# ATTENTION AND HELP FOR THIS CONDITION, WHAT CAN WE DO?



## freesong

I was thinking that some of us who want to can start contacting talk shows, contacting Scientific publications, Medical schools with Psychiatric programs, Doctors with specialization in dissociative disorders, for awareness, suggestions etc. and then we could begin to have a place on here where these doctors and other specialists could post. With enough awareness, we will get help much more quickly but it seems to need to be an organized group effort. Is anyone interested in this? I have the time to devote to this but need some help. For example, this week I have tried to contact every talk show, have gotten a list of docs from Sidron and spoken with some of the contact people at a few of the clinics and have talked with the editor of the Nami magazine. Even if you don't want to participate, I could use some ideas of ways to get exposure for this. Thanks for your time in reading this, freesong P.S. I am aware that there are studies being done at the Mt.Sinai Hospital and the one in London but why not get some others involved as well?


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## university girl

BattleRoyale said:


> I think someone should CALL OPRAH!


A year or so ago I emailed the Oprah Show twice about DPD. No response.  But I agree, we should definately spread the DPD word. I am trying. I will write my local paper soon actually.


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## LOSTONE

There was just a thread that talked about this subject only a few days ago.

http://www.dpselfhelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6354

Oprah is probably the best idea because she has a huge audience.

Your idea about getting doctors to start posting on this site is very good. I had to diagnose myself with DP/DR because I have not meet a doc that knows anything about it. It would be very helpful to be able to talk to a doc on hear.

Again as I said in the other thread about this, we need to make this subject a sticky so if anyone has any good ideas they can post it on this thread. I would love to help out with this but soon I will be working 6 days a week and 12hr a day and won't have any free time.

Oprah's contact info is in the other thread that I posted above.

P.S. university girl you were actually the closest thing to a doc that I was able to talk to about DP/DR. I am glade that we can at least diagnose each other on dpselfhelp, but we need some informed doc's on hear.


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## Guest

There has to be something shocking along to go with it or else oprah wont put it on the air. Just like the people with body dysmorphic disorder were on Oprah and got plastic surgery 40 times to change their appearance. They will only show the most extreme cases of anything to get ratings, so some of us need to do something crazy like poke our eyes out with toothpicks to keep us from looking in the mirrors or cut ourselves to feel alive. Then again they can use DP/DR as sort of an antidrug episode since alot of us got it from smoking marijuana.


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## LOSTONE

I have had about 300 jobs in my life does that qualify!? I am only 24 also. 
I have worked just about everyware in southwest Chacagoland. My SSI job list was 5 or 6 pages long and them were only the jobs I actually made money from, I have quit many jobs before I even worked long enough to get paid. I think I probably hold a record for most jobs held in the least amount of time.


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## Guest

BattleRoyale said:


> Yeah, I hate marijuana now... and people say its harmless... :?
> 
> Well doesn't DP cause a lot of suicides?


 hmm im sure it does because I think about it constantly when im not on anti depressants


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## freesong

Great ideas . I have a friend an acquaintance from high school that is the producer for the View. Let's write to him care of that show and to Oprah's show in force. If enough of us write, that might do it. I will post a request for this from those who are interested. Have some other ideas too. Thanks so much, now let's follow through. The squeaky wheel gets the grease! LOL freesong


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## Methusala

Oprah does book shows also. If a good selling book on DP comes out that might qualify. One of the best things we may be able to do for getting on the show is to heal ourselves. That would help give us the powers of expression desireable for the show, and allow us to talk in greater, possibly more understandable detail. And the healing drama itself would be the story. I think also we already have a lot of dramatic stories, but they can be hard to see because the drama is in the pain of lacking something and longing for it.
Although challenging, I think there are ways to present that. The show title could be something like 'does your life feel like it's on permanent hold? tune in you may have DP.' That would generate a lot of viewers, I think a huge number would relate to that. Just like a huge number relate to anxiety but may not have frequent panic attacks.

M


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## university girl

When I wrote to Oprah, I spoke about marijuana-induced depersonalization disorder. My letter was really good (or so I thought). But no reply.  Maybe if we all send letters they will listen. A book on DPD is coming out in the spring. Check for it. It's by Daphne Simeon.


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## university girl

Here's the letter I sent to Oprah twice, and also twice to Montel Williams. Montel uses marijuana for medicinal reasons.

Hi. I?m ----, a 23 year old 4th year molecular biology and biochemistry student at a university in Canada. Up here, I love hiking, jogging, music, drawing and most importantly, dogs and kids. I also suffer from a disorder known as Depersonalization Disorder (DPD). After ten years of suffering with the disorder and not knowing what it was, I finally discovered what was causing my bizarre symptoms?and I found it online (not with the numerous doctors I had seen). And so the story goes for countless others? It pains me to think of how long others and myself wait until we figure out what we have. And what caused it for me? It was marijuana! The few times that I had tried marijuana had sent me into a ten year downhill spiral. Now, with the legalization of marijuana in question, I desperately would like to warn others with my experience. Of course this doesn?t happen to everyone. It can happen to those who are predisposed with anxiety and worry. (Note: I am not anti-legalization of marijuana as I am aware of it?s benefits as well.)

The following descriptions of this disorder are taken from the paper Depersonalisation Disorder, A Contemporary Overview from the journal CNS Drugs 2004; 18 (6); 343-354, by Dr. Daphne Simeon.

It is like ?watching oneself from a distance (similar to watching a movie); candid out-of-body experiences; a sense of just going through the motions; one part of the self acting/participating while the other part is observing; feeling like you are in a dream or fog; looking in the mirror and feeling detached from one?s image; feeling detached from body parts or the whole body; not feeling in control of one?s speech or physical movements; feeling disconnected from one?s own thoughts; and feeling detached from one?s emotions (numbed or blunted).? ?The robotic, detached state? has been described as being ?analogous to the ?walking dead??. Depersonalized individuals fear ?going crazy, losing control and having permanent brain damage? (because of how we feel) and report problems with mental focus and forgetfulness. Despite having these feelings, people with depersonalization disorder are aware their experiences are abnormal (they ?retain intact reality testing?).

The exact cause of DPD is unknown although hypotheses regarding brain chemistry suggest failure of distorted brain function to repair. Triggers of the disorder include some sort of psychological trauma and/or illicit drug ingestion. Some onsets of DPD have been known to have no trigger. DPD sufferers are regular, ordinary people who are mothers, actors, teachers, students etc. Unfortunately, ?treatment recommendations and guidelines for depersonalisation disorder are still not established...? Currently there are no known pharmacological agents capable of significantly reducing feelings of dissociation associated with DPD.

