# Self- Help books



## Universal

I'll start you offf with Hope and Help For Your Nerves by Claire Weekes,


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## Universal

book #2 The Power of your Subconscious Mind by Joseph Murphy


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## jft

"A New Guide To Rational Living" by Albert Ellis.

And for the pure obsessive types here "The obsessive Personality" by Salzman (Leon?) which I beleive is still out of print but can be found in larger libraries. It is more of a text than a self help book but very readable.

jft


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## furtherwest

Universal,

I was going to post those exact two! Weekes' and Ellis have helped me tremendously.

One of the most beneficial skills learned from Weekes has been the ability to let a period of increased anxiety run its course without attempting to fight or avoid it. To feel all of the changes (blushing, breathing changes, racing thoughts) and not be impressed by them. Just accept them as sort of an overgrown reflex and move on.

The chapter on "Feelings of Unreality" is eerie because its so accurate in its description. Also to see something in print (not on the internet) describing DP is uncanny.

Do you practice some of her techniques? Floating, etc?

"The Miracle of Mindfulness" -Hahn
an examination of mindful awareness, a topic touched on by both Weekes and Ellis


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## jft

In 1985 I was sitting under an elm tree in south Minneapolis reading "Hope and Help" and was very interested in the anxiety issues disccussed, but when I came upon the chapter on feeling unreal I started to weep. It was like the second time in my life that I had cried, and this due to the fact that for 10 years I had suffered in fear just thinking I was nuts or fried from drugs. I finally had a direction to look toward. too bad that so little information was out there for years to come.
jft


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## Universal

Psycho Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz


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## Sojourner

_The Power of Now_, Eckhart Tolle

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/157731 ... 5&v=glance


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## furtherwest

"Psycho Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz"

what is it all about?

Is this worth examining? i read a bit about it on amazon(positive reviews), but didnt see it at local bookstore.


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## Revelation_old

Good topic - I have pinned it.


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## sebastian

Since this is now pinned, i'll once again suggest that anyone who hasn't done so, read _Unravelling_ by Janine Baker. It is the only book that i've ever come across that specifically deals with Depersonalization, and it's quite a comfort to read on dark and dped nights.

Claire Weekes is also good for dealing with anxiety and Kay Jamison's "Unquiet Mind" is a good leisurely autobiographical read that deals with one persons battle with depression.

s.


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## Universal

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill


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## Universal

What To Say When You Talk To Yourself by Shad Helmstetter


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## peacedove

"From Panic to Power" by Luncinda Basset. Great for anxiety and negative thinkers.


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## peacedove

Universal said:


> What To Say When You Talk To Yourself by Shad Helmstetter


I NEED to get this one.


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## dalailama15

Books by Oolon Colluphid
_
* Where God Went Wrong 
* Some More of God's Greatest Mistakes 
* Who Is This God Person Anyway? 
* Well That About Wraps It Up for God 
* Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Guilt But Have Been Too Ashamed To Find Out _

And my favorite:

_* Everything You Never Wanted To Know About Sex But Have Been Forced To Find Out _

(Douglas Adams RIP)


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## Guest

"The Body Never Lies" and "The Truth Will Set You Free" by Alice Miller. Her ideas go directly against Freud's (although she was once one of Freud's little minions when she was a practicing psychoanalyst). She says essentially that you can't truly feel good about yourself if you are supppressing memories of trauma because the disloyalty and betrayal you show towards the truth eats away at you. Ever told a lie and then felt bad about it? Like that.


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## [rula]

"how to overcome DP/DR" by Dr. Freedman
http://www.anxietybusters.com/ebooks/dpdr2005.pdf

hope she doesn't mind me sharing it, for free :shock:


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## jake

To cheer you up ; "How to Make Yourself Miserable" by Dan Greenburg with Marcia Jacobs. Good stuff about worry and self-hate, which I relate to big time. It is hard to make me laugh but this book did.
---Jake


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## Guest

Lots of unreaded books on amazon PPPMMM for details


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## Universal

arczi said:


> Lots of unreaded books on amazon PPPMMM for details


any specific books?


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## Guest

rula said:


> "how to overcome DP/DR" by Dr. Freedman
> http://www.anxietybusters.com/ebooks/dpdr2005.pdf
> 
> hope she doesn't mind me sharing it, for free :shock:


I just went to Freedman's website. VERY INTERESTING!

I couldn't bring up the website you posted here, Rula. Is it a book?


