# How depression possibly cured my DP



## Jurgen (Aug 3, 2013)

Yep, you read that right.

There are many theories scattered across the forum which suggest that DP is neurological and may not be cured through psychotherapy. This is not conclusive as there is no empirical evidence which suggests this. From what I have read, it is mostly based on speculation.

I'm not sure if there are certain risk factors amongst individuals which predisposes them to have chronic DP more than others, but I have been DP free for an entire year.

After experiencing my first and second bout of DP, I subsequently sunk in a very deep depression which was not relevant to my DP.

During this time, I didn't think about it because it wasn't my main concern. Instead, I was endlessly ruminating, depressed, not thinking about DP or how it affected me.

I didn't care about the way the world looked. I loathed it.

I didn't take any medication because I was worried it would've made me worse. In hindsight, I think made the right choice. Which brings me to my main point.

I strongly believe that DP is just as common as anxiety. The more analytical you become of your symptoms, the more you will start to identify with them and allow yourself to become predisposed to DPD. There seems to be a high number of people who experience it once and leave the board because they no longer display any symptoms of DPD. Thus, they have no use for the forum anymore.

Take all of this with a grain of salt though. Find your own evidence and make your own conclusions. Personally, I have learned so much about psychology and disassociation in general because of my experience as a DP sufferer.


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## Jurgen (Aug 3, 2013)

I'll check it out. Thanks Nick. I've experienced migraines before and never had chronic DP though. That's why I think it's safe to say that it's more symptomatic and impermanent.


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## Jurgen (Aug 3, 2013)

Huggy Bear said:


> The last two only result in transitory DP symptoms that disappear after a short period of time (minutes/hours/days). Brain tumors/lesions often lead to seizures that result in DP symptoms. I have not read any clear evidence that Lyme causes DP directly - it can cause depression, which can lead to DP, though.
> 
> I think that DP is a basic brain mechanism that kicks in when we are faced with overwhelming experiences and emotions, i.e. when we feel existentially threatened/unsafe...


Your last sentence was pretty much the onset of my DP. I think it definitely occurs when the mind/the thinker goes haywire.


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## Haumea (Jul 11, 2009)

It's not only "not conclusive" but complete bullshit peddled by unfortunate souls with autism (or perhaps, in some cases, narcissisism) who are extremely resistant to change, especially of psychotherapeutic type.

I find that dealing with Aspies or high-functioning autists is one of the most frustrating, lose-lose experiences one can have socially. If you treat them like someone deficient, you feel bad for being condescending or treating them like a slow child. If you treat them like an equal, they make it impossible for you not to become scolding or even abusive for what is apparent social idiocy. I have not yet found a way out of this dilemma, except by ignoring them altogether.

Dealing with an Aspie is like having a colorblind person lecture you on hue discrimination. They are unaware that they are arguing about things which they do not understand, and their incredible naivete frequently leads them to become easily brainwashed by cultural or political propaganda.

Yeah, I'm pissed off when I see shit like "you're all doomed!" because there are a lot of people here still in relatively early, difficult phases of DPD which do not need that kind of negative energy. All I can do is remind you to consider the source of these posts. The people posting them have issues much bigger than DP.


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## Jurgen (Aug 3, 2013)

Haumea said:


> It's not only "not conclusive" but complete bullshit peddled by unfortunate souls with autism (or perhaps, in some cases, narcissisism) who are extremely resistant to change, especially of psychotherapeutic type.
> 
> I find that dealing with Aspies or high-functioning autists is one of the most frustrating, lose-lose experiences one can have socially. If you treat them like someone deficient, you feel bad for being condescending or treating them like a slow child. If you treat them like an equal, they make it impossible for you not to become scolding or even abusive for what is apparent social idiocy. I have not yet found a way out of this dilemma, except by ignoring them altogether.
> 
> ...


I have taken that into consideration though. I am merely suggesting that DP can sometimes be psychosomatic or can be caused by a flux of other varying conditions like Nick pointed out. I don't think it's right to completely dismiss all the possible causes, but the symptom itself is obviously very prominent in many cases which is why I agree to some length that it is fairly neurological but this can be easily misunderstood. I don't think you can just diagnose someone with chronic DP alone. Although that statement may vary for many of the members on this site who do in fact suffer from chronic DP, I'm just having trouble understanding why it can be deemed as an actual condition by itself without an underlying cause. That just seems psychosomatic for me.


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## marry1985 (Dec 1, 2013)

Huggy Bear said:


> The last two only result in transitory DP symptoms that disappear after a short period of time (minutes/hours/days). Brain tumors/lesions often lead to seizures that result in DP symptoms. I have not read any clear evidence that Lyme causes DP directly - it can cause depression, which can lead to DP, though.
> 
> I think that DP is a basic brain mechanism that kicks in when we are faced with overwhelming experiences and emotions, i.e. when we feel existentially threatened/unsafe...


I just took a brain scan (MRI) and there's nothing neurological wrong in my brain


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## Meticulous (Jul 30, 2013)

For some reason I've always seen this certain beauty in depression. I'm not saying the depression has cured my DP/DR, but in a lot of instances it has definitely made me feel grounded and human again.