Here are some quotes from DPD sufferers taken from a website forum I belong to (http://www.dpselfhelp.com):

?Complete, utter emptiness, as if my soul has been removed??..
??I just can't take it anymore?(of course I can take it?taking it is all I have ever been.)??..?it scares me almost to death??..?I'm scared, terrified, depressed, anxious??..?wanting to rip my head off??..?Why I can't be NORMAL like before? I HATE it and feel hopeless??..?When I came across this site I cried. It was such a relief to read that other people have had experiences similar to mine.?? ?I?m just too far gone. Giving up is by far the easiest option. My only relief comes with sleep, being as close to death as any healthy living person can be.??..?I drag this carcass around to no conceivable end other than keeping it alive like some god damn insect??..?I act like a normal person- I act?..???when will this torment end. It makes me want to vomit.??..?i feel so miserable right now, it just makes me wanna go jump off a bridge & put an end to this misery.?..??when I cry sometimes my body shakes and my teeth chatter because the frustration is so great.?

DPD, currently referred to as rare, is more common than it is thought to be because:

1) doctors simply lack knowledge of DP
2) most patients are unwilling to describe their symptoms for fear of being negatively judged
3) patients often have a difficult time explaining their symptoms
4) this disorder is often diagnosed as depression or anxiety when in fact DPD is quite distinct from these

I apologize if this has been depressing but something needs to be done about this(!). How can your show help? A show about Depersonalization Disorder would most importantly increase the awareness of it not only among the general public but more importantly among the medical community. Thank you for taking the time to read this. Please let me know if you do not wish to have a show regarding this topic, as I will then contact other talk shows.

Sincerely,

------
[[email protected], personal website with pics!: http://www.geocities.com/beaners333]


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## LOSTONE

Sticky, please.


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## freesong

Oops forgot to give the producer's name. Bill Geddie if you are interested. If he can't help, we might suggest that if he knows other producers of other shows (namely Oprah and Dr. Phil) then he could possibly ask them to take a look at our condition. It is all about who you know and networking and powerin knowledge and numbers. I am sick of being here and I know you are too so let's really do something that makes a difference as we might as well because most of us can do little else anyway.  freesong


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## university girl

BUMP

I'm starting my letter to the newspaper today. Anyone here have suggestions as to what I should say?


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## university girl

My cousin tells me newspapers will usually only publish letters 30 to 100 words long.... That's unfortunate because the letter I just finished writing is 1.5 pages long! Eek. She is going to help me summarize it. I will let you know if it is published. Here is the long version of my letter. Let me know what you all think. This should stir up some discussion.

I have had a burning desire to share this with you all for some time now. And so I?ll jump right into it.

Like many others, at the age of 14 I smoked marijuana for the first time. Then I did it a few more times. It was around the eighth time or so that something remarkable happened. And I don?t mean remarkable in a good way. The high was like the others, fun and without anxiety. But the next morning I felt odd, like I was still high but in a bad way. And this odd feeling would not go away. And no, it was not laced as my friends that had shared the marijuana with me felt like normal the next day.

Now you must think I?m stark raving mad because you have never heard of such a thing or that I am a ?pot head? and you shouldn?t believe me, but I am neither. In fact I was a high achiever in every aspect of my life. I have not touched marijuana or any other street drug for that matter since this. Let me tell you, I am not the only one this has happened to. After nine years of seeing doctors and describing my symptoms without avail, I stumbled across a wonderful website that described how I was feeling! The website is http://www.dpselfhelp.com and the symptoms I had been suffering from chronically and continuously are depersonalisation (DP) and derealisation (DR). The following definitions of DP and DP are taken from a paper by Daphne Simeon which is referenced later in this article. Depersonalization can be described as ?a sense of just going through the motions; feeling like you are in a dream or fog; not feeling in control of one?s speech or physical movements?. Derealisation can be described as ?a sense of unfamiliarity or detachment from one?s own surroundings?. The website is packed with stories of others who, like myself, have experienced drug-induced DP and DR and had been searching for years trying to find out what they have. I should mention here these symptoms can also be induced by other factors. Also, these symptoms are often experienced during a typical high or transiently during every day experiences such as the state of highway hypnosis. When the symptoms are present chronically and once the drug has left the system, they become a problem.

Let me share with you what I have learned after reading hundreds of personal accounts on this website and reading research articles on the matter. Firstly, what happened to me does not happen to most people, but can happen to the select few who are predisposed to developing a mental illness. What does predisposed mean? It means something about you, such as a genetic factor, makes you more likely to develop a certain condition. That condition would be an illness in this case. Secondly, other street drugs can trigger these symptoms as well . You should also know that for some people, these symptoms are induced after their first high. For others they can go years ingesting drugs with no mental complaints and then one day they begin to experience unwanted DP and DR.

With the legalization of marijuana in question, I desperately would like to warn others of my experience. Note: I am not against legalization of marijuana as I am aware of its benefits as well. In fact, I am for the education of the potential risks and benefits to using marijuana. I so strongly believe you and your children deserve to know what I did not know. If you don?t have much trust in what I have to say, do the research youself. You may have heard of Depersonalisation Disorder before. This often debilitating disorder consists of the DP and DR symptoms I have mentioned above and is listed in the most recent DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). If you would like to learn more on this issue, two brilliant articles you may want to read are Depersonalisation disorder: a contemporary overview from the journal CNS Drugs 2004; 18(6); 343-354, by Dr. Daphne Simeon and Chronic depersonalisation following illicit drug use: a controlled analysis of 40 cases from Addiction 2003 Dec; 98(98): 1731-6 by Medford N, Baker D, Hunter E, Sierra M, Lawrence E, Phillips ML, and David AS. Dr. Daphne Simeon is currently carrying out a study on marijuana-induced depersonalisation disorder out of Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York.

One study suggests the prevalence of Depersonalisation Disorder is not unlike that of schizophrenia (Epidemiology of multiple personality disorder and dissociation from The Psychiatric Clinics of North America 1991; 14: 503-17). So why then is it often misdiagnosed? Dr. Daphne Simeon suggests it?s because doctors simply lack knowledge of DP Disorder, most patients are unwilling to describe their symptoms for fear of being negatively judged, patients often have a difficult time explaining their symptoms, and this disorder is often diagnosed as a varient of depression or anxiety when in fact it is a distinct disorder in itself.

Prior to my first experience with marijuana, it was my understanding that the only damage I could do with smoking marijuana would be permanent brain damage if I used for years. I believe this is what adolescents still believe. And so I feel compelled to share my experience with children who are at the age where they will first be exposed to street drugs. If I can prevent this from happening to just one person, I will be pleased. It is my belief that the most common first time drug to use is marijuana. I have contacted local RCMP involved with the DARE program (drug abuse resistance education program) a number of times with the suggestion that I share my story at schools. The interest was there but the idea was never followed through on their part. I suspect the main focus of the program right now is crystal meth use. I understand that crystal meth use is an important concern but I would hope that marijuana use is not being forgotten.

Please, show or read this article to your children and help to turn my suffering, and that of numerous others, into something positive.


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## Triachus

Think many people will read your letter crammed between "lawnmower for sale" and "happy 5th anniversary Leroy"?


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## university girl

Triachus said:


> Think many people will read your letter crammed between "lawnmower for sale" and "happy 5th anniversary Leroy"?


Well, that depends. I think if it is short and simple (which it isn't now but hopefully will be soon) and has a catchy title, it may be read by many people. But my reason for writing it is to educate even a few people if that's how it is going to be. Have you any suggestions as to what I should do then? :wink:


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## Guest

university girl said:


> BUMP
> 
> I'm starting my letter to the newspaper today. Anyone here have suggestions as to what I should say?