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## Guest

beachgirl said:


> rula said:
> 
> 
> 
> "how to overcome DP/DR" by Dr. Freedman
> http://www.anxietybusters.com/ebooks/dpdr2005.pdf
> 
> hope she doesn't mind me sharing it, for free :shock:
> 
> 
> 
> I just went to Freedman's website. VERY INTERESTING!
> 
> I couldn't bring up the website you posted here, Rula. Is it a book?
Click to expand...

you will have to install acrobat reader first. The ebook itself is a very simple take on dp, but the good thing is that it's written bij someone who suffered from it.


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## theatreSpell

may i suggest something not book related?

exercise, physical exercise, repetitive motions to calm you down. when it gets really bad, push yourself to your physical limit to feel reconnected with your body, exhaust yourself, but at the same time do something that's very secure in its monotony. it's probably chemical related anyway, so i'm figuring it mught have something to do with endorphins, not sure...but it did help me alleviate the symptoms.


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## Universal

Instant Self-Hypnosis: How to Hypnotize Yourself With Your Eyes Open


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## LOSTONE

The Holy Bible.

You don't have to be religious or even believe in God to reap the rewards from this book. If the Bible did not exist I am sure that I would not have been able to live with dp/dr for 8 years.

Job is a good book of the bible for all dp/dr sufferers, also Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

My favs are probably Proverbs and Ecclesiastes.

http://www.watchtower.org/bible/index.htm


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## Universal

Waking the Tiger by Peter A. Levine
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/155643 ... oding=UTF8

Healing Trauma by Peter A. Levine
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/159179 ... oding=UTF8

These books are indespensible to those suffering from traume and wish
gentle, step-by-step release and reintegration.


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## Guest

I got the Claire Weekes book "Latest Help for Your Nerves", but it's kinda useless. I can't find "Hope and Help for Your Nerves".


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## peacedove

beachgirl said:


> I got the Claire Weekes book "Latest Help for Your Nerves", but it's kinda useless. I can't find "Hope and Help for Your Nerves".


There's a new one??? Wasn't aware of that. Sorry to hear it was useless though.


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## Pablo

"Emotional Clearing" by John Ruskan

The practical methods to work with your emotions made a huge difference for me although he does go on about reincarnation so if you are like me you should skip those bits. The best thing is that you can download it for free from his website:

http://www.emclear.com/WorkingOnYourself_FRT.html

Also Peter Levine's books are priceless


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## distantdawn

"Healing Anxiety and Depression" by Daniel G. Amen, M.D. and Lisa C. Routh, M.D. This book physically pinpoints the parts of your brain that cause DP/DR, seriously.


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## Methusala

'10 days to Self Esteem' by Dr Burns
Imo, this book will give you the most for your money the fastest and most reliabely of any book listed here, or any other mental health book I'v read or heard about it. The book's effectiveness is supported by a peer reviewed research study on people using the book. This book is all value and systematicaly and pretty easily takes the reader through a 10 day program of writing, testing, cognitive and other exercises. I have found that my DP caused me to not notice my issues in the areas covered by the book-anxiety, depression, self esteem, social-emotional skills. Addressing them made a big difference for both my DP issues and my life.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/068809 ... e&n=283155

'There Is Nothing Wrong with You : Going Beyond Self-Hate'
by Cheri Huber
This book is written by a yoga spiritual teacher from a meditiation type viewpoint, but also happens to be one of the best and most effective books on the subject. It's an easy illustrated read and provides a powerful dose for self love.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/097103 ... e&n=283155

'The Trauma Model' by Dr Ross. Explains a new paradigm for psychiatry, that psychological trauma is th 'germ' of most psychiatric illness. Also explains how to treat it. Based on 20 years of peer reviewed research and caring for patients. This is a psychiatric text book and can only be used for self education by none mental health professionals. I'm not a mental health professional. However, the material in this book is so groundbreaking and significant for people coping with disorders, that it's well worth it to be aware of what it says and to spread the word about it.
http://www.rossinst.com/trauma.htm

"Betrayal Trauma' by Psychologist Jennifer Freyd. This book explains in referenced detail how the betrayal of child abuse and other trauma effect memory, cognitive functioning and emotional attachment systems.

'Stranger in the Mirror' by Dr Steinberg. This is a popular book explaining her 20 years of work in diagnosing and treating dissociative disorders.
http:www.strangerinthemirror.com

'Handbook for the Assesment of Dissociation A Clinical Guide'
By Dr Steinberg
This professional book explains how to assess dissociative clients using the scid-d test. It also goes far beyond that, explaing dissociation studies in deep well written detail. This book shouldn't be used for anything but self education by none mental health professionals.

