thinking about DP/DR and focused on my physical and emotional self as well as the physical world around me.

Do you have any co-existing conditions anxiety/panic etc?


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## Jewells (Feb 28, 2013)

Yes I have the anxiety and panic as well, I have been taking Zoloft and Buspar that has helped as far as the anxiety but doesnt touch the DP/DR its so funny how you go to all these doctors and they have no idea what DP/DR is it took me lots of research to find out this feeling that I was feeling. What were your symptoms JJ70??


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## JJ70 (Nov 1, 2010)

I had DP/DR chronic, the worst end of the scale, nothing felt or looked real no emotions at all not even anxiety, you could have put me in a burning building and my pulse wouldn't have changed a bit. After my initial recovery I had a minor set back about two years later and I got anxiety with that which lead to full blown claustrophobia.

I've been fully recovered for about 20 years.


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