Which newspaper and who are you appealing to ? Who's your target?


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## Triachus

university girl said:


> Have you any suggestions as to what I should do then? :wink:


Nah, sorry. I stopped being hypervigilant about the whole thing a while ago. I don't need to be a victim and Oprah is the root of all evil.


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## freesong

I don't feel like a victim at all but just a person that wants to get better and to help others as well. There are probably many out there who are suffering and could possibly benefit from this and we could use some money for research. I don't really think that Oprah is the most evil person in the world but I realize that she has some problems too. She just has a very big audience. I might be a bit hypervigilant right now regarding getting help but I hate living like this and I know that there are others who are sick of it as well. Let's try to work together in a win-win solution attitude and not get into negative places where positive solutions are being suggested. I never think that educating people about conditions and getting to cures is something that needs to be criticized. It is a very good idea and there are other talk shows and newspapers other than Oprah if you don't like her. Let's try to get some help.


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## alexishoward

Hey, you guys....maybe if all these people (talk shows, doctors, clinics, magazines, papers, research centers, ect...) were getting HUNDREDS maybe THOUSANDS of CONSTANT on going LETTERS and PHONE CALLS form ALL OF US...they will realize how important it is and how many of us need the help. I think we should all write like 50 letters each and keep doing it like every month until these people finally get it..."wow, we keep getting a lot of these letters on this same topic, it seems to be a problem for a lot of people, maybe we should give it some attention?!!!!"

Just a thought!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## university girl

I agree.... I actually suggested this earlier on in this thread. Which newspaper? I will start off with my local newspapers. I am appealing to everyone.



alexishoward said:


> Hey, you guys....maybe if all these people (talk shows, doctors, clinics, magazines, papers, research centers, ect...) were getting HUNDREDS maybe THOUSANDS of CONSTANT on going LETTERS and PHONE CALLS form ALL OF US...they will realize how important it is and how many of us need the help. I think we should all write like 50 letters each and keep doing it like every month until these people finally get it..."wow, we keep getting a lot of these letters on this same topic, it seems to be a problem for a lot of people, maybe we should give it some attention?!!!!"
> 
> Just a thought!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## freesong

Could we maybe please put a sticky on this and everyone post what luck they are having and resource ideas etc. Just a thought, freesong


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## university girl

I just PM'd Rev asking him to make it a sticky.



freesong said:


> Could we maybe please put a sticky on this and everyone post what luck they are having and resource ideas etc. Just a thought, freesong


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## university girl

Opportunity knocks!!!

I'm getting excited about this. A local mental health support service received a 80,000 educational grant. They are going to put together films on different mental illnesses, interviewing actual sufferers. Then they are going to enter the short films in two large film festivals. I am going to contact them and see if they can get a snippit in about DPD!

Also, my local family resource association is putting on a program for adults of young children at which they will discuss alcohol and drug use prevention. I would love to explain my story to them.

I'll keep you all updated... Check out your local newspapers. Maybe you too can spread the DPD word.


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## jft

A few months ago I wrote my local newspaper asking to do a short op-ed story of dp/dr and the hazards of drug use for onset of dp/dr. They never even bothered to respond to me.
jft


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## freesong

They say that it may take eight tries at something like that to get attention so you might try one more letter and then send copies every once in awhile. I have posted some messages on tvtalkshows.com to see if some on there would write the talk shows if they are interested and I am starting to type letters to all of the main ones again this week. Don't give up. Love, freesong P.S. Do you remember the movie "The Shawshank Redemption" ? He kept sending letters and finally got things done. I see it like that, we have nothing else to do more important than getting well anyway so might as well keep sending. Tenacity is the key.


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## university girl

Hey Jft, why not try again?



jft said:


> A few months ago I wrote my local newspaper asking to do a short op-ed story of dp/dr and the hazards of drug use for onset of dp/dr. They never even bothered to respond to me.
> jft


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## jft

Actually I did just that last night, which is out of character for being "Minnesota nice", we never want to bother anybody ya know, den.. This issue is too important to be nice anymore.
jft


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## university girl

Great! Let us know what comes of it.



jft said:


> Actually I did just that last night, which is out of character for being "Minnesota nice", we never want to bother anybody ya know, den.. This issue is too important to be nice anymore.
> jft


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## distantdawn

I'm glad that everyone now thinks that this is a good idea...it brings hope in. I am willing to help anyway that I can.


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## furtherwest

It is definitely a good use of your time and energy to try to educate people about DP/DR. Writing letters to local newspapers and contacting Oprah regarding your condition can surely be listed in the GOOD STUFF column of the things you have done recently.

I suppose it has to start somewhere. Public awareness of DPD , specifically in the medical community, is something sorely needed. 
It is moving forward, with Simeon's book coming soon.

However, what do you think will happen? Will you feel better after you see a DP sufferer get the Oprah treatment? As the nation burns in anger at our tragedy, teams of scientists will work furiously towards the antidote? The research is already going on.

I'm not trying to be a jerk factory, really. I know everyone's Road To Recovery is different. I would exert all my efforts into the OPPOSITE.
Do you think all the thought given to letters detailing your stories and
experiences could have been channeled into something REAL / Not a Sad Tale of DP Woe?


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## university girl

Only good can come out of more people knowing about DPD. People will be diagnosed faster, more people will be recognized as having the disorder, more funds will become available for research, and thus more research will be done.


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## brett88

BattleRoyale said:


> Suicide is a permanent answer to a temporary problem....


Not always, whoever came up with that cliche is wrong. What about the people with life-threating illnesses or cancer and are given weeks or months to live, but decide to take their own lives to escape the unbearable physical and mental pain of dying a slow, agonizing and inevevitable death? Can you really blame them for their choice? 
But in other cases such as, for example: going through a bad break-up with a spouse, getting fired, having depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, or even _this_, which is not always permenant - theres no way a person should commit suicide. I know I never would.


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## gmichael

I have been suffering with DP due to Panic Disorder for some time, I agree we need to get more Dr.'s aware and involved the last two therapist I saw had no idea of this symptom or how it was linked to anxiety. Which brings me to this question, I am in Suffolk county Long Island NY and would like to know if anyone knows of a therapist who is up to speed with this disorder and or Panic disorder with DP as a symptom. Would really appreciated some guidance.
G


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## Revelation_old

Topic Pinned by request. Good thread


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## Methusala

brett88 said:


> BattleRoyale said:
> 
> 
> 
> Suicide is a permanent answer to a temporary problem....
> 
> 
> 
> Not always, whoever came up with that cliche is wrong. What about the people with life-threating illnesses or cancer and are given weeks or months to live, but decide to take their own lives to escape the unbearable physical and mental pain of dying a slow, agonizing and inevevitable death? Can you really blame them for their choice?
Click to expand...