'International society for the study of dissociation 2005 conference mp3 CD set.' This CD set covers 3 whole days worth of the most recent and significant dissociation education and research. Like the above book, 
this is only appropriate to use for self education by none mental health
professionals.
http://atrium.issd.org/cdorder2005.htm

'The Dissociative Identity Disorder Sourcebook' by Deborah Bray Haddock
This coping and treatment information filled book is very useful for all dissociative disorders, imo.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/073730 ... e&n=283155

'Trauma and Recovery' by Judith Herman
A classic on trauma and recovery.

'Ghosts from the nursery' by Robin Karr-Morse and Meredith S. Wiley
Explains the long lasting severe psychological problems that happen when an infant is abused or neglected.

'Necessary Losses' by Judith Viorst
Classic book that explains how mourning the major necessary losses in ones life is a central part of a life and identity with powerful meaning.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/068484 ... e&n=283155

'On Death and Dying' by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross
A historic classic on the importance of mourning in life and healing.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/068483 ... e&n=283155

'Emotional Intelligence' by Daniel Goldman.
Explains the importance and nature of emotional skills and experience.

Any of Dr Amen's books are also good. His books detail the treatment of mental illness from the viewpoint of considering the physical brain. However they are balanced books that include information on cognitive-behavioral therapy.

'8 minutes in the morning'-great effective book on weight loss and staying fit.

If there was a book listing free support groups I would include it because they are very helpful. They can be found by contacting ones local mental health organization.

All people with mental health issues should also be aware that if contemplating self harm to call 1-800-suicide 24/7 to discuss it first.

M


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## Methusala

I would like to add that reading the above listed professional books can be triggering and upsetting for people with mental illness or symptoms. If one is recovered enough and decides to read those books for self education purposes, they should be approached wtih caution.

I read them mainly because of the lack of readily available books or professional help for dissociation problems.

The viewpoint I got after doing so, is that the mental health field is at a crossroads right now, gradualy changing from a flawed bio-reductionist model to a trauma model. And also from a large lack of evidence based research, reliabilty, professionalism, consistency and effectivness in psychotherapy to the trained, evidence based professionals psychotherapists should be and must become.

Dr Ross has written several significant booksrelated to this area. For those who have recovered well enough and are interested in the above viewpoint, they are very informative reads.

http://rossinst.com/bookstore.htm

'Pseudoscience in Biological Psychiatry'
-A key book that explains the knee jerk explanatory over reliance on bio-reductionism to the point of pseudo science in the mental health field.

'The Osiris Complex
Case Studies in
Multiple Personality Disorder'
-I had no idea human beings were capable of surviving and even recovering from the extreme and fascinating problems described in this book. I actually didn't even realize such problems were possible, but they are. It also covers a variety of cases and siutations, from extreme to everyday. The book also shows how metal illness manifestation is different and unique for everybody, even if there are categories of it. The unheard of situations give deep insight into human identity psychology.

'Satanic Ritual Abuse
Principles of Treatment'
-This book makes sense of the confusing and controversial issue of 'Satanic ritual abuse.' However it requires a certain amount of patience and thought of the reader because even though it's well written and informative, the book goes out of it's way to stay balanced. Long story short, most with this illness have DID, likely extreme child abuse, and what sounds like derealization related symptoms.

'Dissociative Identity Disorder:
Diagnosis, Clinical Features and Treatment
of Multiple Personality, Second Edition'
-A long detailed authoritative text book on DID, dissociation and it's treatment. Gives in depth and historic details on dissociation studies.

'The C.I.A. Doctors
Human Rights Violations By American Psychiatrists'
-Gives very balanced and extensively evidenced explanation of thought and behavior control research by Doctors funded by the US government.
He says he wrote it because his clients were claiming to be victims of it, and he wanted to know the truth about the issue. He ended up writing a very balanced book on it. Long story short, leading psychiatrists did unethical research studies that developed thought and behavior control techniques, but they can only reliabley be done in extreme circumstances like isolating, drugging and hypnotizing people for 6 months at a time.

'Spirit Power Drawings
The Foundation of a New Science'
-a book of simple line drawings, poems and stories. I'm still puzzled why it was titled 'a new science.' I found it it to be a simple but meaningful spiritual art book.

"Schizophrenia - An Innovative Approach to Diagnosis and Treatment"
-I paged through this in a bookstore. It's a psychiatric book that requires professional level knoweldge of schizophrenia and dissociation. It's point seems to be that there are cases were the two interact with each other and perhaps a newly discovered type of dissociative shizophrenia. I think the basic idea makes sense since I think I have seen this type of thing in support groups. Situations were a schizophrenic person would describe things that had an irrational core but dissociative overtones. Like telling impossible stories alongthe lines of finding booby traps everywere and including apparent abuse memory images in the story.
http://rossinst.com/schizophrenia_book.pdf

M


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## Methusala

How could I forget the great book by Dr Lillian Glass:
'The complete idiots guide to verbal self defense.'
This book by a phd in communication turns out to be one of the best books ever on exactely how to be assertive.

http://drlillianglass.com/verbal.html

Her other books are great also. So are some of the other dummies and idiots books on stress, anxiety, self esteem and depression.