This is the theory of balance, yin and yang. When you allow yourself to be sad, you're also allowing yourself to be happy. It's when you remain numb and avoid feelings when that balance is alleviated and you're stuck in limbo.


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## Guest (Jun 7, 2014)

TheMessenjah said:


> For some reason I've always seen this certain beauty in depression. I'm not saying the depression has cured my DP/DR, but in a lot of instances it has definitely made me feel grounded and human again.
> 
> This is the theory of balance, yin and yang. When you allow yourself to be sad, you're also allowing yourself to be happy. It's when you remain numb and avoid feelings when that balance is alleviated and you're stuck in limbo.


depression and anixety were among the things that defnitely made me feel grounded

I can relate strongley. i strive for depression and anixety again


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## *Dreamer* (Feb 18, 2014)

In terms of the topic. If one reads the definitive Medical Textbook by Mauricio Sierra on DP "Depersonalization .... A Look at a Neglected Syndrome" ... one will find extensive medical research indicating that DP/DR have many many causes.
I can add to the list (and have an article published in a dermatology magazine) that *Minocycline *(an antibiotic used for acne) is known to cause DP is some as a side-effect. Most of the time when the med is withdrawn the DP goes away. Sometimes it remains for a longer period of time.

Other causes:

*Stroke *-- I have a description of Jill Bolte Taylor's (Ph.D.) experience of DP during a stroke.
*Severe head trauma *-- damage to the white matter or other areas.

*Brain tumors*. -- Sierra collected a tremendous amount of data going back through medical records re: "The Lesion Method" -- analyzing the location of various brain tumors.
*Many other mental illnesses* from OCD, Panic, Bipolar, Schizoprhenia, etc. (DP/DR can be seocndary to these and when the primary problem is treated the DP/DR go away. Many individuals who have come and gone on the board say may have had bipolar (which is a chronic illnesss) and took a med for DP/DR. The DP/DR went away, but not the bipolar.

In re: having an MRI or other scan and its coming up negative. I have a friend who has severe epilepsy. Though his EEGs are all over the place. No one has ever been able to find the reason for the seizures (TLE to Grand Mal) over 25 years. These seizures started when he was forty. He's now late 60s. He has no tumor, no lesion to be seen. He simply one night at the age of forty started having seizures.

*Re: depression. * I have depression, anxiety and DP/DR. I had all three of these since childhood. I have spent a lot of my life very sad, crying, and numerous times suicidal -- which was the result of the depression. I am experiencing my usual DP/DR right now, do not feel suicidal or depressed, but am an extremely emotional person. I do feel better when I express my feelings either with laughter or tears, but my DP does not change.

Severe clinical depression makes my DP/DR worse.

*But I will say -- again, we are all unique. And I feel that each DP/DR experience is unique and does not occur in a vacuum. Whatever way you find your way out of this that is excellent. We all have something important to share.*

FInally:
Forgot who posted this, but this is one of the cruelest things I've ever read. Someone on the autism spectrum has a VERY different brain from you and I. The social awkwardness is a hallmark symptom. And there plenty of very high funcioning individuals on the AS ... Asperger is no longer used .. there are high functioning and lower functioning individuals w/autism.

There is no empathy in this paragraph at all. I am just stunned.



> I find that dealing with Aspies or high-functioning autists is one of the most frustrating, lose-lose experiences one can have socially. If you treat them like someone deficient, you feel bad for being condescending or treating them like a slow child. If you treat them like an equal, they make it impossible for you not to become scolding or even abusive for what is apparent social idiocy. I have not yet found a way out of this dilemma, except by ignoring them altogether.


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## *Dreamer* (Feb 18, 2014)

Individuals in the deaf community are also viewed by some as defective. This is why some choose to only use sign language and never get implants that may help them hear, even if it is garbaled sound. It is a debate within the deaf community. Deaf parents may not be able to interact in the same way with their hearing child. Or if they have a deaf child they may not want the child to be different from them.

I always recommend the Book, "Far From the Tree" and will put up the book trailer again. 4 minutes of your time to look at the trailer.


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## *Dreamer* (Feb 18, 2014)

I wish there were more respect here for individual experineces. We are not all carbon copies of each other. We are individuals. The individuals here have everything from dwarfism, deafness, mental illness, transgender, etc. Their parents loved and accepted them for who they are. I can only figure that age and seeing everyone's struggles brings more empathy, IDK anymore. Very sad.


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## *Dreamer* (Feb 18, 2014)

The author of the book, Andrew Solomon, has clinical depression and is gay. As a young man he wanted to commit suicide. He also fell "Far From the Tree" so his extensive research was spurred on by his own experience. I highly recommend the book. It's really a must-read.

http://www.amazon.com/Far-Tree-Parents-Children-Identity/dp/0743236726/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1402430667&sr=1-1&keywords=far+from+the+tree+andrew+solomon

Again, however, what helps anyone cope here, what works for any individual, I say -- WONDERFUL. Find your path, but know that others may take another path. We need an open mind in all ways.


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