 I think that if someone is in terrible pain and is dying of cancer then the phrase 'Suicide is a permanent answer to a temporary problem' is still correct, since their pain would only last until their soon to happen natural death. In addition, pain Doctors can help with almost any level of pain using powerful drugs. In a worst case scenario a person can even be put into a temporary coma by drugs. If a person is past the point of any help by pain Doctors they will very likely die within a couple days.



brett88 said:


> But in other cases such as, for example: going through a bad break-up with a spouse, getting fired, having depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, or even _this_, which is not always permenant - theres no way a person should commit suicide. I know I never would.


 The problem with accepting any possible reason for suicide, is that that will give the negative spiral thought patterns of mentally ill people something to work with or rationalize. Negative internal talk and rationalization is the way the self harm thought process works.

People with days to live in terrible pain don't care about blame or anything else. But at least 20,000 Americans a year and probably many more kill themselves due to a thought process that could have been interupted with a single phone call.

So all people with a mental illness and anyone with any thoughts of self harm must be educated to know that suicide is totaly unacceptable and calling 1-800-suicide or 911 is mandatory if contemplating it. Making that message clear and known everywhere would save thousands of lives a year.

M

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## university girl

OK, so I need your help. What should I say to this group who are doing films on already selected disorders in order to convince them to do a clip on DPD?? I have some ideas but I want to hear yours.


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## Methusala

Here are some things that come to mind for a DP film:

1. the hidden, unknown, intense, shame filled, lonely suffering of people with DP and DR. And it's hidden and unknown large effects of life areas such as work and relationships. The #1 priority of the film should be to communicate what it's like to have DP, and thus also the need for support, research, training and education on this issue. This should probably be a whole additional question for the forum-'How can the film communicate what it's like to have DP?'

2. The painful condition of DP can be initiated by smoking pot, one of the only genuine yet also widely unknown dangers of smoking pot. That many with DP now avoid pot completely.

3. That DP is one of 5 dissociation symptoms or possible disorders. That there is a growing amount of work on this area, showing the large effects of dissociation problems and how to heal from them. That dissociative researchers and therapists have been working together on this in their issd.org organization.

4. That the scid-d test created by Dr Steinberg is a research backed tool for measuring and diagnosing depersonalization.

5. That DP exists for many in a self reinforcing cycle of panic->DP dissociation->OCD thoughts->panic. That this cycle is often initiated by Trauma.

6. That thought and behavior habit patterns maintain that cycle, and DP can be reduced by changing those habbits. That a key part of this is acceptance of panic, etc feelings instead of trying to mentaly escape them.

7. That DP can also be caused without an anxiety cycle by physical problems such as epilopsy and probably other factors also like hormones.

8. Dr Simeon's recent issd conference presentation, upcoming book and nami presentation.

9. That people with DP and DR often go misdiagnosed and misunderstood because of lack of medical and therapy training in DP. That issd offers training for dissociation diagnoses and treatment.

10. Because of the widespread lack of information on DP, and that there is a lot of information to present, the film should either present facts in a none stop smooth stream, and/or emphasize the need to read more material for more understanding.

A few other things, imho as always:

-That DP is probably more widespread for both small and large symptoms than generaly realized.

-That DP has played a prominent yet also very little known role in the cultural history of the last 100 years. This is shown by mass political movements that attack individualism such as communism, fascism, religous fundamentalism and current US nationalism. That historic artists have expressed this such as Picassos 'Guernica', which was covered up for Colin Powels UN speech, Camus's 'The Stranger' and the films of Stanley Kubrick.

-That 20th century classic books and ideas have had a lot to say about this, often without using the word 'depersonalization.' Books such as 'man's search for meaning' and ideas on alienation, consumerism and mass culture.

M


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## university girl

Thanks Methusala.

So what would the film producers get out of it? I've got ideas but would like to hear everyone's comments.


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## Methusala

Here's a less rambling post version.

I think the producers would get these benefits from a DP segment:

-Being among the first to report on the large social and personal costs of DP. By educating the public about the following costly facts, they would be providing a valuable media service:
-DP is a little known and widespread debilitating disorder.
-DP is often misdiagnosed, sometimes for years, because relatively few professionals receive training and education on it.
-Such training is now available through issd.org , which has made significant scientific strides in treating DP and other widespread but little understood dissociative disorders.

The film opening could go like:
'Ever get a feeling like your watching your life happen as a movie on a screen from a disconnected 3rd person viewpoint? Perhaps to such a degree that you no longer feel and know who you are? That's the painful and confusing situation of people who suffer from DP, a widespread and often misdiagnosed mental illness.' The film would go on to offer a few more supporting and explanatory scenes on the theme of 'DP is widespread, painful, not widely known about and often misdiagnosed.' After that the film would go on to 'save the day' by describing the advances made in diagnosing and treating DP and were to learn more.

So this would offer both a human drama story with a happy ending and valuable information. This factors can generate viewers, important education on a public health issue and accolades for addressing a significant under recognized problem.

M


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## university girl

Thanks Methusala. Come on guys, I need to hear more on this issue. It's very important and I'm meeting with the film director in two days!


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## Allure

Hi,

I could add that many *Quebec'*s doctors don't care about this condition, and it should be important for ALL medical profession... even in Quebec. I saw many doctors, psychiatrists, and they all told me it was like anxiety. I even called _l'Ordre des psychologues du Qu?bec_, and talked to the president about my condition, and she told me to go to the hospital right now! How stupid!!! It's been 3 years that I have DP, I work, etc. But I still have it!

My current psychiatrist says it's like DP, but I am sure he doesn't believe in it. It's important that *doctors*, not only psychologists, everywhere around the world, believe in DP. It could help for the research, for having new meds, etc. It's true. If you have DP in a foreign place, like far from NY or England, you can't see a doctor who believes in this illness!!! It's crazy. People care about schizo but not DPD!!! :evil: 
Anyways, that was my point. I am sure that other people who live in foreign countries think the same.

Jen


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## Methusala

Here is some dissociation therapist contact info for Quebec I found at issd.org

Rosanne Baatz MSW
5459 Av DuQuette
Montreal, QC H3Y 2L4 
Canada
(514) 482-6046

Montreal-Advanced
John A. O'Neil, MD FRCP (C)
St Mary's Hospital
Department of Psychiatry
3830 Lacombe Avenue
Montreal, QC H3T 1M5 Canada
Office Phone: (514) 345-3511
Fax: (514) 485-9972
Email: [email protected]

Montreal (two faculty, one site)
Advanced 
Su Baker, MEd
4064 Wilson Avenue
Montreal, QC H4A 2T9 Canada
Office Phone: (514) 485-9529
Fax: (514) 485-9972
Email: [email protected]

M


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## alexishoward

I think if we want to get people's attention from this we should not make it out to be a drug induced disorder in anyway. even though a lot of us can contribute drugs to be the overall cause of our disorder, there are still a lot of people who suffer this problem that have never done drugs. I don't think "the people" will really care to help or do research or let the word out to the rest of the world knowing that most of the people with this problem caused it on their own using illegal substances. they will just have no pitty at all because it's already a known fact that drugs can mess you up and there are already anti drug books and shows and crap like that and the things drugs can do to you. We dont need another one of those. i think we should let people know that it's an organic problem brought on by anxiety and depressioin and then later on get into the drug scene. I actually think it is a more interesting topic knowing that simple anxiety can bring it on. I think people will react to it in a more positive way. just my thoughts...i could be wrong...but thats just how i feel.