M


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## university girl

Hope and Help For Your Nerves by Claire Weeks is on Amazon.com I just received it.


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## university girl

Dr Freedman is obviously no expert on DP and DR. She says they always pass... error number one. It appears she has no experience with severe and chronic DP/DR and she doesn't recognize DPD as a disorder. She does offer some useful advice though.



rula said:


> "how to overcome DP/DR" by Dr. Freedman
> http://www.anxietybusters.com/ebooks/dpdr2005.pdf
> 
> hope she doesn't mind me sharing it, for free :shock:


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## [rula]

university girl said:


> Dr Freedman is obviously no expert on DP and DR. She says they always pass... error number one. It appears she has no experience with severe and chronic DP/DR and she doesn't recognize DPD as a disorder. She does offer some useful advice though.


Her program is called _anxiety_ busters, it only deals with dp/dr that's triggered by anxiety and depression, which is the great majority of cases of dp/dr. She doesn't make any claims of expertise on the primary and rare DPD.


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## university girl

Yes, I understand that but it would be beneficial if she did speak of the actual DP disorder for those who may be suffering from it and have not heard of it yet. I hope she has heard of the disorder though from her writing, it doesn't look like she has.



rula said:


> university girl said:
> 
> 
> 
> Dr Freedman is obviously no expert on DP and DR. She says they always pass... error number one. It appears she has no experience with severe and chronic DP/DR and she doesn't recognize DPD as a disorder. She does offer some useful advice though.
> 
> 
> 
> Her program is called _anxiety_ busters, it only deals with dp/dr that's triggered by anxiety and depression, which is the great majority of cases of dp/dr. She doesn't make any claims of expertise on the primary and rare DPD.
Click to expand...


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## Guest

From a personal experiences perspective, these books helped me more than anything else. But that's just me. If you can get beyond their personal way of conceptualizing what happened, they are very reassuring and validating books.

The Experience of No-Self
The Path to No-Self
What is Self?

All of the above by Bernadette Roberts.

Collision with the Infinite By Suzanne Segal

These are interesting reads if nothing else and offer unique perspectives on their experiences.


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## nicon

I found a book called the Angry Heart very effective. When you read it it may not seem very linked with DP, it is more for personality disorder problems. The book has exercises to get you thinking about the ways you behave and helps you change parts of your life. Ultimately this has helped me with DP.

Also found that books by alice miller are good, and of course unravelling by Janine is full of great observations and sound advice.

A great part of my road to receovery has come from self help books, some will speak to some and others not. Find what you feel is right.


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## university girl

Anyone receive Dr. Simeon's book yet? I cancelled my order with amazon and ordered it through oxford university press so hopefully i will get it soon.


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## chris51

THe power of NOW


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## Universal

Manifest Your Destiny by Wayne W. Dyer.


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## Universal

BeliefWorks: The Art of Living Your Dreams
by Ray Dodd

http://www.amazon.com/BeliefWorks-Art-L ... F8&s=books

this is their website where you can get a free email course 
http://www.beliefworks.org/


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## Levi

The Haunted Self-Structural Dissociation and the Treatment of Chronic Traumatization by O. van der Hart, E. R. S. Nijenhuis & K. Steele

http://www.amazon.com/Haunted-Self-Diss ... 0393704017


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## Dreamer

*The Miracle of Mindfulness* by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh.

No, DP is not Enlightenment!. This book helps one deal with a noisy mind that will drive you up the wall (that would be mine) -- about helping letting go of petty thoughts and worries.

It is a simple manual on LIVING IN THE NOW, in the PRESENT. So simple yet very difficult. But a calming read. Many of Hanh's other books are likewise uplifting, and calming. One can just read a page a day. Another one, *No Death, No Fear*

This is not easy. It is work, but this is so simple, and very calming to read. It is a form of CBT really. Kicking negative useless thoughts out of your mind.


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## flipwilson

Universal already mentioned it, but its worth saying again....Waking the Tiger by Peter Levine. I felt so inspired about recovery when i started reading it, more so than when i read Claire Weeks or Janine Baker(although also must haves).


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## rdlmethis

Can any of you please tell me which of these books are not depressing to read. i dont want to read anything that will make my condition worse. 
Thanks


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## Staffy

Overcoming Depersonalisation and Feelings of Unreality by Anthony S David et al. 
Interesting, based on the techniques of Cognitive Behavior Therapy.

