# A great lil article on DP I found



## MIndfAEL (Mar 13, 2012)

Read this article its very positive and will hopefully give you confidence. http://guardianlv.com/2012/08/i-q-reversal-marijuana-induced-depersonalization/

I.Q. Reversal: Marijuana induced depersonalization

12

Photo by Petr Brož
Smoking cannabis is often advertised as a relaxing and insightful experience, yet some of the more vulnerable and predisposed individuals will have the unfortunate honor to explore the other side of the spectrum. Not only can smoking of marijuana lead to the commonly worshiped euphoria and increase in appetite, but it can equally elicit macabre states of consciousness such as prolonged feelings of ego-devouring dissociation accompanied by intense sensations of anxiety. This complex of perception and affect are commonly referred to as depersonalization, derealization or simply dissociation. Whilst some seek and take delight in this dissociative state, others find it so uncanny and repulsive that they would be willing to give anything for it to stop; ironically, it is this strong emotional imprint that prevents you from immediate recovery, as you are constantly focusing on the negativity it conveys, and so give the anxiety ridden state no space to recede to. How can one put a halt to such a vicious loop of agony? The following will, for the sake of helping one resolve this dissociative dilemma, address common inquires and elucidate the imperative steps for breaking the apparently never-ending cycle:

Is depersonalization permanent? Will it ever end or do I have live like this for the rest of my life?Drug induced depersonalization is rarely permanent and will usually completely recede given enough time and care. Do not expect an over-night recovery though, as this is not likely going to happen. The recovery happens gradually, in small increments. You need time to consciously make sense of the whole confusion, and so does your unconscious need time to assimilate the changes and slowly revert to a more serene mode of operation. If you trust in recovery and are willing to make some changes in your life, then you are on your way to resurrection.
Have I inflicted some form of brain damage or irreversibly doomed my emotions?

No, you do not need to worry, the feelings or the lack of them are not due to brain damage, but, at most, rather functional anomalies of brain regions implicated in emotion and cognition. It is nothing irreversible; the intensity will slowly drop until you reach natural calmness. Nevertheless, you will need to abstain from drug use in order to give way for recovery.

Why does it affect me while others can enjoy weed/psychedelics without having to go through this nightmare?

A predisposition is prerequisite to eliciting panic attacks and depersonalization. Those with latent anxiety disorders and similar forms of psychiatric distress are high at risk. Because cannabis is a psychedelic, it amplifies your internal states; in other words set (emotion) and setting (environment) play a major role in the use of any drugs. If you are a jittery, shy, anxious person then these traits are likely to be surfaced and further exploited by the use of psychedelics. This makes analysis and resolution of internal problems easier on the one hand, but, on the other hand, can confuse and overwhelm those unprepared for such revelations.

How do I overcome depersonalization, and what should I do to speed up the recovery by as much as possible?

There is a legion of healthy habits one may and is advised to adapt in order to mitigate the acute distress as well as shorten the total duration of suffering.

Exercise, especially aerobic, is one of such approaches. Not only does exercise facilitate the release of mood elating neurochemicals such as endorphins and serotonin, but it also promotes the growth of new neuronal connections in a brain region, known as hippocampus, responsible for cognitive processes. Funnily enough, the very same region is often the victim of depression. Therefore, by exercising, you can even correct what might potentially have been eroded.

Supplements, such as magnesium, GABA, L-theanine, and many more, may provide an acute relief and even a long-term benefit.

Meditation is another great implement for gaining relief. During meditation you may learn to breathe more deeply and rhythmically, analyze the very sources of your struggles, and enhance your focus; all of which add to resources required for a complete recovery.There are many more approaches, both conventional and extraordinary, you might want to consider and try out for yourself. Many of the techniques psychologists/psychiatrists advertise for recovery purposes tend to be ubiquitous in action and will address both physical and mental well-being, so do not be afraid to experiment!

I cannot get rid of catastrophic thoughts and am tempted to think of the worst case scenarios.

These thoughts are the fuel to panic attacks, and it is these thoughts to which you will need to immunize yourself in order to abate the panic attacks. Thinking along the lines: "I feel like I am turning crazy!" is a natural concomitant of intense anxiety and is to be expected. Paradoxically, if you were indeed turning insane, you wouldn't be aware of it. Every time these thoughts assail you, take a step back and engage your logical thinking into the equation. Tell yourself that these are just harmless thoughts, intangible creations of your aroused mind, which present you with exaggerated and unlikely possibilities. Gradually, you will learn to replace the fearful associations with neutral or logical ones and so strip the panic attacks off their noxiousness.

Remember, time is the critical factor and the most powerful healer, and so do not underestimate its power. Even though you might feel like you are doing no immediate progress after implementing some of the above-mentioned techniques, give them a chance to take their full effect; after enough time has elapsed you will grow to appreciate what they did for your anxiety and depersonalization.gical ones and so strip the panic attacks off their noxiousness.


----------



## xxmdogxx (Jun 26, 2012)

mmarcus said:


> Read this article its very positive and will hopefully give you confidence. http://guardianlv.com/2012/08/i-q-reversal-marijuana-induced-depersonalization/


I fucking agree.


----------



## sherlock (Sep 30, 2011)

thank you for sharing. it definitely gave me confidence.


----------



## kate_edwin (Aug 9, 2009)

Can you post the article or abstract or anything? I can't do a lot of links on 
my iPod


----------



## Fluke93 (Nov 2, 2010)

Thanks for posting. Good news that its in the media again. Very good news. I take it its an american paper?

EDIT

I just know the comments on that article from people who have never experienced it are going to piss me off. lol.