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## freesong

You make a good point Alexis Howard. I think that most all of us have experienced trauma or stress in a very significant way and the drugs probably play a roll in some of us and in my case drug withdrawal but the emphasis seems to me to be on trauma (in whatever form) and how it has affected our brains.


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## [rula]

I think it would be kinda sad to have to leave out significant parts of the truth just to get someone's pitty, as if our suffering alone is not significant enough. but I do see your point. I'm sure bringing up the fact that drugs like Klonopin and SSRI's can trigger this too wouldn't fly too well in a documentary that's sponsored by Lilly. I know this guy who went cold turkey off Klonopin cuz it made his liver start to fail, he went into the worst DP/DR hell imaginable, few days ago he tried to kill himself. This is a mental condition that comes on in a variety of ways, I don't think we should hide or feel ashamed that some of us got it from illegal substances.

Tell the _whole_ story and maybe they'll find some angle they're interested in. imho.


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## university girl

OK, so I haven't actually met with them yet. So, keep the ideas coming. Freesong, I will get back to you on this soon.


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## Guest

as far as this dp being temporary, i am not so sure about that. I guess it depends on who it is and how bad it is. But i have bumped into some people on this site who have had it for the better part of their lives. That doesnt sound to temporary in my eyes, and sometimes scares the shi* out of me.


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## brett88

Eros said:


> as far as this dp being temporary, i am not so sure about that. I guess it depends on who it is and how bad it is. But i have bumped into some people on this site who have had it for the better part of their lives. That doesnt sound to temporary in my eyes, and sometimes scares the shi* out of me.


scares the sh*t out of me too Eros.

-- University girl, are you still going to meet with the film director? I wish I could help with some ideas you asked us for but im to tired to think, maybe tomarrow.


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## Rozanne




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## university girl

I am still going to meet with her, yes. But it is being put off for various reasons. But that gives us more time to think of how we can convince her! 

Miss_Starling, your idea to publish info on DPD in your medical magazine sounds great. I may put an article together for that. I have so many papers I could reference so it shouldn't be too difficult.


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## notetoself04

i'll definetly support it if you all start a big group thing to spread knowledge about DPD.
i'm a bit too young to do much but i can try.


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## university girl

One small step...

I got an article published in 5 local newspapers. The article is about marijauna and mental illness. I listed depersonalization disorder as one disorder that can be triggered/worsened by marijuana and at the end of the letter listed this website as a reference for further info on the disorder. Even though the article isn't about DPD, it's a start at least. In a few months I will submit an article specifically about DPD.

As for my meeting with the film director, I am awaiting her email response which will hopefully set up a meeting between us where I can introduce the idea to her.

I'll keep you updated when something new comes up.


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## jft

Way to go Uni! My unwritten article has been denied twice by local paper. Glad to see your news.
jft


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## university girl

Hey, don't use your age as an excuse! You are never too young to help. In fact, sometimes it's the young ones who are major contributors, appearing on the news and such. You can begin with educating your friends about DPD (although be careful how much you talk to them about it- I learned the hard way that I spoke too much about it to one of my friends) and then maybe even your school. How about writing a letter in your school newspaper, if there is one?



notetoself04 said:


> i'll definetly support it if you all start a big group thing to spread knowledge about DPD.
> i'm a bit too young to do much but i can try.


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## university girl

jft said:


> Way to go Uni! My unwritten article has been denied twice by local paper. Glad to see your news.
> jft


Thanks! But how can an article be denied if it hasn't been written? :shock: Assuming your article has been written, maybe you should contact the newspapers and ask them why it was denied? Perhaps they would publish it if something was left out or worded differently?


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## David Kozin

Brenna is working extremely hard to get information out to the media in a any shape or form she can. Additionally, she helped design some of the questions for the NODID/MSSM DP pilot study.

Thanks Brenna!

- dave


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## Rozanne

8)


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## notetoself04

[quote name="university girl"]Hey, don't use your age as an excuse! You are never too young to help. In fact, sometimes it's the young ones who are major contributors, appearing on the news and such. You can begin with educating your friends about DPD (although be careful how much you talk to them about it- I learned the hard way that I spoke too much about it to one of my friends) and then maybe even your school. How about writing a letter in your school newspaper, if there is one?

we have a school newspaper, but it's all stuff that the teachers need to say and mostly just events happening at the school during the month like basketball games and stuff.


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## Allure

I think I will write a little book about it. Serious.


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## notetoself04

scared_jen355 said:


> I think I will write a little book about it. Serious.


hey that is a good idea. Good luck with it.


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## Allure

Fact is, it doesn'T INTEREST French people, and french doctors.

So what can we do???? Whan ca I do, alone in my country?

:shock:


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## university girl

Notetoself, OK, how about your local city's newspaper?

As for me, I will finally be meeting that film director on Friday. Wish me luck! I will let you all know what comes of it.


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## notetoself04

i'll try. not sure if it will get published. but i WILL try. :wink:


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## university girl

notetoself04 said:


> i'll try. not sure if it will get published. but i WILL try. :wink:


Let us know how it goes! Even a short simple letter is great.


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## notetoself04

i started writing it today..haven't finished yet because i really need to think of some good things to say.


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## freesong

I have sent a second message to the Oprah group and mentioned Dr. Simeon's book and the idea to put a few from this forum with her on a show. Next I will be sending a letter to Bill Gedde, the producer of "The View" as he went to highschool with me. It may mean nothing at all but it is worth a try. Don't give up!!!!!!!!!!!! Keep trying to get attention in any way you can. I know that if we all try enough something will break for us.


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## university girl

Way to go Notetoself and Freesong. Keep us updated. Today I met one of the film directors but found out she is actually only involved with the books that will be written using the grant money. I will be able to get something published in the books about depersonalization disorder. It's a start. I will hopefully meet the primary film director next week.


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## university girl

I will meet the primary film director on Friday. Any input before this time would be greatly appreciated.


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## university girl

Hello all!

Some of you may be aware of my plight to make DPD more well known. I have successfully convinced a local mental health group who received an $80,000 grant from Lily to do a clip on DPD! To my surprise, it wasn't hard. The film(s) will be entered into various film festivals and made available for purchase to numerous organizations around the world. The films may also be translated for sale in other countries. This is ground breaking! I am so excited.

What I need from you guys are two more individuals with primarily DP symptoms who would like to be filmed along with myself. You will need to travel to Vancouver Island, on the west coast of BC. In addition to a free lunch, you will also receive a small amount of money which you can put towards your travel expenses.

All of those interested please reply to this post and PM me as well. I look forward to hearing from you guys.


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## just_breathing

i agree 200% with you lol.

thats seriously a great idea!

but even then.. what if they still don't understand?
cuz the only people that do.. are the people that actually have it.

wahtever its worth a shot! =DDD


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## university girl

Well, the filming is done. Unfortunately no one else was interested in traveling here to be filmed. The first public viewing of the film will be held this month. I'm excited to see how far this film will reach.