Also Jon Kabat-Zinn's Wherever You Go-There you Are ,an introduction to Mindfulness meditation.Suggests that you learn to watch your thoughts come and go rather than become enveloped and overcome by them.

Both Available through Amazon.


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## Guest

Staff beat me to it. 8)

A tad more info on this book:

"Overcoming Depersonalization" book available in US
by Dreamer* on Sat Mar 08, 2008 1:46 pm

There is a CBT, Self Help book, published by a super psychiatrist in England that is now available on amazon.com in the US. I just ordered it, but the estimated ship date is April. Better than a year when I first tried to order it from the UK amazon.

This JUST became available on US amazon TODAY. Pure fate as I was ordering another book for my NINETY year old mother in law. The most impossible thing to shop for. I DID find a Happy 90th Birthday card though!

*Overcoming Depersonalization and Feelings of Unreality (Overcoming)* - Anthony S. David; Paperback
Usually ships in 4 to 7 weeks

*Anthony David's website* 
http://www.iop.kcl.ac.uk/staff/profile/?go=10055

Professor Anthony S David FRCP, FRCPsych, MD, MSc
Professor of Cognitive Neuropsychiatry
Head of Section
Consultant Psychiatrist

He is with the King's College IoP. The link is in the links section. They are probably the top research institution into DP.

*The CBT discussed here is probably best for those with panic and anxiety onset THAT IS TREATED EARLY.*

I am chronic. This probably would have helped me when I was 5. Ah well a tad late - who knows. But I believe this could be VERY helpful for some people here.

*For those in the UK and Europe the book is already available ... at least the UK amazon.*

It's 256 pages, so I'm sure it's loaded with good info - and probably a bibliography.

So good to have these things coming out and knowing that excellent research continues at the DP Unit in London.

Cheers,
Yankee D :mrgreen:


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## Guest

The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins

One of the best "selfhelp" "life improving" book any of you will ever read

If this post is removed I demand all the other "faith" involving book posts are too!


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## Guest

Hmm I might read that actually.There is a god delusion in society especially in the west.People project all of their own personal power "out there" somewhere instead of seeing the truth of "god" within them.

Anyway....

*The art of happiness by H.C culter[a psychiatrist] and the Dalai Lama*


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## Guest

'Overcoming Depersonalisation and Feelings of Unreality', by Dawn Baker/Elaine Hunter/Emma Lawrence/Anthony David.
Full of useful information as well as a lot of 'activities' and strategies to use. This is my new handbag companion!!


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## Guest

*My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey*
Jill Bolte Taylor, Ph.D.
2006

Must read in understanding the mind. Left brain, right brain, plasticity of the brain. Told by a neuroscientist who had a stroke and experienced separation of the "chatter" in her left brain from a "euphoria and oneness" with the world in her right brain. She talks of how her body becomes from "solid" to "fluid" with no boundaries.

Some of this is DP-like, some of it is scary, but it is hopeful as well. You would never know from the video that this woman had a stroke. I HIGHLY recommend this. It is directed at the layperson. Very easy to read. I read it on a plane flight from L.A. to Detroit. FLEW through it.

It gives you hope/understanding about negative chatter in the brain, how we may be able to seek more peace. Her experience is extraordinary, but a MUST READ.

Video lecture of her experience (8 years to fully recover from the stroke she experienced at 37 from a genetic anomaly in the circulatory system in her brain:
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/jill ... sight.html

Information on amazon: shorter video (7 minutes) of a talk she gives.
http://www.amazon.com/My-Stroke-Insight ... 355&sr=1-1

Ah, she also went into Neuroscience because her brother is schizophrenic.


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## Universal

Sedona Method: Your Key to Lasting Happiness, Peace, Success, and Emotional Well-being. By Hale Dwoskin. 
Can be found on amazon.com


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## yoda

I'm reading "A new Earth" by Eckhart Tolle. Very good. 
yoda


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## The Aquarium

Depersonalisation: A Comprehensive Guide on How to Cope with and Alleviate it
By Shaun O Connor,
A Recovered Sufferer

its a online book. Great!


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## Pablo

It seems a bit stupid adding to 5 pages of recommended books but here is another one for the list which I have found very helpful and is probably one of the most helpful books I have ever read called 
"Non Violent Communication" by Marshall B Rosenberg








It revealed to me that practically nobody knows how to communicate in a non violent way and even fewer people really know how to really listen and connect with other people on the level needed to help them and that I have rarely been treated in a non violent way throughout my whole life when growing up even though I never had any physical abuse. It also gives you the method to work towards being non violent towards other people and also yourself, when I first looked at it I thought it might be a bit too cheesy but this is not like the other self help books you buy in the shops.