----------



## MIndfAEL (Mar 13, 2012)

Fluke said:


> Thanks for posting. Good news that its in the media again. Very good news. I take it its an american paper?
> 
> EDIT
> 
> I just know the comments on that article from people who have never experienced it are going to piss me off. lol.


yep. American. and yea lol the proof is in the pudding.


----------



## MIndfAEL (Mar 13, 2012)

kate_edwin said:


> Can you post the article or abstract or anything? I can't do a lot of links on
> my iPod


sure np just edited it in


----------



## kate_edwin (Aug 9, 2009)

Hmm. Not bad. Wosh they would have mentioned the oter causes breifly though as well


----------



## Guest (Sep 22, 2012)

mmarcus said:


> yep. American. and yea lol the proof is in the pudding.


I was going to add this to my Blog and found it very comforting (though I do not have drug induced/pot induced DP). Unfortunately in researching the paper, well, there are no references to sources whatsoever. The author apparently has a DP Blog -- perhaps he has experienced pot induced DP.

This is a Las Vegas, Nevada publication, but it seems to welcome articles from anyone....
*@mcmarcus* -- how did you come across it? It had to be online, not a print version?



> *We are a start-up print newspaper company with no immediate money to pay for articles because we are in our infancy.* Thus, this gig will not provide compensation for at least 8 - 16 weeks. I worked for a print newspaper for 20 weeks before I received compensation and spent 10 years working on a BA, MA and PhD before I saw any real fruit from my labor, but I gained in knowledge and experience. Thus, what we offer is a real opportunity for writers and reporters to grow their talent and skills in a professional journalistic environment. No time clocks, no pressure, just peer accountability. Your work will be subjected to 750,000 to 1,000,000 verifiable readers per month. Do you have that many verifiable viewers on your blog? If you do, you definitely don't need us.
> Ultimately, if we are able to transition from net loss to net profits (if our marketing department accumulates enough advertising dollars), the best writers and reporters will eventually be paid a standard wage for their content. Click here to view our staff


I agree with the suggestions given re: dealing with DP. If this had been in a respected, established journal or newspaper I would have been thrilled. I see this has not garnered "major attention." This is not like an article in The Washington Post, NY Times, LA Times, Chicago Times, or even the Detroit Freepress.

Disappointed.
And there are other countries that publish genuine, positive articles/educational articles on DP. It's just pretty infrequent.

I am very curious re: the true outcome of pot induced vs. .... well I have never had any rec drug in my life save small amounts of alcohol that make my DP worse. So I don't fit into this at all. Still wondering about long-term effects.

Thanks for posting this though.


----------



## kate_edwin (Aug 9, 2009)

That "newspaper company" sounds a little bit like a "scam"


----------



## Guest (Sep 22, 2012)

kate_edwin said:


> That "newspaper company" sounds a little bit like a "scam"


Agreed, Kate. I was very disappointed when I looked into it further. It's like Wikipedia. It is good for basic information, but cannot be depended upon. Also, I have friends who have a BA, or an MA in Journalism. You intern on a paper, you get a job, and you have a career. I know one guy who is a Bureau Chief for the Washington Post assigned now to China. Another guy from my MA program (I had to take journalism if I wanted to do documentary work) who is an Editor of "Men's Health" and another who is an Editor for Conde Naste and the New Yorker.

One best friend's husband was a journalist for 35 years on a paper. You start out at the bottom (crime reports, obituaries) and work your way up.


----------



## kate_edwin (Aug 9, 2009)

Wiki at least requires a reference


----------



## NJ Giants (Sep 11, 2012)

Kate and dreamer are always so negative. If people wish to believe it is a positive source of information let them think that and keep the negativity within your influence. An article or story that has a positive impact on someone, whether it is a placebo or not is good for the person and will elevate their spirit for however amount of time it is. I've only been here for less than a month but I'm starting to realize that negativity and playing the victim is what maybe causing you to prolong your recovery. And if you want to respond back feel free, I will read it but not respond back because I don't want to start a debate or fight. I just wanted to throw that advice out there. Thanks.


----------



## Skynet (Jan 21, 2005)

Very good information in that article which all makes perfect sense. I'm not looking for credentials. I'm looking for hope. Negativity is what keeps DP alive. This is why so many people with a negative attitude have been stuck with DP for years and years! Did you ever realize that your own negativity is why you are stuck? You are your own worst enemy when you choose to look at everything with a negative mind. You won't get better unless you change that about yourself. This article is excellent. I don't care where it came from. I see people post in this forum every day without any professional credentials whatsoever. But it doesn't mean they don't know what they are talking about. You will benefit much more by looking at the message instead of wasting your time critiquing the messenger.


----------



## wise (Mar 29, 2012)

Skynet said:


> Very good information in that article which all makes perfect sense. I'm not looking for credentials. I'm looking for hope. Negativity is what keeps DP alive. This is why so many people with a negative attitude have been stuck with DP for years and years! Did you ever realize that your own negativity is why you are stuck? You are your own worst enemy when you choose to look at everything with a negative mind. You won't get better unless you change that about yourself. This article is excellent. I don't care where it came from. I see people post in this forum every day without any professional credentials whatsoever. But it doesn't mean they don't know what they are talking about. You will benefit much more by looking at the message instead of wasting your time critiquing the messenger.


Well said. I think the key to recovery is just immersing yourself in positivity. We just cannot afford negativity, it is literally suffocating the life out of us like a cancer. Deep down negativity and abuse have always enraged me and for good reason, anger is healthy, it tells you that you have been hurt and damaged and to do something about it.


----------