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## lostsoul

Wow that's great work university girl!!

When I was in Romania (bucharest) I had a dinner with Mr. Francis Ford Coppola and I was thinking of asking him to make a movie about DP/DR but didn't think he would be interested since he's now only making personal movies. Would have been great though


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## Lynch_mob

I wish i did more research about Drug induced Disorder's before i did the drugs. Instead of saying, "Don;t do drugs they mess you up!" go into more detail of how the mess you up. Because i'm sure we are aware of reality and are able to somewhat understand what is happening around us, we are still normal in a way, we attend school our jobs, the gym, but mentally we are not and i'm pretty sure that part of it needs to be broadcasted more. The reason i didn't research them was because i felt (when doing drugs) I could still do things with it. Now it's extremely hard.


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## rdlmethis

I will do anything that i can do to help. Please Just let me know.


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## Guest

rdlmethis: I wouldn't mind a back massage... that would help my condition


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## dreamingoflife

I tried writing oprah as well before i seen this post and i thought it was a really good letter and nothing....

Maybe we should like pick a day and get alot of people from this site to just send an email on her site about this and just flood it with requests for a dp show i dunno sounds dumb but maybe it could work.... :?:

But it would be awsome to get a show devoted to this condition it would open alot of peoples eyes that maybe don't believe it's a real disorder or don't take it serious because it sounds so bizzare.

I still can't believe doctors aren't that aware of this I had to self diagnose because doctors kept saying it was depression.


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## Life Sentence?

I really like the energy here. The greater the awareness level is increased, the more people there will be to try and help! If Magic Johnson had DPD instead of AIDS, we might all be cured by now! But ask yourself this, would someone like Magic Johnson publicly admit to having a strange disorder like this? Would people be sympathetic, or just say, "NUT JOB!"

My theory, many famous people do have this, but are too scared to publicly admit it. Why? People without DPD, can't relate to it! It's strange! It's weird! We look and act fine, so why should people be able to relate to it?

By no means do I want to discourage creating awareness, but this one is tough! Working in the television industry, myself, I understand the short attention spans that need to be captured. I'd suggest you focus on anything that the average person might be able to relate to, such as the Marajuana angle.

Good Luck.


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## Life Sentence?

I've always wanted to create a low budget independent documentry on DPD, but have never been able to think of the right angle to grab the attentions of non-DPD sufferers. If it's not maketable, its a waste of time. Any ideas would be appreciated and considered. I have the tools to create professional quality footage. Although, I do lack time, and have virtually no professional post production tools. But with a few great ideas, that might prove a profitable venture to others, I'm sure I could convience others to fill the gaps. I could work for dedication to a cause, however, any associates of mine, would need to feel it is a profitable venture. :?:


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## sapphire2011

j_utah said:


> some of us need to do something crazy like poke our eyes out with toothpicks to keep us from looking in the mirrors or cut ourselves to feel alive.


I was thinking about doing that, actually.

Somehow I think it's a bad idea, relapses are hard to stop, that sort of thing.

Although, if logic is the only thing keeping me here, and logic fails.. well, i'm not sure where my lack of emotions will take me.


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## Corduroy28

Graffiti. I had a dream one time actually that I went around the city spray painting "depersonalization is real" on buildings and billboards and such. I was wondering if there might be some kind of underground urban approach to getting the word out there, similar to the ATHF movie with the neon signs everyone thought were bombs. I know it would technically be illegal, but i could honestly care less. If it grabs people's attention, all the better.

I definately agree that contacting the media would be a good idea, but something like this would give immediate power to those suffering by getting their own voice heard while simultaneously giving them a creative outlet. Who knows, doing this might even provide some kind of true emotional sturring.

I might actually post this as a topic on the regular forum.


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## Guest

Why not, I will design some leaflets to pass out. 

Keep the wording straight forward though, something like:

Depersonalization is Real, but it's a son of a bitch.


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## banker

can anyone suggest methods to cope day-to-day.. I'm on xanax but still feel like i might have to go to hospital several times a day. This is freaking me out.I have my first appt with a psychiatrist in a couple of days.I just want this to end. It feels like hell on earth.


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## ragdollannie

what about if oprah would interview matthew perry and ask him about the movie he made called "numb"? is it too late for that since to movie was awhile ago? matthew probably wouldn't want to promote it but he did do some interviews awhile back and maybe it could just be a blurb with him in it... people tune into matthew perry don't they... and it would boost her ratings.


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## PPPP

I think I remember reading that several members had tried writing to oprah but that the oprah people weren't interested. :?


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## Kayla69

> I felt odd, like I was still high but in a bad way. And this odd feeling would not go away. And no, it was not laced as my friends that had shared the marijuana with me felt like normal the next day.


Oh wow, I thought I was the only one!
This one time I got way to high, I regret it.
I HATE POT! And it is so diffficult/embarrasing to desricbe why to my friends.
The symtom are hard to describe.
This website is my first sign of hope in a year, :!:


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## Guest

Hello! I`m goin` to The Netherlands after this summer to the biggest Talk-show. Not becouse of DP,but some football stuff. 
Maybe i could ask them or ask them to cantact someone that`s interested?


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## Reality Cynic

Hello,

My name is Matt and let me first apologize for not introducing myself in the appropriate section or if anything else I write doesn't belong here. Ragdoll, that movie, Numb, just came out on DVD yesterday, I watched it last night and somehow ended up here. Perhaps you shouldn't count Matthew Perry out just yet as awareness of the condition will now reach a much larger audience.

I've had this condition for about 4 years and can remember the exact moment it happend. It's a long story, but I used to think it was triggered from the benzodiazipan, kolonopin, sleep deprivation, and stress. The moment it happened was pretty scarey--I felt my conscience somehow move from wherever it should have been to outside of my body and it's been a tough time reigning it back in. I've since graduated from college as a single parent and have begun a professional career, although have always had trouble coping with it, but less difficulty in hiding it. In the past when I've tried to describe it, people have thought me more crazy for thinking I'm crazy than from the symptoms that I was describing--that it feels like i am permananlty high on marijuana, which is ironic and a paradox in itself because when I first started smoking it I can remember saying, this feels really good, but it would suck to always feel this way.

Over the past few years what has really helped me cope is that something seems to be telling me that I have this condition for a reason that may be far beyond any current consideration, almost like my conscious is being prepared for something. Is there anyone else who has been having these types of, for a lack of a better word, sensations?


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## cyberafrica

Hi

This is a long shot, but if you look on http://www.drjilltaylor.com/, she is a neuroanatomist who is afilliated with the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indiananapolis, Indiana.Neuroanatomy is the science for localizing function in the human brain.

She has been chosen as TIME Magazine's 100 Most Influential in the World for 2008. See http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/ ... 55,00.html

Just recently she was on Oprah Soul series recently,because in 1996, Dr. Taylor woke up to discover that she was experiencing a rare form of stroke. For the past ten years, Dr. Taylor has been successfully rebuilding her brain - from the inside out, and has written a book called "My Stroke of Insight"

I emailed her about our plight, and she has responded.