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## Guest

Looks good Pablo,I could use that sometimes I think :?  
I just wanted to mention the cambridge fwbo runs workshops about non violent communication.


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## Pablo

Spirit said:


> Looks good Pablo,I could use that sometimes I think :?
> I just wanted to mention the cambridge fwbo runs workshops about non violent communication.


Yeah my therapist mentioned that, I think he was hinting at something. I really think everybody could do with understanding this approach, it makes you realise that no matter how compassionate you feel in yourself towards other people almost nobody really knows how to properly communicate that and connect to people in a fully compassionate way. It made me realse that I have probably only met a couple of genuinely compassionate people in my whole life which is pretty worrying thought about the state of the world.


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## Guest

I dont think its not that there arent many genuinley compassionate people in the world...just that people need to learn to not project their own isues onto others when helping them,also to not take others free will by telling them what to to.Learnng not to let others cross their bounderies whilst helping them..and of course to work on ones own issues fully before attempting to help others......I beleive it takes along while to get the right balance,and few seldom do,myself included as yet but im still working on it..The biggest problem many have and this is where they fall is that their ego kicks in and they mistakenly think that they are "helping someone"as in an ego helping somone,when acrually We are all in this together,all a part of this creation and play and interconnected in our suffering.Therefore we are simply working with interconnected energy and attempting to bring it into the light of unified awareness.
Anyway im going to stop hijacking this thread now.And add this book to my long list of books to read.


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## optimusrhyme

Im going to also have to say "The Power Of Now" by Eckhart Tolle... robsy reffered me to this and it is one of the most mind opening things i have ever read... Anybody with anxiety problems should read this. It is available online too if you look :wink:


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## peachy

i bought dr. simeons book today!  
finally.


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## optimusrhyme

peachyderanged said:


> i bought dr. simeons book today!
> finally.


sweeeet. let me know how it is im thinking of reading that one next!


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## coffeecup

a book wont cure anyone!!! wake up guys and stop wasting your money!!

theres only 1 person who benefits where these books are concerned .. THE AUTHOR!

the info on drugs/therapy etc is commonly available on here ( or the net )

if your some rich trendy person with minor dp/dr who can afford this... go ahead... if you have this illness seriously get yourself on the forums and spend every waking hour you can on the web

these are bs... nothing more than a money spinning idea to desperate people

(of which i am one!)


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## peachy

ahh no of course a book won't cure you. but i'm curious to know what dr. simeone has to say. she's a very smart lady  and i like to read.


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## coffeecup

you missed the point completely....

i give up....


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## peachy

MrMister said:


> a book wont cure anyone!!! wake up guys and stop wasting your money!!


that's all i was referring to.


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## Guest

Books can help you very much so ,I love books and several have changed my life.


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## BiZaRRe

Hey guys thanks to all the paople who shared there valued knowledge on this topic......I find it hard to read with my dp/dr but I have heard of some of the books mentioned here and I'm thinking stop wanting to read just do it.....so I will buy many of these books actually haha. Thanks again everyone. Oh and Mr mister I can see where your coming from totally mate, but the thing is the authors off these books often have experienced what they are writing about and have useful knowledge man, that or they are proffesionals in their field. Mate we are all desperate to find methods that help so you have no right to judge people for buying these books. Anyway I'm not being a smart ass man but If it is negative comments you have to say to us all why say anything.


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## coffeecup

sorry,didnt know dr simeon had DP .. my bad


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## Guest

MrMister said:


> sorry,didnt know dr simeon had DP .. my bad


Dr. Simeon doesn't have DP as far as I know -- no ... I haven't read this whole thread.

Anyway I'm posting a super book ...* "Overcoming Depersonalization and Feelings of Unreality: A Self-Help Guide using Cognitive Behavioral Techniques." * By Anthony David and Baker/Hunter/Lawrence. From the IoP. These folks are my heroes. Even though I've had DP forever, I still think this workbook is the most helpful I've had ever! Why wasn't it out 35 years ago for me? HMMMMMMMMMM? :evil:


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## Guest

Jeff Abugel who co-wrote the book with Dr. Simeon has had DP on and off for a good part of his life. He runs the site depersonalization.info

Dr. Sierra and the dudes at the IoP don't have DP either. But these people are really into learning about perceptual distortions and other mental illness. They are the world experts on this syndrome as far as I can tell, and they started back in 1997. Absolutely. Can't wait for the medical text.


