# Steps towards Recovery



## creativedp (May 15, 2007)

The first step towards recovery is to admit the fact of this mess, whatever name you give it, in your life. It is not an imaginary distress. No use standing in disbelief or dismay at this awesome phenomenon. Though shocking, distressing, incomprehensible, elusive, frustrating, adamant, or meaningless, it does exist as a shadow on our lives. It has to be accepted like any other malady of the body or mind. It wounldn't disappear by pretending that it is an illusion, or that it doesn't exist. Ofcourse it is unnatural for us to feel the world and one's self to be unreal. Yet this funny phenomenon does exist as a misery in our lives.

The second most important step is to gain insight into the painful fact that the people without this malady experiences the world, self, emotions, time, body etc. differently. Don't pretend that the unreal mess you are in is "the same as their world". Wait for the insight to "see" the unreality as unreality. Neither pretend your unreality to be real nor deny its existence. Wholeheartedly admit the existence of this foul smelling unreality and see how different it will be from the real. My improvement started with such an insight.

The third step would be to give up the habit of obsessive checking whether one is feeling things to be real or unreal now, or how much real and how much unreal. Find useful occupations, engage in group activities, find hobbies, have nutritious food, find healthy ways of living with this thing, postpone important decisions in life. In peaceful moments try to gain insight into your problems of anxiety, panic, obsessions, phobias etc. etc.

This funny stuff will teach you patience. Allow the nature to work. Meantime accept all useful therapies, but give patience the first choice. Allow the feeling of reality and self to return at its own time. And then you will find that its does return, unexpectedly!!!

You cannot make yourself real in a forceful manner. Wait in patience for the holy vist. In the meantime you can lead a meaningful existence, in spite of THIS!!!

creativedp


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## Surfingisfun001 (Sep 25, 2007)

Hey thanks for posting this, I find it encouraging and helpful.


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## nonono (Feb 2, 2009)

great post!
I would like to admit, that very important thing in the recovery is to understand why did we got this shit. If it was caused by Candida, I don't think SSRI's or Benzos are the smartest treatment, if it's a part of your PTSD I don't think one should use colloidal silver, etc. We must get to the root, find out and/or remember how it all started and make an appropriate action then. 
btw, be ready for a REALLY hard time when you're recovering, if your dp/dr was caused by abusive childhood/death of someone you loved or any other psychological trauma, because when you'll reconnect with your buried emotions, fears, horror and sorrows and your dp/dr will fade (it doesn't matter which one of these two things will happen first), you can feel sick, extremely sad, angry, small, etc, etc, etc.. I think a lot of people unconsciously or maybe even consciously (like me few times) refuse to get through this and collapse. they simply fall back in this psychological fog, twilight of unreality, for example - starting to obsess over the dpdr all over again, trying to find other cause/magical cure, blame your doctor, even if it's so clear for a long time WHY you have it, and it's only because it's so hard to deal with these returned emotions, to keep simply breathing, to hold on and wait, instead of trying to mess your own thoughts again and increase your level of anxiety .. so prepare to this and don't let your self sink in the vicious circle of denying your own emotions, DON'T BE AFRAID OF YOUR OWN SELF!
actually at the moment I am there, I feel so down, so fucking depressed and angry, of course I'm so grateful that my dpdr is gone, in the same time it's so hard to drag out a pus from the scars.but this is just something what we all need to do to be happy, forgive and forget, I guess.


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## glointhedark (May 30, 2009)

I completely understand and appreciate what youre saying creative. I noticed a dramatic improvement when I decided to stop fighting or rationalizing the sensations I go though. One thing that helps is keeping your mind busy. I tend to worry a lot and when I feel the DP increase, I try to occupy my mind on tasks I need to accomplish. When I am having conversations with others, I try to slow my thoughts down. There was a correlation with my mind running and an almost altered perception of time.

I don't know if this makes sense but having DP was almost like learning how to walk all over again. I noticed I had to retrain myself to relate to this new perception. I also had to acknowledge my decline in cognitive abilities, that was probably the most devastating for me (I am so thankful this has improved considerably).

I really admire the people who have had this for much longer than I have.

Feel free to PM if you need to chat. Currently, I only personally know myself who is currently going trough this so it would be really nice to relate to others.


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## jamesmartyn (Oct 21, 2009)

hi there.....

it might be step towards recovery.....

Five times a year we read this prayer, on each of the five traditional days of fast:

Answer us, O L-rd, answer us on our fast day, for we are in great distress. Do not turn to our wickedness, do not conceal Your countenance from us, and do not disregard our supplications. Be near to our cry; let Your loving-kindness console us; answer us even before we call You . . . For You, L-rd, are He who answers in times of distress, who redeems and rescues in all times of distress and tribulation.

We can be fasting from food, we can be fasting from mood altering substances, we can be fasting from unhealthy behavior. When in distress we call out to G-d. He tends to listen.


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