-----Original Message-----
From: Jill Bolte Taylor [mailto] 
Sent: 22 May 2008 04:56 PM
To: Cyberafrica
Subject: Re: Depersonalization & Derealization Disorder needs urgent Research

Hi Cyberafrica, thanks for this message. Have you had a chance to read my book? I am curious about what your experience feels like in comparison to what I describe in my book. That would give me some insight into this disorder.

I will keep this message in a special research file for when I find colleagues who are interested in doing these types of projects. I appreciate you reaching out and wish you all the best, Jill

My email to her is below:

> Dear Dr Taylor and Robert Koehler
> 
> Congratulations on your triumph and book concerning your life >changing experience.I am a sufferer (like many other people) of >depersonalisation/derealisation >disorder, and just >as you, have >taken a great interest in this >disorder, as I come from a >medical >family (father is a doctor and surgeon, and mother is a nurse)

>There is not much known about this frightening illness, as there is no >real cure. Apart from having to self diagnose myself from finding out >from doing website research (mainly http://www.dpselfhelp.com
>and http://www.depersonalization.net , much of the medical profession >does not know much about it, although it is extremely common. Lately, >this disorder has been popularized by the movie "Numb" acted by Matthew Perry.
> 
> I am sure it has to do with part of the left brain "shutting down", >as one loses ones insight of the "self" or ego. And we are only left >with "right brain thoughts" which include existentialism and not >feeling "real". Also our sense of perception changes, where the world >looks "unreal"
> 
> I am contacting you, as there must be a lot of cross over research to do,from a neuroanatomy perspective. There are thousands of sufferers in >the world, who do not have any answers to their problem, or who do not even know what they have. There is research being done by Dr Daphne Simeon from Mount Sinai School of Medicine.
> http://www.mountsinai.org/Research/Cent ... %20Program

She has also written a book called Feeling Unreal, Depersonalization Disorder and the Loss of the Self(http://www.amazon.com/Feeling-Unreal-De ... cr_pr_pb_t)
>

> We also have a representative, see
> 



> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uR0Rao6J ... re=related>
> , who is pleading to the medical profession to help and bring more awareness about this disorder. If you read the posts on http://www.dpselfhelp.com/> there are many sufferers who see suicide as a way out.

> I definitely see this illness as a life challenge, as it came on suddenly,one moment I was fine, then the next felt as though >my whole world had changed.(Literally!) I hope my experience with this illness is transient, as there are people who do get >through it, and heal.

> Look forward to your response.
> 
> Cyberafrica
>


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## Guest

Wank


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## coffeecup

im with EP...

utter utter wank, about as usefull as a chocolate fireguard


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## xxxphillixxx

I THINK...that... we should all get together and build a giant boat and then float away, find an island, and then live on it together, so that it would make how we're feeling, actually, considered normal.


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## champion4life

i agree


university girl said:


> BattleRoyale said:
> 
> 
> 
> I think someone should CALL OPRAH!
> 
> 
> 
> A year or so ago I emailed the Oprah Show twice about DPD. No response.  But I agree, we should definately spread the DPD word. I am trying. I will write my local paper soon actually.
Click to expand...


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## Mark

champion4life said:


> i agree
> 
> 
> university girl said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> BattleRoyale said:
> 
> 
> 
> I think someone should CALL OPRAH!
> 
> 
> 
> A year or so ago I emailed the Oprah Show twice about DPD. No response.  But I agree, we should definately spread the DPD word. I am trying. I will write my local paper soon actually.
> 
> Click to expand...
Click to expand...

Opra is key.


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## coffeecup

maybe we should ask thom cruise to help us? hes more nuts than all of combined...

(l ron hubbard.. wrote some great scifi books.. but poor old thom thinks its real  )


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## Guest

I sent captain planet a letter, although he still hasn't got back to me


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## coffeecup

captain planet AKA "billy bob joe"

spot on mullet there


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## desalpha3000

Hi there (everyone).

I freaked my family when I tried to explain my DR/DP to them.
I have given up on mainstream medecine for more than one reason. There is so many vested interests in life... and it goes all ways. At this stage, I have the idea that Dp, Dr. is a disconnection.... and I think it is triggered by trauma in one way or anonther. I appreciate science in the medical field but it has never really helped me. I am drifting away from there treatment/understanding these days. :idea:


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## sunnydayswillcome

xxxphillixxx said:


> I THINK...that... we should all get together and build a giant boat and then float away, find an island, and then live on it together, so that it would make how we're feeling, actually, considered normal.


I love it.


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## sunnydayswillcome

Reality Cynic said:


> Hello,
> 
> Over the past few years what has really helped me cope is that something seems to be telling me that I have this condition for a reason that may be far beyond any current consideration, almost like my conscious is being prepared for something. Is there anyone else who has been having these types of, for a lack of a better word, sensations?


I don't know if this is what you mean, but sometimes I feel like I am the only person who really knows what's going on. Like it's really everyone else who is in the fog, not me.

I'm a single parent too. Do you or did you find it hard to establish a connection with your child, or did you ever worry that you can't be a good parent because of this condition? I know I felt that way for the first few years of my son's life.


----------



## Cathal_08

sunnydayswillcome said:


> Reality Cynic said:
> 
> 
> 
> Hello,
> 
> Over the past few years what has really helped me cope is that something seems to be telling me that I have this condition for a reason that may be far beyond any current consideration, almost like my conscious is being prepared for something. Is there anyone else who has been having these types of, for a lack of a better word, sensations?
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know if this is what you mean, but sometimes I feel like I am the only person who really knows what's going on. Like it's really everyone else who is in the fog, not me.
> 
> I'm a single parent too. Do you or did you find it hard to establish a connection with your child, or did you ever worry that you can't be a good parent because of this condition? I know I felt that way for the first few years of my son's life.
Click to expand...

it probly will be harder to make as good a connection with your son as it would without DP, but you can still be a brilliant mother, ive no doubt about that.

its hard to connect with other people but i think connecting and communicating with other is very important in recovery and gaining relieve!


----------



## brighterfuture

university girl said:


> BattleRoyale said:
> 
> 
> 
> I think someone should CALL OPRAH!
> 
> 
> 
> A year or so ago I emailed the Oprah Show twice about DPD. No response.  But I agree, we should definately spread the DPD word. I am trying. I will write my local paper soon actually.
Click to expand...

thats a great idea, whats the email?? i think everyone should email her so we can get her attention and she can understand how difficult this mental issue is for some of us


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## mamamia

oprah won't give a shit about dp. it doesn't sell.


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## peachy

we can find someway to relate dp to new age enlightenment and eckhart tolle and she'll be on us like butter on a biscuit.


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## justadream

there's a lot of ways to spread the word.
contact local newspapers, tell friends/family (i know some won't understand, but some will try), donate DP books (Feeling Unreal, The Stranger in the Mirror) to your local library, try an email chain (haha), and much more, I just can't think of any right now.

sorry if some of these points have been brought up; I admit I didn't look through the other posts.