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## Guest

MrMister said:


> a book wont cure anyone!!! wake up guys and stop wasting your money!!
> 
> theres only 1 person who benefits where these books are concerned .. THE AUTHOR!
> 
> the info on drugs/therapy etc is commonly available on here ( or the net )
> 
> if your some rich trendy person with minor dp/dr who can afford this... go ahead... if you have this illness seriously get yourself on the forums and spend every waking hour you can on the web
> 
> these are bs... nothing more than a money spinning idea to desperate people
> 
> (of which i am one!)


OK, I see the argument. No, no book is a cure. No ONE thing is a cure. But some of these books are actual workbooks. You can apply techniques. And those who are dedicated to researching this do not have to have DP to study it closely in many patients. Also, you don't become rich as a researcher/professor. You become rich as a celebrity which I find rather silly.

I finally really got into Overcoming Depersonalization and Feelings of Reality. I've had DP/DR, GAD, Panic most of my life and I'm 50. I could have used the darned book when I was ten. In this case had I had this kind of treatment then, I doubt my condition would be 24/7 chronic. Self-help workbooks really help some people, and for me, all my life I've kept a journal. It reminds me of when I've felt better, or why I might feel worse sometimes. When I feel like Hell, I forget!

On the other hand, if you read something by someone who has no credentials ... yes, they can be helpful too ... to know you're not alone. But as far as I'm concerned, if a respected professional is educating OTHER PROFESSIONALS ... we'll get better help!


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## persolar

I have to buy those books. thank you all for posting them here.


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## Stapler

Below is the the abstract of an article that looks to be helpful and informative that I would be most interested to read in its entirety. If anyone has the whole article, please post its contents here. Thanks.

_The Psychotherapeutic Treatment of Depersonalization Disorder._
by E.M. Torch
Abstract:
A psychotherapeutic approach to the treatment of depersonalization disorder is presented. The treatment process enables the patient to drop dissociation as a defense against overly vigorous scrutiny of a "self," which is felt to be inadequate when compared to highly demanding standards set by parents. When feelings of worthlessness and helplessness are "transferred" back to original sources of childhood trauma, the patient is then taught how to handle conflict without needing to dissociate from the stress as overpowering and literally depersonalizing the threat.

"The Hillside Journal of Clinical Psychiatry"; 1987; 9(2); pages 133-143, Human Sciences Press


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## fuenteselaine

Hi Guys,
I am fuenteselaine from California. I am suggesting a good book named "Feeling Unreal: Depersonalization Disorder and the Loss of the Self" related to the Depersonalization.This book contains Deep facts related to Depersonalization.


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## Mario

In my opinian these books that explain exactly the way a sufferer from DP/DR disorder feels like,their symptons,thoughts,sense of being detached,feeling unreal,feeling out of own body and so on are obviously made by collecting information from people like us suffering from this disorder.How could they know it otherwise?when they don?t even suffer from this illness?.These books only give you hope when you are reading them.after that everything blows up for most of us.Remenber that who writes these books only knows what they have heard from others who suffer from this.The ideas/suggestions that they say could help,work only for few.Most of us people haven?t improved or getting better just because has read such kind of books even when we tried to follow their suggestions.I don?t want to be negative but does matter to read a book that explains exactly what you already know?Here in the forum or even over the internet we can find lots of sites about DR/DP.I think It should be interesting to know how many people here in the forum got better just by reading these books.and what about real medications for our illness?Do the books talk about this?what kind of reserches are being made in order to develope a medication that would bring a real relieve to us all?even the schizophrenic people have specific medication for their problem and as far as I know,we don?t !!!!And that's what we real need urgently,because some of us have been suffering for so many years.Even though I would like to say that I understand all the excitement around these books because they gave one thing for sure and that is hope.Hope is being the only medication effectively working on us.Hope is everything we have and wish to each other.let us keep hope while we wait some lab to discover a real effective medication for us all.


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## peachy

i know it's already been mentioned but _stranger in the mirror_ is a great one. it has a chapter in the end about treatment options which is much more optimistic and helpful than _feeling unreal_. talks about the 5 different aspects of dissociative disorders and also the 4 C's of treatment for dissociation...forget what they are but it was really helpful. i've never found such a helpful guide for dissociation. that CBT book _overcoming feelings of unreality_ did nothing for me but this book (stranger in the mirror) really did it for me. it seems much more applicable to my life and maybe many others of you as well. it also explained where all my missing hours :?: in the day are going.


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## darkth

_Stranger in the mirror_ caught my attention but I can only buy it online and it seemed expensive for just 1 chapter. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on it peachy.

_Feeling Unreal_ helped my doctor and I with the diagnosis, I have no hope that it can help anything more. Is the 2008 edition of it any different from the 1st? It's good to have different viewpoints on the problem and all good doctors/shrinks should buy those books and be up to date with the research.