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## egodeath

mamamia said:


> oprah won't give a shit about dp. it doesn't sell.


Get a really fuucking heart-wrenching story involving a non-white single mother, her abusive father/uncle/whatever, and her success in the face of tremendous odds, all while struggling with Depersonalization Disorder, and maybe we can get DPD on Oprah. Oh and her son has to be gay. Or retarded. Or both. With one arm or something. Oh and she has to have also survived breast cancer.


----------



## Mr. Void

we should comprise a compilation of everyone infected with this.
Everyones story 
every ones journey. Write a book


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## egodeath

Mr. Void said:


> we should comprise a compilation of everyone infected with this.
> Everyones story
> every ones journey. Write a book


I think we're still doing that. Search DPD compilation.


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## emilybrooke77

THINGS THAT HAVE HELPED ME WITH DP AND HAVE MADE IT WORSE!!

1. KEEPING MY MIND BUSY!
2. MAKING TO-DO LISTS..AND ACCOMPLISHING THEM..AND THINKING ABOUT THE MOMENTS THAT I WAS "IN THE MOMENT"
3. SOCIALIZING..(EVEN THOUGH THIS IS HARD AND UNCOMFORTABLE, ONCE I ENGAGE IN CONVERSATION I FIND IT HELPS ME.
4. PUSHING THE LIMITS, DOING THINGS OUTSIDE OF MY COMFORT ZONE AND ACCEPTING THE DP AND NOT RESISTING IT! 
5. LAUGHING ABOUT DP, I KNOW THIS CAN BE A HARD THING TO DO, BUT THE LAUGHTER CAN INCREASE THE SEROTONIN LEVELS! 
6. READING A GOOD BOOK!
7. EXERCISING REALLY HELPS ME, AND ESPECIALLY YOGA!
8. HELPING SOMEONE ELSE WITH THEIR PROBLEMS AND GETTING OUT OF MYSELF!
9. NOT BEING SCARED OF DP, AND REMEMBER IT WILL GO AWAY AND WONT HURT US!
10. KNOW THAT DP IS PROTECTING US FROM SOMETHING1
11. EAT LOTS OF PROTEIN, I FIND THAT SUGAR MAKES MY DP WORSE! 
12. DRINKING THE NIGHT BEFORE CAN MAKE DP WAY WORSE THE NEXT DAY!
13. TOO MUCH SLEEP, TOO LITTLE SLEEP, TOO MUCH CAFFENE, OR SUGAR CAN MAKE IT WAY WORSE.
14. BE CAREFUL NOT TO READ TO MUCH ABOUT DP ALL OF THE TIME. 
15, PRAYER.

ALSO, I GOT THE PROGRAM FROM WWW.ANXIETYBUSTERS.COM AND DR. FREIDMAN REALLY HELPED ME!!

IF ANYONE ELSE HAS IDEAS I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IT!

THESE ARE JUST THINGS I HAVE LEARNED SO FAR BY TRIAL AND ERROR!

EMILY


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## Deja_vu_256

We would need recovered people to be involved... we have massive communication barriers with the rest of the world - NO ONE WITH DEPERSONALIZATION COULD EVER CONVINCE A NORMAL PERSON HOW BADLY WE SUFFER - in fact our pain is of completely different sort that we were never even aware of before. Recovered people may be a great help. Someone who understands what we're suffering but is dedicated to helping those of us left behind. Some one who realizes that just what it's like and is wanted to help.

Our disorder is one that is not excepted nor understood by society. It is not my personality to not emotionally care about any thing - i _want_ to care, i _want_ to love, i _want_ to "want", as the word use to mean for me. _Yet we are all heartless people, people who don't care about anyone. _


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## hd83

Even though we have drugs out on the market that help some with their DP/DR, there isn't a drug on the market yet specifically targeted towards DP/DR. I talked to my psychiatrist today and she gave me a great idea.

Approximately 1 to 2% of the population has a form of depersonalization and/or derealization disorder. Yet, none of the major pharmaceutical companies makes a drug to treat this disorder. However, approximately 1% of the population has schizophrenia, and there are about four or five drugs on the market (atypical antipsychotics) targeted specifically for schizophrenia.

Pharmaceutical companies are profit driven. If they knew that DP/DR affects so many people, they would put the time and money into researching a drug to treat it, just like they do for schizophrenia. My psychiatrist suggested writing a letter to the different pharmaceutical companies letting them know that this is a wide-spread disorder and would be profitable for them to research and make a drug to treat DP/DR. If everyone on this site wrote a letter to the major pharmaceutical companies (Pfizer, Merck, Wyeth, etc.), we could really make a difference in the treatment options that are available to us.

I'm going to write my letter tonight and post it so others can use it as a template for their letters (that way, if you don't want to, you don't have to write your own, you could just use mine). But feel free to write your own! The important thing is the volume and quality of letters the drug companies receive. I would suggest addressing your letters with just the CEO's name and address of the company, and include a return address as well. I know this sounds obvious, but the more professional the letter, the more impact it will have. Here is the contact information for the drug companies:

Pfizer
Jeffrey B. Kindler
Chairman and CEO
235 E. 42nd St.
New York, NY 10017-5755

Wyeth
Bernard J. Poussot
CEO
500 Arcola Rd.
Collegeville, PA 19426

You can also send one to Wyeth's President: Joseph M. Mahady

Merck
Richard T. Clark
President, CEO, and Chairman
1 Merck Dr.
Whitehouse Station, NJ 08889-0100

Eli Lilly and Company
John C. Lechleiter 
President, Chairman, and CEO
Lilly Corporate Center, 893 S. Delaware
Indianapolis, IN 46285


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## hd83

Here is the letter which I wrote that you can use as a template. Let's get as many letters sent out as possible!!

Jeffrey Kindler
235 E. 42nd St.
New York, NY 10017-5755

Dear Mr. Kindler,

I am writing to you because I suffer from depersonalization disorder. I have had depersonalization disorder for approximately six years now. After going to a therapist for close to a year, my therapist decided that I had a chemical imbalance which was causing my symptoms. I have tried every classification of medicine (antidepressants, atypical antipsychotics, benzodiazepines, mood stabilizers, and antiseizure medicine) available. However, I have found none of them to relieve any of my symptoms.

Depersonalization disorder affects approximately 1 to 2% of the population and is classified as a dissociative disorder. Yet, there are no medications to treat dissociation or this wide-spread disorder, depersonalization. As CEO of Pfizer, you are in a powerful position. You could potentially help hundreds of thousands of people suffering from depersonalization disorder by creating a medicine that treats dissociation. Not only could you relieve people's suffering, but also earn a substantial profit. Because of the chronic nature of this illness, many people would pay a premium price for a medicine that would relieve some or all of their symptoms.

I have included two articles detailing the seriousness and wide-spread nature of this disorder. Developing a drug that treated depersonalization disorder would open up a new, untapped market with great profit potential. Please review the articles and consider developing a drug to treat depersonalization.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Heather Disney
(Include personal address here)


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