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## Oelpat

Here are highlights from an article titled "The Psychotherapeutic Treatment of Depersonalization Disorder" by Evan M. Torch M.D. in the "Hillside Journal of Clinical Psychiatry," Fall/Winter, 1987 issue. The article itself is 11 pages long. But, again, these are just highlights.

The article starts off defining its subject, which is depersonalization as a neurosis (not when such feelings accompany, say, an epileptic attack).

Depersonalized individuals "commonly are insecure, rigid, sensitive, depressed people prone to self-observation and self-deprecation."

A patient is described, a young male from an upper-middle class family of five in which "values and achievement were stressed over feelings and needs." His father is a demanding professor, his mother well-meaning, but passive-aggressive. The patient was "initially resistant to the notion of taking an objective look at his parents' less than perfect humanity." But he learned to see that his parents were demanding and he "seldom if ever said `no'." He was unable to live up to his parents' rigid standards, and the resulting feelings resulted in him having a core of worthlessness. The patient "felt progressively more helpless and hurt.

"His therapy rested on the premise that the patient was overly dependent on external sources of approval for a sense of self." A result of his demanding parents. "His solution to the problem was an obsessional need for control and perfection. This need required constant self-scrutiny and unending self-judgement. In working with him over a long period of time, the therapist was able to forge in the patient a thought that he could begin to change his obsequious and overly dependent behavior by `transferring back' the responsibility for those feelings of worthlessness and helplessness to the source of the hurt, his parents.

"His dissociation was interpreted to him as an obsessional focus on himself--his irrational means of finding an example of what was wrong with him. The patient felt worthless, which made him vulnerable, so he would literally monitor himself until, as is the case with all reality which is watched endlessly, the self literally dissociated...i.e. `I may fail, I will feel worthless; I cannot be worthless so I will monitor myself so closely, this does not happen.' The self could not withstand such self-scrutiny and a sense of unreality was inevitable. [With the help of therapy] the patient was able to alter both his perceptions of required self-control and his needs for perfection. The self, then, was no longer needed as an obsessional focus."

The author lists factors he learned when treating depersonalized patients (I skipped some of the items).

"A. A series of wounds are suffered as a child during an obvious period of total dependency, with a constant inability to satisfy parental demands.

"B. With this negative framework, the patient maintains an extreme over-dependence on external sources of self-esteem and sense of worth; this over-dependence is bound to fall short at meeting the individual's needs for love and affection.

"D. [The patient focuses obsessively on the self] to find a source for a feeling of being inadequate, less than perfect, etc.

"E. There develops an obsession with the 'self.'

"F. Failure of the "self" to withstand such rigorous scrutiny.

"G. Depersonalization.

"H. The patient is shown the basis for his feelings of worthlessness in his unrealistic expectation that he will be able to live up to parental expectations which were unrealistic and overdone.

"I. He is shown that his dependency as a child left him unable to do anything but liken his inevitable shortfall in accomplishments to some innate personal shortcoming.

"J. The parents' own neurotic traits are demonstrated.

"K. The patient is encouraged to `transfer responsibility back' to the parents for feelings of worthlessness.

"M. With lessened standards for acceptability, the self is rendered originally and in a continuing fashion adequate and acceptable.

"P. Dissociation, as a defense, ceases to be necessary as a protection from feelings of external rejection.

The article closes with saying the patient is shown the "contrast of the absolute dependency of the child and failure to satisfy parental demands with the illusion that this dependency must be maintained to be acceptable as an adult."

About 10 references are listed at the end.


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## dnarb

In reference to the article in post #80 (the one above this one) regarding the parental feedback a child gets inducing depersonalization neurosis, the ATLANTIC MONTHLY article linked below is topically connected and very very interesting. The ATLANTIC article does not refer to depersonalization per se, but I think such sufferers would likely be included in the category of "orchid children" the article refers to. The gist of the article is: There are "orchid children" and "dandelion children." Dandelion children are tougher and do not get easily damaged by stressful childhoods. But if they are raised in warm childhoods, they do not necessarily become super successful adults, either. Orchid children are vulnerable to stressful childhoods, and if raised in such environments will develop emotional problems. But if these same orchid children are raised in warm environments, _they have more successful adulthoods than the dandelion children_. And perhaps what can be drawn from the article is that to be cured of depersonalization means the possibility of then becoming more, rather than less, capable than the dandelion children ever could be. The same DNA that makes for a weakness can also make for a strength.

The article (linked below, from the Dec., 2009 ATLANTIC) is backed with solid research and is well worth reading. It's titled THE SCIENCE OF SUCCESS:

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2009/12/the-science-of-success/7761/


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